By Sophie Buchan

Copyright manchestereveningnews

If you have an iPhone, it’s probably wise to turn on one of its crucial settings – and sooner rather than later. The warning comes from a phone expert who cautions people with a phone – of any kind – that in the first half of 2025 alone, it’s estimated around 44,000 phones have been stolen across the UK. Because of this, there’s growing concern about how to ensure maximum phone security in the event it is stolen, especially now that the latest model, the iPhone 17, has launched. To help, Darren Corney, phone expert at Insurance2Go , reveals a security feature which can help prevent this. Stolen Device Protection is an Apple iPhone feature that runs on iOS 17.3 or later. It requires biometric authentication (Face ID or Touch ID) for any potentially sensitive actions and implements a security delay when your device is in unfamiliar locations. The expert explained: “The feature triggers a security alert when your phone is in a location it doesn’t recognise, so it starts requiring your Face ID to access certain features on the phone. When this feature is enabled, you’ll need Face or Touch ID to access Keychain passwords, stored payment information, and even to disable Lost Mode. “Your phone will turn off the option to use your passcode as a backup. So even if the thief knows your password, they won’t be able to unlock or access sensitive information.” This isn’t the only positive about the feature with Darren explaining that the setting adds a delay when trying to change any security features on the phone. This means that you “can’t change your password or turn off ‘Find My iPhone’ instantly, you must wait an hour” and “these changes will all require Biometric confirmation too.” This means if your phone is stolen, it will be harder for the thief to wipe all your data meaning it will be harder for them to sell it. To enable the feature, Darren advises to make sure Face ID and passcode are enabled – ensure you have two factor authentication turned on for your Apple ID as well. The final step in the setup is to ensure that ‘Significant Locations’ is enabled in your settings. This allows your phone to track frequently visited places, helping it recognise unfamiliar locations. Once this is turned on, simply follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup. Darren concluded by urging people to activate these features, meaning even if your phone is stolen, your data is safe. He said: “It is recommended that everyone turn on this feature if they can. “You can’t do much to stop your phone being snatched out of your hand other than being aware of your surroundings and keeping your phone safely zipped in a bag or front pocket, but you can minimise the impact of having your phone stolen by implementing as many barriers as possible for the thief. Features like these make it harder for thieves to get hold and exploit any sensitive information once they have your phone.”