An Extra Hour to Keep Your Phone Safe: Introducing Stolen Device Protection to Protect Your Smartphone in the Presence of an Intruder

While our phones are not a big deal to us, they are so crucial to our lives that it is much riskier to have one stolen. Apple added stolen device protection to its phones so that it wouldn’t happen to you when you’re away.

These extra checks will appear when someone tries to access passwords or passkeys you’ve saved in iCloud’s keychain, use payment methods saved in Safari, turn off Lost Mode, erase your phone, use your phone in the setup of a new Apple device, apply for a new Apple Card, view your Apple Card’s virtual number, or transfer money with Apple Cash.

The delay applies to attempts to change your Apple ID password, sign out of Apple ID, or update your Apple ID account security settings. The delay is also in place if someone tries to remove Face ID or Touch ID accounts, change your iPhone passcode, reset your settings, disable the Find My tool, and turn off Stolen Device Protection itself. If a thief has your phone, there’s a chance they’ll want to change these settings quickly to either take over your phone or online accounts, and the delay may reduce their ability to do so. Moore says the extra hour adds a layer of security.

You don’t need to look very far to find a story about a stolen phone. A phone is stolen in London every six minutes. Subreddits are littered with people having their phones snatched by thieves. Criminals can use a variety of tactics, from taking the passwords for the phone and stealing it, to peering over someone’s shoulder and then unlocking it. Social media accounts, passwords and financial data can all be put at risk.

In the unlikely event that you haven’t setup your home base for your device yet, it is a good idea to do so in the meantime, otherwise you may have to wait for that hour to enable Stolen Device Protection. This is one way to do it.