Secure Your iPhone or iPad

Simple, step-by-step protection for your Apple phone or tablet — including Face ID, app locks, Apple Account security, Find My, and automatic backups.

Digital Security Centre / Secure Your iPhone or iPad

Follow this iPhone or iPad route only

These steps are designed specifically for your iPhone or iPad. You do not need to follow Android, Windows, or Mac steps on this page. Plug your device into its charger and make sure you are connected to home Wi-Fi before you begin.

The Golden Priority: Set a strong screen passcode, turn on Face ID or Touch ID, lock sensitive banking and email apps, enable Find My tracking, and verify your Apple Account security settings.

Your protection in five layers

🔄
1. Updates
Fixes bugs
🔐
2. Passcode
Device shield
👁️
3. Face/Touch
Fast biometrics
📍
4. Find My
Lost tracking
☁️
5. Backup
Saves all data

Your iPhone holds the keys to your email, private photos, messages, banking, and two-factor authentication codes. Locking your phone securely keeps all your online accounts safe as well.

1Set a strong passcode and Face ID or Touch ID

Your screen lock is your first line of defense. A stranger or thief who guesses your passcode can access your personal messages, reset your passwords, and lock you out of your Apple ID.

A. Upgrade your passcode

Settings → Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode)
  1. Open the grey Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
  2. Scroll down and tap Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode on models with a home or top button).
  3. Type your existing passcode.
  4. Scroll down and tap Change Passcode.
  5. Enter your old code again, then tap Passcode Options just above the numbers.
  6. Choose 6-Digit Numeric Code or Custom Alphanumeric Code (a mixture of letters and numbers).
  7. Never use: 123456, 000000, your birth year, or codes friends have seen you type.

B. Set up biometrics (Face ID or Touch ID)

Settings → Face ID & Passcode → Set Up Face ID
  1. Tap Set Up Face ID (or Add a Fingerprint).
  2. Position your face inside the circle frame and slowly roll your head to map your facial contours. Complete the second scan when prompted.
  3. If using Touch ID: Rest your thumb or index finger on the sensor repeatedly without pressing down until the red lines fill the screen.
  4. Turn ON the toggles for iPhone Unlock, App Store, and Password AutoFill.
  5. Scroll down and verify that Require Passcode is set to Immediately.
Important habit: Face ID makes unlocking fast and effortless, but your passcode remains the master master key. Always shield your screen with your hand when typing your passcode on public transport, in classrooms, or in crowded areas.

2Lock your banking, email, and social apps

On iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 or later, you can lock individual apps directly from your Home Screen. Even if a friend borrows your unlocked phone to play a game, they cannot open your locked private apps without your face or master passcode.

Home Screen → Touch and hold app icon → Require Face ID
  1. Find an app with sensitive personal data on your Home Screen (e.g., Gmail, Outlook, WhatsApp, or your Banking app).
  2. Press and hold your finger firmly on the app icon for 1 second until the pop-up menu appears.
  3. Tap Require Face ID (or Require Touch ID / Passcode).
  4. A confirmation card will appear. Tap Require Face ID once more.
  5. Glance at your phone to verify with Face ID. The app is now protected by a biometric lock.
  6. Repeat this process for your Notes app, Photos app, and any social media apps where you keep private messages.

How to hide an app completely

  1. Press and hold the app icon on your Home Screen.
  2. Tap Require Face ID.
  3. Tap Hide and Require Face ID.
  4. The app icon disappears completely from your Home Screen. It can only be opened by swiping to the far right App Library and unlocking the Hidden folder with Face ID.

Turn on built-in app security settings

  1. Open your banking app, WhatsApp, or password manager.
  2. Tap your Profile or open Settings > Privacy > Screen Lock.
  3. Enable the app's own internal Face ID or Touch ID lock.
  4. Combining Apple's system lock with the app's internal lock creates double protection.
Do not hide apps just to forget about them: Hiding apps is great for personal privacy, but your primary protection is always a strong passcode and biometric lock. Built-in Apple apps like Messages cannot be hidden, but supported apps can always be locked.

3Protect your Apple Account (Apple ID)

Your Apple Account is the master control center for your iPhone. It can locate your hardware, erase data remotely, and restore all your private backups. Treat it with maximum security.

Settings → [Your Name at the top] → Sign-In & Security
  1. Open Settings and tap on your name and profile picture at the very top.
  2. Tap on Sign-In & Security.
  3. Ensure Two-Factor Authentication shows as On.
  4. Tap Two-Factor Authentication and check your Trusted Phone Numbers. Remove old mobile numbers you no longer own, and add a trusted family member's phone number as a backup.
  5. Go back to your main Apple Account page, scroll down to the bottom, and review the list of devices logged in. If you see an old iPad, unknown computer, or phone you sold, tap it and select Remove from Account.
Authenticator app safety reminder: If a website on a laptop asks you for a 6-digit code, keep your iPhone nearby. Open your Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator app, find the matching entry, and type the current code into the website you opened yourself. Never read these codes aloud to anyone on a phone call.

4Turn on Find My and Stolen Device Protection

If your iPhone is misplaced at school, left on a bus, or stolen, these two features give you the power to pinpoint its location on a map and stop thieves from breaking into your private data.

A. Turn on Find My tracking

Settings → [Your Name] → Find My → Find My iPhone
  1. Tap on Find My iPhone at the top.
  2. Toggle Find My iPhone to ON.
  3. Toggle Find My network to ON. This allows your phone to be located using nearby Apple devices even if it is powered off or disconnected from Wi-Fi!
  4. Toggle Send Last Location to ON. If your battery is dying, your iPhone automatically sends its last known GPS position to Apple servers before shutting down.

B. Turn on Stolen Device Protection

Settings → Face ID & Passcode → Stolen Device Protection
  1. Open Settings > Face ID & Passcode and enter your code.
  2. Scroll down and tap Stolen Device Protection.
  3. Toggle it ON.
  4. Under Security Delay, select Always.
  5. Why this matters: Even if a thief peeks over your shoulder and memorizes your screen passcode, this feature blocks them from changing your Apple ID password without scanning your real face first!

5Update software and audit app permissions

Keep iOS running smoothly and ensure games or utility apps are not secretly accessing your camera, microphone, or precise location without a valid reason.

Settings → General → Software Update
  1. Tap Automatic Updates and turn on all toggles so security patches install overnight.
  2. If an update is ready now, tap Update Now. Leave your phone on Wi-Fi and connected to its charger until it finishes.
Settings → Privacy & Security
  1. Tap Location Services. Change apps from "Always" to While Using the App or Never. A simple calculator or game never needs your GPS location.
  2. Tap Camera and Microphone. Switch off access for any app that does not need video recording or voice calls.
  3. Tap Tracking and toggle off Allow Apps to Request to Track so apps cannot follow your activity across other websites.
  4. Only download games and tools from the official Apple App Store. Never install configuration profiles or apps from browser pop-up ads.

6Back up photos, messages, and important files

iCloud Backup creates an exact mirror copy of your phone every night while you sleep. If your phone breaks or falls into water, you can restore all your contacts, photos, and messages to a replacement device in minutes.

Settings → [Your Name] → iCloud → iCloud Backup
  1. Tap your name at the top of Settings, then tap iCloud.
  2. Tap iCloud Backup.
  3. Toggle Back Up This iPhone to ON.
  4. Tap Back Up Now to trigger an immediate backup before travelling, doing repairs, or updating iOS.
  5. Wait for the blue progress line to finish and verify that the screen displays: "Last successful backup: Today at..."
Extra safety recommendation: For irreplaceable family photos and important school certificates, make an occasional duplicate backup by plugging your iPhone into a Mac or Windows laptop using a USB cable.

Your easy iPhone/iPad checklist

Once today: Set a 6-digit passcode and register Face ID or Touch ID.
Once today: Lock your banking, email, and social apps using Face ID.
Once today: Turn on Find My network and Stolen Device Protection.
Every week: Check for iOS updates and App Store updates.
Every month: Review trusted devices and phone numbers in your Apple ID.
Every night: Leave your phone charging on Wi-Fi so iCloud backs up.
Situation Do this first Never do this
Someone asks for your Apple ID or 2FA code Hang up immediately and use the official app Never read out or message any verification code
Your iPhone goes missing Open icloud.com/find on another device and mark it Lost Never remove the device from your account while searching
A new app requests camera & location Read carefully and select "While Using App" or Deny Never tap "Allow Always" automatically