Change this hidden setting, or anyone can get into your iPhone

July 12, 2023

By Kim Komando

Your iPhone has a ton of important privacy features. For example, there is a setting to hide your IP address when you send an email. Advertisers cannot track you this way. Here’s how to turn it on.

What if you share your location or other access with someone and want to stop? There’s an easy way to make your texts, location, and other data private again.

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Your Face ID is vulnerable unless you change this setting

First, Apple’s Face ID uses the TrueDepth camera to capture accurate face data by projecting and analyzing thousands of invisible dots. It maps all your curves and wrinkles and stores that data as a key to unlock your phone.

Face ID automatically adapts to changes in your appearance, like if you wear makeup or grow facial hair. When there’s a more significant change in your appearance, like shaving your beard, Face ID confirms your identity by using your passcode before it updates your face data. Neat, right?

Face ID is designed to work with hats, scarves, glasses, contact lenses, face masks and sunglasses. Apple claims there’s a one-in-a-million chance someone else’s face can unlock your iPhone. OK, that’s good to know.

What about your face?

A common fear is that someone could hold your phone to your face while you’re sleeping to unlock it. The good news is these systems generally don’t work if your eyes are closed.

The bad news? There’s a way to bypass this safeguard built right into your phone. I’ll show you how to prevent this from happening.

Safety warning: I shared a crazy video on my Instagram. An iPhone 4 exploded overnight. Luckily, the family wasn’t hurt. Here’s how to keep dangerous charging mistakes from happening to you. Step 1: Don’t use a 12-year-old phone.

It’s all in the eyes

Smartphones come packed with accessibility features for people with vision, hearing, or mobility impairments. You can make the text on your screen larger or have the phone dictate what’s on the screen. AssistiveTouch helps you use your iPhone if you have difficulty touching the screen or pressing the buttons.

These are essential tools for the people who need them, but one setting could put your security at risk. Face ID also has an accessibility feature to support people who are blind or have poor vision. With this setting, you don’t need to open your eyes to unlock your phone.

While some people need this, you shouldn’t use it if your vision isn’t impaired. Here’s where to find it:

• Go to Settings > Accessibility > Face ID & Attention.
• Make sure Require Attention for Face ID is enabled.

When this setting is enabled, Appls says, “TrueDepth camera will provide an additional level of security by verifying that you are looking at iPhone before unlocking. Some sunglasses may block attention detection.”

While this setting is enabled by default, someone with access to your phone could disable it and unlock it while you sleep. That’s a scary thought, so a quick check here is more than worth it.

Note: This accessibility setting is automatically disabled if you enabled VoiceOver during the initial setup.

Can’t reach a loved one on the phone? They may have their phone set to do not disturb. Here’s how to bypass it and get your message through.