Keeping people's data secure has been a hot topic for Apple as of late, as eagle-eyed iPhone users have spotted certain privacy settings that may leave people vulnerable to scams or stalking. Earlier this year, analysts urged iPhone fans to tweak their privacy settings around passwords in order to fight against the rise in spyware attacks, while more recently, people have come across a 'scary' location setting that allows people to pin-point your exact location if you share your geotag on social media.
Most of us are so reliant on our phones that they feel like an extension of our arm - so the thought of losing it or having it stolen fills us with a deep sense of dread.
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If you've been a victim of phone theft, you will know how violating it can feel when a stranger is digging through your personal data.
Thankfully, iPhone users have now found a useful way to ensure you'll always be able to find your mobile if it gets stolen - and all it takes is one small setting change.
As explained by CNN in a video tutorial, the first thing that thieves do when they nab your device is to turn it onto 'airplane mode' as this forces the phone to go completely off grid - meaning its owner can't track it.
To put an iPhone on airplane mode from the lock screen, all someone needs to do is swipe down to bring up the control panel which shows the airplane icon - allowing them to turn off the phone's location without a passcode or face ID access.
Have you had your iPhone stolen? Let us know in the comments...
Thankfully, there is a clever way to limit access to this control panel from the lock screen using a few easy steps.
Simply head to your iPhone settings, press 'Face ID & Passcode', type your passcode in and toggle off the control centre option.
This means that you won't be able to access any of the control panel features without unlocking your phone - but this small inconvenience may be a worthy trade-off for being able to track a stolen phone.
Many iPhone users have shared their thoughts on the little-known trick, with mixed reviews on whether losing out on the control panel is worth the extra layer of security.
One said: "I've had this on forever and I still get annoyed not being able to do basic tasks without unlocking, but definitely worth it".
Another added: "I've ALWAYS done this! I’ve gotten so many friends to do this too".
Others shared potential caveats to the settings hack, with one commenter writing: "They’ll take out the sim so it’s no longer trackable without internet connection. Enable “Find my network” to possibly be able to find it when offline".
A second suggested: "Also turn off Siri bc [because] they can just say turn on airplane mode".
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