New iOS 18 Security Feature Makes iPhone Theft Less Profitable

Losing an iPhone is a nightmare, especially when it holds valuable photos, documents, and private information. Thankfully, iOS 18 is stepping up its game with a security feature that could make thieves think twice before targeting your device. While backing up your data and enabling Activation Lock has always been crucial, the new iOS 18 enhancement now goes one step further by extending the lock to the iPhone’s individual parts. This means even if a thief can’t access your phone, they won’t be able to profit from selling its parts either.

Previously, once your iPhone was stolen, there was little hope of recovering it. Even though Activation Lock could prevent others from accessing your data, thieves could still disassemble the phone and sell its parts. With iOS 18, this practice is set to become a lot less lucrative. The new feature ensures that all parts of the iPhone are tied to your Apple account. This way, when a stolen iPhone’s parts are used in repairs, repair shops will see notifications indicating the components come from a stolen device.

Activation Lock Extends to iPhone Parts

The idea behind this new security measure is simple: lock every part of the iPhone to the user’s Apple account. If a stolen part is installed in another iPhone, a message will pop up informing the user and repair shops of the theft. According to BetaProfiles, this feature was first spotted in the iOS 18 Release Candidate version, and it is expected to discourage the resale of stolen iPhone parts significantly.

Apple had hinted at this feature earlier in the year, confirming that it would soon allow repair shops to use previously-owned iPhone parts. Now, with iOS 18, this becomes a reality — but with a twist. The parts will remain locked if they are tied to a stolen phone, reducing the likelihood of their resale.

How the New Feature Works

If you replace a part in your iPhone, iOS 18 will check if it’s connected to another device via Activation Lock. If it’s from a stolen iPhone, the system will alert you that the part is locked and cannot be used unless the original owner unlocks it. Although you can still use the phone with the new part installed, it will be marked as an “Unknown Part” in the Settings app, which could lead to complications with future repairs or reselling the device.

Repair shops that unknowingly use stolen iPhone parts will receive warnings that the parts are linked to a stolen device. This will likely discourage theft since the resale value of stolen iPhone parts will decrease, making iPhone thefts far less attractive.

iPhone 12 and Later Models Get Enhanced Security

The new Activation Lock feature will be available on iPhone 12 and later models running iOS 18. While the feature won’t eliminate iPhone theft entirely, it should make it harder for thieves to profit from stealing and dismantling iPhones. When repair shops and customers are aware of this feature, the value of stolen iPhone parts is expected to drop.

If you’re not part of the iOS beta program, you’ll be able to enjoy the new security updates when iOS 18 officially launches next week. The update will be available for iPhone XR and later models, giving millions of users an extra layer of protection against theft.

Protect Your iPhone Beyond the Password

While iOS 18’s new security feature is a game-changer, it’s important to remember that the best way to protect your iPhone is to keep your password safe. Some thieves have figured out how to steal iPhones by learning the owner’s password. In such cases, they could remove Activation Lock and gain access to your personal data. Therefore, along with using iOS 18’s security measures, always keep your passcode secure.