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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:

Apple iPhone Settings: General

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

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









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