Protect your iPhone from hackers and snooper with these five settings
APPLE users have several settings they can take advantage of to make their phone security more secure.
Below are five security tips that could protect your iPhone against the prying eyes of snoopers and hackers.
Lock your screen quicker
When you open your phone it will automatically go to the lock screen again when you haven't used it for a while.
You can choose for your lock screen to come on anytime between 30 seconds to never.
It's not advisable to have no automatic lock screen if you're worried about people going on your device.
To change to the shortest setting go to Settings and then click "Display & Brightness" and then click "Auto-Lock" to see all your options.
Stop notification previews
If you're worried about someone reading a message preview on your phone's lock screen then you can simply turn that feature off.
That means you'll be able to see you have notifications from apps but the actual contents of the messages won't be visible until you open your iPhone with your passcode.
Find "Notifications" in your Settings and then click "Show Previews" and then "When Unlocked".
Have a strong passcode
This may seem obvious but don't just pick "1234" as your passcode.
Make it harder for hackers by picking a longer passcode or a Custom Alphanumeric Code.
To see your options go to Settings and then click "Face ID & Passcode" (it may say Touch ID if you have an older iPhone).
Then click "Passcode Options" after entering your current passcode.
Don't slack on updates
Don't forget to update your iPhone when a new software update is avaliable.
Often updates come with security patches that will leave you less vulnerable to hackers or any other issues.
Control locked access
When your iPhone is locked you still have access to lots of features.
You have the option to turn off locked access to the following:
- Today View
- Notification Center
- Control Centre
- Reply with Message
- Home Control
- Wallet
- Return Missed Call
- USB Accessories
Just go to Settings and then click "Face ID & Passcode";.
Enter your passcode and then scroll down to turn off the options you want to protect.
iPhone tricks to try today
Here are some of the best...
- Typing cursor – When typing, hold down the space bar to turn your keyboard into a trackpad, letting you move around words and sentences more easily
- Close all Safari tabs – To do this in one go, simply hold the overlapped squares in the bottom right-hand corner, and press close all tabs
- Delete lots of photos quickly – Hold down on a photo and then drag your finger diagonally in Photos to select lots of images at once, then hit delete
- Convert currency quickly – Swipe down from the top of your Home screen (or swipe left to right on an iPhone X or later model), then tap in the bar and type a currency (like $200) and it will automatically covert to your local currency
- Check if you're due a battery upgrade – Batteries inside smartphones degrade over time. Just go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health, and check out the Maximum Capacity reading. Generally a battery is considered worn when you're down to 80% capacity. If you're below, you can buy a battery swap from Apple
- Move apps around faster – Hold an app until it starts wiggling, then (while still holding) tap other apps, causing them to stack so you can move them around easier
In other news, Disney will soon put up the price of its streaming service for UK users.
Thousands of suspected TV pirates will receive a letter from police this week warning them they are being watched by the authorities.
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And, we revealed some tips on how to stop your WhatsApp getting hacked.
Have you had any Apple security issues? Let us know in the comments...
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