Stolen Device Protection on iPhone: What It Does and How to Check It Is On

A thief who watches you type your passcode and then takes your iPhone can do serious damage. Stolen Device Protection is Apple’s answer. It adds extra security when your iPhone is away from familiar places, so a stolen phone and a known passcode are not enough to take over your accounts.

This guide explains how it works and how to check it is on.

What it does

When your iPhone is away from familiar places, such as home or work, some actions need extra checks. These stop someone who has stolen your iPhone and knows your passcode from making important changes to your account or your phone.

There are two parts. First, some actions, such as opening your saved passwords and credit cards or erasing the iPhone, need Face ID or Touch ID, and your passcode will not work instead. Second, some security changes, such as changing your Apple Account password, need a Security Delay. You use Face ID or Touch ID, wait an hour, then use Face ID or Touch ID again.

The delay is there to slow a thief down, so you have time to mark your iPhone as lost and secure your Apple Account.

When it applies

When your iPhone is somewhere familiar, these extra steps are not needed and your passcode works as usual. Familiar places are usually your home, your work and other places where you regularly use your phone.

You can also set it to always require the extra checks, even somewhere familiar. With that option, changing your Apple Account password, signing out of your Apple Account, changing your passcode, and adding or removing Face ID or Touch ID always need a delay. This suits people who often hand their phone to others, although it does add extra steps in everyday use.

How to check it is on

It may already be turned on, so check rather than assume. Go to Settings, tap Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode), and enter your passcode. Tap Stolen Device Protection, then turn it on.

There is a standard option, which adds the extra checks away from familiar places, and a second option to always require them. We recommend checking this on every iPhone in your household.

What it needs

Your Apple Account needs two-factor authentication, which means signing in also needs a code sent to one of your devices. Your iPhone also needs a passcode, Face ID or Touch ID, and Significant Locations turned on in Location Services. Find My must be on, and you cannot turn it off while Stolen Device Protection is on.

It needs iOS 17.3 or later, and it only helps if it is turned on before your iPhone is lost or stolen.

New phones

When you set up a new iPhone from an iCloud backup or by transferring from your old one, your settings come across, including Stolen Device Protection. It may take a little while for the new iPhone to learn your familiar places, and you may have to wait before you can change some security settings on it.

Lock the apps that matter most

You can also lock individual apps. When you lock an app while Stolen Device Protection is on, that app opens only with Face ID or Touch ID when your iPhone is away from familiar places, with no passcode option.

Mail is a good one to lock, because your email often holds sign-in codes and other sensitive information. To lock an app, touch and hold it on the Home Screen until the menu appears, then tap Require Face ID (or Touch ID).

If your iPhone is stolen

Mark your iPhone as lost through iCloud as soon as you can. The Security Delay gives you time to do this. For more on keeping your accounts safe, see our guide to the Apple Passwords app. For a much stronger protection aimed at a very small group of people, see Lockdown Mode.

Need a hand?

If you would like us to check the security settings on your family’s iPhones, see our Online Safety & Protection service, or contact Your Mac Tech.