Losing your iPad can be stressful and worrisome, especially if it contains sensitive personal or business information. Fortunately, Apple provides a feature called Stolen Device Protection that can help secure your data if your iPad is ever lost or stolen.
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What is Stolen Device Protection?
Stolen Device Protection is a security feature introduced in iOS 17.3 that makes it more difficult for someone else to access your personal information if your passcode-protected iPad is ever lost or stolen. It requires Face ID or Touch ID authentication for certain sensitive actions, and may prevent changes to certain settings when you’re not in a familiar location with your device.
Enabling Stolen Device Protection adds an extra layer of security that kicks in when your iPad detects it’s no longer in trusted hands. It’s important to note that you need to turn on this feature before your device is lost in order for it to be effective.
When Does Stolen Device Protection Activate?
Stolen Device Protection activates automatically when:
- Your passcode-protected iPad is restarted
- Your SIM card is removed or changed
- Your iPad hasn’t been unlocked for more than 48 hours
- Your iPad is located in an unfamiliar area based on trusted locations you’ve set up
Once activated, the thief or finder will be unable to turn off Lost Mode or erase your device without your Apple ID credentials. They also won’t have access to your personal data like contacts, photos, email, notes, or passwords stored in Keychain.
How to Enable Stolen Device Protection
Enabling Stolen Device Protection is simple and only takes a few minutes. Just follow these steps:
On an iPad with Face ID:
- Go to Settings
- Tap on Face ID & Passcode
- Enter your device passcode
- Look for the link to Turn On Protection and tap it
- Read the information and tap Enable
On an iPad with Touch ID:
- Go to Settings
- Tap on Touch ID & Passcode
- Enter your device passcode
- Look for the link to Turn On Protection and tap it
- Read the information and tap Enable
Once enabled, you’ll see a message confirming that Stolen Device Protection is on. You can also double check by going back into Face ID & Passcode or Touch ID & Passcode in Settings.
Setting Up Trusted Locations
To get the full benefit of Stolen Device Protection, you’ll want to set up trusted locations where your iPad can relax some of the security if it detects it’s in a familiar place. This prevents you from being locked out of your own device if you were to inadvertently trigger the protections.
To set up a trusted location:
- Go to Settings
- Tap on Face ID & Passcode or Touch ID & Passcode
- Enter your passcode
- Tap on Stolen Device Protection
- Tap Add Location
- Choose the location type (Home, Work, Gym, etc)
- Confirm your location details
You can add multiple trusted locations this way so that your iPad recognizes places like home, office, gym, or a friend’s house.
What Happens When Stolen Device Protection Activates?
If your iPad is ever lost or stolen, here’s what you can expect when Stolen Device Protection activates:
- Access limited for certain data: The thief or finder will be unable to access your passwords stored in Keychain or payment information used in Apple Pay.
- Lost Mode enabled remotely: You can use Find My app to remotely lock your iPad and enable Lost Mode, which shows a custom message with your phone number on the locked screen.
- Erase iPad prevented: They won’t be able to erase your iPad without entering your Apple ID credentials, preventing remote wipes.
- Settings changes blocked: Certain settings will be blocked from being changed, like turning off Location Services or disabling Lost Mode.
- Passcode change prevented: Your existing passcode can’t be changed on the device.
- Apple ID sign out prevented: Signing out of your Apple ID will be blocked.
When Stolen Device Protection is Less Effective
While Stolen Device Protection provides important safeguards, there are some instances where a thief could still access your iPad and data:
- If you never turned on a passcode, many protections won’t apply. Always use a passcode!
- If your iPad runs out of battery, it can’t detect unfamiliar locations or receive remote commands.
- If turned off before your iPad is stolen, it won’t activate when needed.
- If you disable Location Services, trusted location detection won’t work.
- If Find My iPad is turned off, Lost Mode can’t be enabled remotely.
- If you didn’t erase your iPad before it’s stolen, a skilled hacker may still gain access.
Turning Off Stolen Device Protection
In the event you need to turn off Stolen Device Protection, follow these steps:
On an iPad with Face ID:
- Go to Settings
- Tap on Face ID & Passcode
- Enter your passcode
- Look for the link to Turn Off Protection and tap it
On an iPad with Touch ID:
- Go to Settings
- Tap on Touch ID & Passcode
- Enter your passcode
- Look for the link to Turn Off Protection and tap it
If your iPad doesn’t recognize your location, you’ll need to complete an extra security step like entering a confirmation code sent to one of your trusted phone numbers. This safeguards against someone forcibly disabling Stolen Device Protection.
Once disabled, you’ll see a confirmation message that the feature has been turned off. You can always re-enable it at any time by following the steps to turn it on.
Tips for Using Stolen Device Protection
To get the most security from Stolen Device Protection, keep these tips in mind:
- Set up trusted locations where your iPad spends the most time like home and work. This prevents false alarms.
- Make sure Find My iPad and Location Services are enabled in Settings. This allows full functionality.
- Turn on Lost Mode remotely if your iPad is ever lost or stolen. This locks it down.
- Use a long, complex passcode to prevent brute force passcode attempts.
- Set up two-factor authentication on your Apple ID account and limit sign-in attempts.
- Frequently back up your iPad to iCloud or iTunes so you have a recent backup if wiped.
- Consider using a tracking app like Apple’s AirTags to help recover a lost iPad.
Conclusion
Stolen Device Protection is a valuable security feature for anyone wanting to protect their data in case their iPad is ever lost or stolen. By enabling it ahead of time and setting up a few trusted locations, you can have peace of mind that your personal information will stay private even if your iPad ends up in the wrong hands. Just be sure to take advantage of other security features like Find My iPad, passcodes, and remote backups as well. With the proper precautions enabled, you can use your iPad securely and not have to worry about a thief accessing your sensitive data.
