BERLIN: As street phone-snatching surges in major tourist hubs across Europe and North America, police and tech giants are pushing to make stolen devices useless to international theft rings.
Here is how to secure your iPhone if it goes missing this summer.
- The first step is to log in to Apple on another device – a smartphone or PC – via icloud.com/find. You do not need a verification code for this, but you will of course need your Apple ID password.
- Select the relevant device from the "All Devices" list and then select "Mark as Lost" and follow the on-screen instructions.
- As a final step, if the device remains untraceable, you can also erase it remotely.
One crucial point: Don't remove the device from the list of devices in the "Find My" function. Doing so would disable the iPhone's Activation Lock, making it easier for thieves or finders to erase the device and sell it on.
The Find website also shows the location of the device. Apple warns against going to look for it yourself in the event of a theft or robbery. Instead, for safety reasons, you should contact the police.
Theft protection starts much earlier
To be able to use all these functions when the time comes, a little preparation is needed. iOS does prompt users to secure their device during setup and periodically afterwards – but not everyone has done so. These steps are important:
- Activate "Find My." This is Apple's network for locating devices linked to your Apple ID.
- This is done via "Settings." There, tap your name and, under "Find My," switch on the "Find My iPhone" function.
- The device can then be located via the "Find My" app and the website icloud.com/find.
Steps to secure an iPhone
Further steps to secure an iPhone against theft or unauthorised access:
- Set up a screen lock with a strong passcode – at least 6 digits, or ideally a combination of letters and numbers.
- Activate Face ID or Touch ID.
- If you have not already done so, activate two-factor authentication.
- Remember your Apple ID password.
- Note down your iPhone's IMEI device number in a safe place. You will need this, for example, to file a theft report with the police.
Signing out of other accounts as a precaution
One final, not entirely unimportant step: Once all the security measures have been taken and the report filed with the police, sign the device out of all active sessions in online banking, messaging apps, Google accounts and similar services wherever possible.
And – if it was a company device – the company's IT department should also be informed of the loss. – dpa
