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How do I enable a security password on my Apple iPhone?

My new iPhone is the belle of the ball. In fact, it's a problem: everyone who sees it picks it up and starts playing with it. Is there some way I can enable a security code or password so that only I can use it when it wakes from sleep?

Dave's Answer:

When I first got the iPhone, I wondered the same thing and then thought that perhaps they could use some sort of bioidentity method of reading my finger stroke or even automatically scanning my fingerprint. Then it really would be a one-person phone unless you authorized someone else (my kids would force me to authorize them, I'm sure!) Sadly, at this point we are left with a more pedestrian solution to ensuring some privacy on your cellphone, albeit one that's pretty easy to setup.

You need to go to Settings --> General on your iPhone, which looks like this:

You want to choose "Passcode Lock", which, since you don't have one set, immediately asks you to create a password / passcode four-digit sequence:

Apple iPhone Settings: Set Password Passcode

and confirm it...

Apple iPhone Settings: Re-Enter and Confirm Password / Passcode

Once it's set (I presume you can enter the same four digit sequence twice! :-) you'll get to the general passcode lock settings:

Apple iPhone Settings: General: Passcode (password, security code) Lock

Here you can disable your new passcode if you want, change it, or specify how anxious you are about the security of your shiny new Apple iPhone. If you get racy SMS messages from your significant other (or your pals) you might well want to turn OFF Show SMS Preview here too. Once you're done, just click on "General" on the top left and it's all set.

Now, back here, you'll want to click on Auto-Lock and set it to a time you prefer. I have mine set to relock after three minutes of idle time, but you can choose anything from 1 minute to "never", though the latter is better accomplished by simply disabling the passcode in the first place.

Now, when your phone goes to sleep and you wake it up, you'll see the usual idle lock screen but now, when you slide the widget on the bottom to wake it, you'll then immediately be prompted to enter your security code to proceed to the full iPhone interface:

Apple iPhone: Idle Lock: Custom Wallpaper: Enter Passcode

That should help you stop intruders from monkeying with your Apple iPhone! And, yes, that's a custom wallpaper. I'll have a tutorial on how to do that in a few days if you're interested, so make sure you check out all the iPhone help here before you leave.

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Categorized: Cell Phones and Mobile Phones (Article 7475)
Tagged: apple iphone, iphone security, privacy
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Comments

i bought a used psp from a pawn shop and i also bought a game it will not work because of a 4 digit passcode restricted content on the game please help tell me is there a way to by pass

Posted by: ANNA at August 31, 2007 2:26 PM

Awesome site. Thanks for the help. I have been trying for 3 days to get a popular clownfish wallpaper onto my iphone. I checked several sites - even asked at the Apple store. I saw your site today and now have that wallpaper on my phone - and it only took me about 3 minutes. I am bookmarking this site for future reference. Thanks so much!!

Posted by: Diana at December 31, 2007 7:32 PM

Does anyone knows the default security code for the iphone.. I can't get the default code, coz i lost the manual

Posted by: Ikram at February 7, 2008 8:49 AM

Any ideas about how to display some sort of identification or contact info when the iPhone is locked? Seems if I lost it and an honest person were to find it, they wouldn't know who to contact. BlackBerry displays my name (configurable) and phone number.

Posted by: raweb at February 25, 2008 12:06 PM

i forgot my security code and i dont have the same computer that synced the iphone. how do i get back into my phone since i cant restore it on itunes since its not the same computer?

Posted by: Paul at November 30, 2008 3:46 PM

okay so i've been trying forever to unlock the passcode on my iphone because i forgot it, and i've tried so many times, and i don't have the same computer i synced it on, and it says that after 10 trys i'll have to erase all the things that were saved on my iphone, but i don't really care about that, is there a way past the passcode?

Posted by: Brianna at February 7, 2009 11:31 PM

hi.. i have a iphone 3g unlocked to use with my tmobile sim.. but my phone says phone disabled and when i tried putting my passcode in it wouldnt go through.. i dnt know wat to do, do you know any other way to enable my phone back so i can get in it.. thanks

Posted by: josie at March 12, 2009 6:41 AM

I forgot the passcode on my apple phone how do I get on to it?

Posted by: JEAN at April 23, 2009 9:36 PM

I forgot my passcode, how do I restore it.

Posted by: pete at May 4, 2009 7:08 AM

hi found a iphone i went to switch on and i need a 4 digit number as a passaword how will i get rid of it so i can use the phone ray

Posted by: ray gosling at June 27, 2009 3:49 AM

hi dave its a passcode i need to get rid of
ray

Posted by: ray gosling at June 27, 2009 3:51 AM

Is there a way to put a passcode in for iPhone 3GS to lock instant messages from being seen by others? Thanks!

Posted by: Paula at July 16, 2009 6:58 PM

i set a passcode, then forgot it, tried many times, now it says 'connect to iTunes' i do so, it wont connect because of the passcode... PLAESE HELP!!!

Posted by: cleopatra108 at July 21, 2009 12:51 PM

pls my iphone has been disabled how can i enable it?

Posted by: yahuza at September 6, 2009 8:12 AM

my friend bought a i phone from someone and knew the pass code. But her children had it without permission and tried to unlock it to many times. how can you use it again?

Posted by: sherry at September 7, 2009 6:38 PM

i found an ipone on in the middle of the sidewalk but there is a security code so i can get into it and call the owner of the iphone to return it ??? i really need your help!

Posted by: Brianni at October 7, 2009 9:58 PM

Brianni, that's great that you want to find the phone's owner. I suggest that you just take it to an AT&T store and let them identify the owner and contact them directly.

Posted by: Dave Taylor at October 7, 2009 10:04 PM

hey i locked my phone and i cant get in it tells me to go into itunes i tried everything would u have a way of opening it thanks

Posted by: kenan at November 18, 2009 4:11 AM

I recently changed my passcode last night on my iphone but now I can not remember what it is. how do i recover it or over ride it?

Posted by: andy Williams at January 24, 2010 6:28 AM

If you lock your iPhone and forget or lose the code (or are trying to break into someone else's iPhone, I know what's going on here :-) then you need to do a complete Restore with your computer to circumvent it, as far as I know.

Posted by: Dave Taylor at January 24, 2010 6:46 PM

please help i forgot my on passcode and the phone lock me out please help me i had the phone less than a month

Posted by: demetriss lofton at January 27, 2010 10:11 AM

I'm not sure if I'm the only one having this problem, but after searching the web for solutions I can't find one. So here's my question, the "Passcode Lock" and "Restriction" does not show on my iphone under the "General" tab..

Posted by: Maki at February 4, 2010 8:30 AM

Maki, what version of iPhone OS are you running? You can tell by going to Settings -> About and looking for the "Version" about half-way down. My iPhone currently (Feb 4, 2010) shows 3.1.3 (7E18)

Posted by: Dave Taylor at February 4, 2010 9:04 AM

I have something to say, now that you mention it, but ...

I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a cup of coffee!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!