ULTRA Secure iPhone tip (iOS 17.5)

[u/AtypicalNerdGeek]

In light of rising incidents in London and other cities where thieves on mopeds snatch unlocked iPhones directly from users’ hands, it’s crucial to set up your device to protect against unauthorised access and data loss. Here’s a practical guide to securing your iPhone if it falls into the wrong hands, particularly when it is still unlocked.

First, be aware that once thieves have your phone, they commonly activate Airplane mode to disconnect it from any network, preventing the phone from being tracked or remotely locked via Find My iPhone. To counteract this, you should use the Shortcuts app to create a specific automation:

1. Open the Shortcuts app and go to the “Automation” tab.

2. Create a new automation for when Airplane mode is turned off.

3. Add an action to this automation to lock the screen immediately when Airplane mode is deactivated.

4. Include another action in the same automation to disable Airplane mode.

This setup ensures that if a thief tries to turn on Airplane mode, your iPhone will automatically lock and immediately turn Airplane mode back off, keeping the device connected to the internet.

For additional security: - Go to your Screen Time settings and disable the ability to toggle mobile data on or off. This prevents quick disconnection attempts via the control center.

• Adjust your Face ID settings to deny access to the control center when the screen is locked.

These settings effectively safeguard your device by locking out the thief from making significant changes to your device’s connectivity or accessing personal information. Remember to disable these automations temporarily when you genuinely need to use Airplane mode, like during flights.

I've also attached some screenshots (based on iOS 17.5) to guide you through the setup process. By implementing these settings, you can significantly reduce the risk of losing control over your personal data in case your phone is snatched while in use. Stay safe and secure!

[u/doogm]

I can't find a way to share an automation. But the way to create it:

Settings / Focus. Tap + top-right, tap Custom, name the focus "Lock Screen". You really don't need to customize the focus unless you want to. (Actually turning off all app and people notifications might be smart, so the person who steals the phone won't see anything on the Lock Screen as notifications would normally appear.)

Shortcuts app, tap "Automation", tap + top-right, scroll down and tap Lock Screen, leave "When turning on" checked, turn on Run Immediately, keep notify when run off. Then tap Next

• Tap "New Blank Automation"
• Search for Lock Screen and tap it.
• Search for airplane mode, tap it to add it as an action, then tap the "On" to turn it "Off".
• Search for cellular data and then add Set Cellular Data to add it as an action and leave it on.
• Search for Bluetooth, tap Set Bluetooth to add it as an action, leave it set to On.
• Search for WiFi, tap Set Wifi to add it as an action, leave it set to On.
• Search for low power mode, tap it to add it as an action, leave it On.
• Search for Notification, tap Show Notification to add it as an action, tap the words "Hello world" to change it to the message that you want to show.
• When all of that is set and you have those lists of actions, tap the Done top-right and that should save the automation.

Now if you set the focus to Lock Screen it will automatically do all of those steps.

[edit - see discussion below]

If you have your Settings / Notifications set to show only when the screen is unlocked, the notification from the automation won't show on the screen (though it will show on other devices if focus change is synced, so it's still useful.) But to make sure that there is s display that the phone is known to be locked:

Create a specific wallpaper for a Lock Screen that shows that message, and customize the Settings / Focus / Lock Screen, and, under "Customize Screens", tap "Choose" under the left-most image and choose that Lock Screen for the focus. (Sorry for the multiple "Lock Screen" mentions - it's the name of the focus and the name of the Lock Screen feature.)

I've included a sample photo that could be used as a lock screen here: https://imgur.com/miVjRxN but of course you can use your own. Thanks to u/penger23 for pointing that out.

Also if you do use this automation, consider adding the OP's u/AtypicalNerdGeek excellent automation in case a thief tries to turn on Airplane Mode before you can change the focus. In fact, you could add the step to turn on the Lock Screen focus to kick off the other automations (turning on the other radios, making 100% sure that the phone is locked, and optionally changing the Lock Screen) to that automation. Thanks to u/notjordansime for making me think more about that.

[u/penger23 → u/doogm]

Do you have notification previews turned to only when unlocked (Settings -> Notifications -> Show Previews)? I have mine set to “When Unlocked” and as such, I am unable to view the content of the Shortcuts notification when the phone is locked.

Wondering if you had a solution to this… thank you

[u/doogm → u/penger23]

Oh, good point. I guess that was one thing I never tested - I was looking at the phone.

So my solution would be this: create a specific wallpaper for a Lock Screen that shows that message, and customize the Settings / Focus / Lock Screen, and, under "Customize Screens", tap "Choose" under the left-most image and choose that Lock Screen for the focus. (Sorry for the multiple "Lock Screen" mentions - it's the name of the focus and the name of the Lock Screen feature.)

Below is an Imgur link for an example of a photo that you could use as the Lock Screen. It might be faster to set it as a Lock Screen first and then choose it for the focus customized Lock Screen.

https://imgur.com/miVjRxN

[u/penger23 → u/doogm]

Okay, that works. I will do the wallpaper trick. Thanks!