9 Tips To Make Your iPhone More Secure (2026)

Sophia Taylor

By Sophia Taylor

Updated:

Although iPhones are among the most secure smartphones available, no device is immune if your settings aren’t configured correctly. Many of iOS’s strongest privacy protections are turned off by default — which means even careful users can be leaving themselves exposed without knowing it.

Here are nine straightforward steps to lock down your iPhone and make it significantly harder for anyone to access your personal data.

Table of Contents

Is your iPhone as secure as you think?

Certo Mobile Security is a free app that scans your device settings for security vulnerabilities and gives you personalized recommendations.

App Store

1. Use a Strong Passcode

Your passcode is the first line of defense. If someone gets hold of your phone, a weak passcode can be cracked in seconds.

  1. Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Change Passcode (or Turn Passcode On)
  2. Tap Passcode Options and choose Custom Alphanumeric Code.

Fig 1. Adding a new passcode.

A mix of letters, numbers, and symbols is far harder to crack than a standard six-digit PIN.

Avoid anything predictable like your birthday, “123456,” or repeated digits are the first things a thief will try.

2. Enable Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication (2FA) means that even if someone figures out your Apple Account password, they still can’t access your account without a verification code sent to your trusted device.

On most iPhones, this should already be on. To check:

  1. Open Settings and tap your name at the top.
  2. Tap Sign-In & Security.
  3. Tap Two-Factor Authentication
  4. If there are no 2FA devices follow the prompts to add one.

Fig 2. Checking that 2FA is enabled.

3. Enable Stolen Device Protection

Stolen Device Protection is one of the most important security features Apple has added in recent years, and it’s still off by default for many users.

Without it, a thief who knows your passcode (perhaps because they watched you enter it in public) can change your Apple Account password, turn off Find My, and lock you out of your own account within minutes.

With Stolen Device Protection enabled, certain sensitive actions — like changing your Apple Account password or disabling Face ID — require biometric authentication (Face ID or Touch ID) and, in some cases, a one-hour security delay when your phone is away from familiar locations like home or work.

To enable it:

  1. Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode.
  2. Enter your passcode.
  3. Scroll down and tap Stolen Device Protection.
  4. Toggle it on.

Fig 3. Turning on Stolen Device Protection and adding a Security Delay

💡 Pro Tip: You’ll also see an option for “Require Security Delay.” Setting this to Always adds the one-hour delay even at familiar locations, which gives you an extra layer of protection.

4. Enable Advanced Data Protection

Advanced Data Protection takes iCloud security to another level. By default, most of what you store in iCloud (photos, notes, messages, backups) can be accessed by Apple if legally required. With Advanced Data Protection turned on, that data is end-to-end encrypted — meaning only you can access it, even if there’s a breach at Apple’s end.

To turn it on:

  1. Open Settings and tap your name.
  2. Tap iCloud.
  3. Scroll down and tap Advanced Data Protection.
  4. Tap Turn On Advanced Data Protection and follow the prompts.

Fig 4. Turning on Advanced Data Protection.

Before enabling this, Apple will ask you to set up an account recovery contact or recovery key. Don’t skip this step — if you lose access to your account, it’s the only way back in.

⚠️ Note: Advanced Data Protection is available on iOS 16.2 and later.

5. Check Your Accessories Setting

This one is easy to overlook, but it matters. iPhones have a built-in feature called USB Restricted Mode, which prevents accessories and computers from establishing a data connection with your device if it’s been locked for more than an hour. This makes it much harder for someone to plug in a device and extract your data while your phone is locked.

The steps to check this depend on which version of iOS you’re running.

iOS 26 or later:

  1. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security.
  2. Scroll down and tap Wired Accessories.
  3. Choose your preferred setting. For maximum security, select Always Ask or Ask for New Accessories.

Fig 5. Turning on USB Restricted Mode on iOS 26

If you frequently connect to accessories like wired headphones, CarPlay, or SD card readers, you may find stricter settings mildly inconvenient. A setting like Ask for New Accessories is a good middle ground — it only prompts you once per new device rather than every time.

iOS 18 or earlier:

  1. Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode.
  2. Enter your passcode.
  3. Scroll to Allow Access When Locked and find Accessories.
  4. For best security, this should be toggled off.

Fig 6. Turning on USB Restricted Mode on iOS 18

💡 Pro Tip: If you frequently use external devices, turning this feature ON saves time. But keeping USB Restricted Mode enabled is the best practice for maximum security.

6. Enable Lockdown Mode

Lockdown Mode is an extreme security measure built for people at serious risk of targeted cyberattacks, such as journalists, activists, executives, or anyone who may be targeted with sophisticated spyware like Pegasus.

When turned on, it heavily restricts certain iPhone features, including incoming message attachments, complex web technologies, and wired connections to computers. It’s not something most people need, but for those who do, it’s a powerful tool.

If you think you could be a high-value target, here’s how to enable it:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Privacy & Security.
  3. Scroll down and tap Lockdown Mode.
  4. Tap Turn On Lockdown Mode, then confirm.

Fig 7. Turning on Lockdown Mode

Your iPhone will restart to apply the changes.

For the average user, this step is optional. But it’s worth knowing it exists.

7. Disable Siri on the Lock Screen

Siri is helpful, but allowing access to it from the lock screen can be a privacy risk — someone could use it to read out messages, make calls, or pull information from your device without needing your passcode.

To disable this:

  1. Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode.
  2. Enter your passcode.
  3. Scroll to Allow Access When Locked and toggle off Siri.

Fig 8. Turning Off Siri on the lock screen.

8. Keep iOS Up to Date

Security patches are one of the most important reasons to keep your iPhone software current. Apple regularly releases updates that fix vulnerabilities, and once a vulnerability is public, attackers know about it too.

To make sure you’re always protected:

  1. Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
  2. Tap Automatic Updates.
  3. Make sure Automatically Install is toggled on.

Fig 9. Updating iOS and enabling Automatic Updates.

💡 Pro Tip: Check manually from time to time as well, especially after news of a major security flaw. Even with auto-updates enabled, updates sometimes need a prompt to install.

9. Be Careful on Public Wi-Fi

When you connect to a public Wi-Fi network — in a coffee shop, hotel, or airport — your traffic can potentially be intercepted by anyone else on the same network. This is a common technique used by attackers to steal login credentials and personal data.

A few simple habits make a big difference:

  • Avoid logging into banking or sensitive accounts on public Wi-Fi.
  • Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to encrypt your connection.
  • Disable Auto-Join for networks you don’t trust. You can do this by going to Settings > Wi-Fi, tapping the ⓘ next to a network, and toggling off Auto-Join.

Fig 10. Turning off Wi-Fi Auto Join.

Wrapping Up

You don’t have to be a cybersecurity expert to keep your iPhone secure, you just need to spend a few minutes in your settings. Most of the protections above take less than a minute to enable and can make a real difference if your phone is ever lost, stolen, or targeted.

Start with the ones that aren’t already on: check Stolen Device Protection, turn on Advanced Data Protection, and make sure your passcode is something genuinely hard to guess. Those three alone put you well ahead of the average user.

FAQs

Do I need to enable all of these settings?

Not all of them are right for everyone. Stolen Device Protection, Advanced Data Protection, a strong passcode, and 2FA are recommended for all users. Lockdown Mode is only needed in exceptional cases. The rest are smart additions if security is a priority.

Will enabling Advanced Data Protection delete my data?

No. It adds encryption to your existing iCloud data without deleting anything. Just make sure you set up a recovery contact or key before turning it on — it’s the only way to recover access if you’re ever locked out.

Does Lockdown Mode cause problems with normal iPhone use?

Yes, to some extent. It disables certain features and restricts how apps behave. For most people, the restrictions would be frustrating in everyday use, which is why it’s designed only for high-risk users.

Sophia Taylor

By Sophia Taylor

Sophia is a Senior Cybersecurity Writer at Certo, with over five years of experience writing about digital security, privacy, and emerging threats. Drawing on a background in IT and technology, she specializes in translating complex cybersecurity topics into clear, practical guidance that helps everyday users stay protected online.