The Apple iPhone is one of the most popular smartphones available. If you use the iPhone, then it’s important to know just how much security matters when it comes to keeping both your device and the information that you store on it safe. Although iPhones tend to be more secure than Android devices as standard, there are several security tips that users should follow. Theft in particular is a huge concern when it comes to iPhone security, along with ensuring that your files and documents on the device can be easily recovered if needed.
Preventing iPhone Theft
There are several things that you can do to reduce the risk of having your iPhone stolen. Keep the phone close to you and avoid leaving it unattended and exposed. While Apple Air Pods might be an ideal and convenient choice of headphone for iPhone users, you might want to think twice about wearing them in public since they clearly indicate that you are using an iPhone and might entice thieves. Finally, always be aware of your surroundings rather than focusing on your phone – whether you’re sitting in public scrolling through social media or listening to music on a walk, don’t check out of the real world completely and stay alert to what’s going on around you.
Passcodes, Touch ID and Face ID
While there are several things that you can do to prevent your iPhone from being stolen, it’s important to know that it can sometimes be unavoidable, and the more you do to prevent the thieves from getting access to your device, the better. The best thing to do is set up a strong passcode for your iPhone that will not be easy for anybody to guess. Don’t use strings of numbers like your date of birth – even though this might be easy for you to remember, it also means that anyone could potentially figure it out by simply finding you on social media or looking at your ID if they have stolen your bag or wallet with both inside. If you use an iPhone that supports Touch ID or Face ID, it’s also worth setting this up for additional security and more user convenience.
Switch on Find My iPhone
Find My iPhone should be one of the first things that you enable when you get a new iPhone, since this app could be the key to getting your device back if it is locked or stolen. You can also use it to control your device remotely if it is stolen by changing your password if you think it is compromised, wiping the device completely so that thieves do not have any access to your information, or setting a message on your home screen so that anybody who finds the phone knows who it belongs to and where to return it to. If your iPhone is stolen, Find My iPhone will use the built-in GPS on the device to pinpoints its location on a map so that it can easily be found. It’s also handy for finding your phone if you lose it, and can easily be accessed from any device by logging into your Apple account.
Turn on Automatic Backups
Apple’s iCloud is the best way to make sure that your files are backed up so that you can easily access them if your phone is lost or stolen, or if you accidentally delete files from your phone. You might be wondering, can you recover deleted photos on iPhone? And the good news is, yes, in most cases where you have backed up your photos to iCloud, you can easily recover them even when they have been deleted from your device. Check out the linked blog from Setapp for more information on recovering deleted photos from your iPhone or Mac including checking the recently deleted photos section in your albums and software that you can use to retrieve deleted photos on your Mac. Setapp also goes through different options for syncing your files to the cloud including alternatives to iCloud. One of the main advantages of backing up your files to iCloud is that if you use Find My iPhone to wipe your device if it is stolen, or get a new iPhone, you can easily retrieve all your files and transfer them to your new device easily.
Keep Other Devices Password Protected
If you use an iPhone and a Mac, iPad, or iPod and the two devices are synced with each other, the data from your iPhone is not only available on your smartphone but also on your other devices, making it potentially accessible to anybody who can get on your device. Make sure that your data is secured by keeping all of your Apple devices password-protected. You can also make your data even more secure by encrypting your backups in iTunes.
Use Security Apps
There are several apps that you can use on your iPhone that focus on offering more privacy and security. There are many free options and some paid ones if you would like to take advantage of further security capabilities. Using a VPN app is an ideal choice if you are going to be using your iPhone on a public Wi-Fi network. While public Wi-Fi might be handy for accessing the internet for free in a public place, it is usually not very secure and makes it easy for hackers to gain access to your device. You can set up a VPN on your iPhone manually or by using a VPN app. Other methods to keep your device and communications more secure when using an iPhone is to use an encrypted messaging app like WhatsApp to send text messages, and try a private web browser rather than the standard options if you are concerned about data collection and tracking for advertising purposes. Password security is also important, so consider using a password manager app to secure any password stored on your device.
iPhones are known for being one of the most secure smartphone options, but there are still several things that you can do to prevent your device and the files stored on it from falling into the wrong hands.
