With the ability to hold so much information, it’s inevitable that your smartphone will have some kind of sensitive data on it. The web browser may have saved passwords, your emails are accessible, and all of your contacts would be open for anyone to see.
In the event that your iPhone is stolen or lost, preventing someone from getting to that information is as easy as requiring a four digit passcode to unlock it. To lock your iPhone with a four-digit passcode, tap on Settings from the homescreen.
Tap on General in the Settings panel.
Under the General section, tap on Passcode Lock.
Here you will be able to adjust the settings specifically for locking your iPhone. Start by tapping on Turn Passcode On to enable the lock. Click on Change Passcode to enter a new four-digit number.
A ten digit numpad will appear and you will need to enter a passcode twice to confirm.
The Require Passcode option allows you to customize how long the phone has to be off in order for a passcode to be required to unlock it. Immediately will mean that every time your hit the sleep button to turn off the screen, you will be required to enter your passcode. After 5 minutes will mean if you turn on your screen within 5 minutes of turning it off, you won’t be required to enter the passcode. And so on.
Other options include using a more complicated password (more than four digits), allowing voice controls even when the screen is locked, and an option to wipe all data from the phone after 10 failed passcode entries.
Those who use their phones as their address book, email database and keep sensitive information on it should consider requiring a passcode to unlock.
