Lockdown Mode is a new feature on iPhones and iPads running iOS 16 and iPadOS 16. The feature is a response to Pegasus spyware, which made it possible for hackers to access your information on Apple devices, resulting in a lawsuit from Apple.
The use of spyware and other such highly sophisticated cyber attacks are by no means common. Nevertheless, Apple still felt it was necessary to develop a feature that protects your information from a targeted threat to your privacy in this way. If you are curious about how Lockdown Mode works, or if you will ever need to use it, then this article is for you.
What does Lockdown Mode do?
Lockdown Mode strengthens the security on your iPhone to block any malware or spyware and keep your personal information safe. The downside is that when you activate Lockdown Mode, many features will not be available on your iPhone.
First, many message attachments, such as pictures and videos, will be blocked. FaceTime calls from people you haven’t contacted before are also blocked, as are shared albums in the Photos app. Lockdown mode also disables some web browsing apps.
When you activate Lockdown Mode, you won’t be able to use any wired devices or accessories while your iPhone is locked. Configuration profiles for school or work sites are also blocked.
All of this is necessary to fully protect your personal information from an advanced, and targeted, cyber attack.
Who will need to use lockdown mode?
According to Apple, very few people will ever need to use Lockdown Mode. You should activate lockdown mode only if you are targeted by a highly sophisticated cyber attack. These types of cyber attacks are not directed at the average person; Most of them are state sponsored.
If you feel that you are in danger of such a sophisticated cyber attack, you can activate the lockdown mode to prevent it.
Because Lockdown Mode limits your iPhone so much, most people will never need to use it. This makes many features of your iPhone unavailable, which can affect your work, leisure and communication, so you should not activate lockdown mode unless you need to.
Even if you don’t need Lockdown Mode, you can still improve your iPhone security with other settings and tweaks.
How do you turn on lockdown mode?
If you need to turn on lockdown mode, you can do so in your settings. go towards Settings > Privacy & Security > Lockdown Mode, once here, tap turn on lockdown mode,
Once you do that, the lockdown mode will remain active until you turn it off. Before you activate it, you will get a list of all the features that will be unavailable for the duration of the lockdown mode. Make sure you are ok with it before turning it on.
Before activating lockdown mode, you can also check your iPhone for malware.
When should you use lockdown mode?
Unless you’re a politician, celebrity or public figure, you probably won’t be the target of a sophisticated cyberattack. Therefore, you will probably never need to use lockdown mode.
If you are an average iPhone user who cares about security, then rest assured that your iPhone is already secure enough for daily use. Turning on Lockdown Mode won’t give you much protection, and it will restrict many iPhone features you can rely on.
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