We have summed up 5 such features that’s a must for all iPhone users.
Stolen Device Protection
Stolen Device Protection was rolled out last week with the iOS 17.3 update. The feature aims to counter the surge in iPhone thefts. This feature necessitates Face ID or Touch ID authentication, with no passcode fallback, before users can modify critical security settings. The feature brings a one-hour security delay to prevent unauthorised changes.
- To enable Stolen Device Protection, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone running iOS 17.3 or above.
- Scroll down to “Face ID & Passcode” (or “Touch ID & Passcode”).
- Under “Stolen Device Protection,” tap “Turn On Protection.”
Secure private tabs in Safari with Face ID
iOS 17 introduced a new security feature for Safari that allows users to lock private tabs with Face ID. Once the feature is enabled, users are required to authenticate the private tabs with the Face ID to access it. This prevents unauthorised access to it and ensures privacy and security. This feature, also available in macOS Sonoma, demands Face ID verification each time Safari is closed or the iPhone is locked.
Here’s how to use the feature
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone running any version of iOS 17.
- Scroll down to “Safari.”
- Ensure “Require Face ID to Unlock Private Browsing” is toggled on.
Automatic check-in texts in Messages
Messages in the iOS 17 update received a new feature called “Check-In”. The feature allows users to automatically notify selected contacts upon reaching a destination. It even alerts contacts if progress stalls, sharing crucial information like precise location, battery level, and cell service status. Both users must be on iOS 17 for this feature to function.
Steps to enable it:
- Open the Messages app in iOS 17 developer beta.
- Select someone you’d like to send a Check-In to and hit the “+” on the bottom left.
- Tap “More” to reveal more options.
- Then tap “Check In.”
- Follow the setup pages to configure the destination and other options.
Improved Tracking Prevention
To combat online trackers, iOS 17 reinforces its tracking prevention mechanisms in Safari, Mail, and Messages. The system can automatically detect and remove tracking parameters from URLs in real-time. Users can enable this feature for all browsing or exclusively for Private Browsing in the advanced settings of Safari.
Steps:
- Open the Settings app.
- Scroll down and tap “Safari.”
- Select the last option titled “Advanced.”
- Tap “Advanced Tracking and Fingerprinting Protection.”
- Choose your desired option (All Browsing or Private Browsing exclusively).
Delete Verification Codes automatically
Apple also introduced a new feature in Messages that automatically deletes the verification codes, OTPs and Mail after using AutoFill. This makes sure that the OTP and verification codes do not land in the wrong hands.
Steps to enable it
- Open the Settings app and go to “Passwords.”
- Tap “Password Options.”
- Toggle on “Clean up Automatically.”
