How to protect your phone from theft

iPhoneAndroidUpdated

You're walking down a busy street, phone in hand, and you catch yourself gripping it a little tighter. To protect your phone from theft, use it with care in public, then switch on the theft features built into iPhone and Android before you need them: Stolen Device Protection, Theft Detection Lock, Find My or Find Hub, and a SIM PIN.

Quick answer

On iPhone, turn on Stolen Device Protection in Settings > Face ID & Passcode, and check Find My is on. On Android, go to Settings > Google > All services > Theft protection and turn on Theft Detection Lock, Offline Device Lock and Remote Lock. Hide message previews on the lock screen, add a SIM PIN, and note your IMEI by dialling *#06#.

How common is phone theft in the UK?

It's common enough to plan for, though in London it's falling. London City Hall reported in October 2026 that phone theft and robbery in London fell from 81,439 offences in 2024 to 71,867 in 2025. The Metropolitan Police says thieves may steal a phone to get into your bank accounts and personal data, as well as for the handset itself.

How do I avoid having my phone snatched in the street?

The Met's advice is mostly about attention and habit. Thieves can grab a phone from a table in seconds, or distract you to take it, and some watch or film people typing passcodes, which the Met calls shoulder surfing.

  1. Don't leave your phone on a table or out of sight.
  2. Notice who's around you when you use it in public, and put it away when you've finished.
  3. Use Face ID or a fingerprint rather than typing a passcode in public, where you can.
  4. Don't hand your phone to someone you've just met, even if they ask to borrow it or offer to type in their number.

If a theft is happening or has just happened, or you feel unsafe, the Met says to call 999.

How do I turn on Stolen Device Protection on iPhone?

Stolen Device Protection (iOS 17.3 or later) adds checks when your iPhone is away from familiar places such as home or work, to protect your accounts even if a thief knows your passcode. Using saved passwords, turning off Lost Mode or erasing the phone then needs Face ID or Touch ID, with no passcode fallback.

  1. Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode (Touch ID & Passcode on iPhones with a Home button) and enter your passcode.
  2. Tap Stolen Device Protection and turn it on. Apple says it may already be on.
  3. To apply it everywhere, choose Always under Require Security Delay.

It needs two-factor authentication, Significant Locations and Find My. Away from familiar places, changing your Apple Account password or your passcode also means a one-hour Security Delay.

How do I turn on Android's theft protection?

Google's theft protection settings live in one place. Theft Detection Lock uses the phone's motion sensors, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to spot when someone takes it and runs, then locks the screen. Offline Device Lock locks the screen when the phone goes offline and is used for a short time.

  1. Open Settings > Google > All services > Theft protection. Google notes this may not appear on some devices.
  2. Turn on Theft Detection Lock. If it's greyed out, your phone doesn't support it.
  3. Turn on Offline Device Lock.
  4. Tap Remote Lock and turn it on. It lets you lock the phone at android.com/lock with your verified phone number.
  5. If you see Identity Check, set it up with trusted places such as home or work. Outside them, it asks for your fingerprint or face, not your PIN, for sensitive actions.

Failed authentication lock, which locks the phone after repeated failed attempts, is on by default, according to Google.

Is Find My or Find Hub switched on?

Check now, because neither can help you later unless it was on before the phone went missing. Find My on iPhone and Find Hub on Android let you see, lock and mark the phone as lost from another device.

iPhone

  1. Go to Settings > [your name] > Find My.
  2. Tap Find My iPhone and turn it on.
  3. Turn on Find My network, which Apple says can locate a supported iPhone for up to 24 hours after it's turned off, and Send Last Location.

Android

  1. Go to Settings > Security > Find Hub and check "Allow device to be located" is on. Menu names vary by phone.
  2. Make sure Location is on and you're signed in to your Google Account.

What should I change on the lock screen?

Hide what a thief could read without unlocking. The Met advises turning off message previews so nobody sees reset or sign-in codes on a locked phone.

  1. iPhone: Settings > Notifications, tap Show Previews (if it appears) and choose When Unlocked or Never.
  2. iPhone: Settings > Face ID & Passcode, then turn off anything you don't need under Allow Access When Locked.
  3. Android: Settings > Apps and notifications > Notifications, then under Lock screen turn off Sensitive notifications, or choose Don't show notifications. Labels vary by phone.
  4. Set auto-lock to a short time, as the Met suggests.

Should I set a SIM PIN?

It's worth it. A SIM PIN means your SIM can't be used for calls or mobile data after a restart, or in another phone, until someone enters the code. On iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular > SIM PIN and turn it on.

Apple's warning matters here: never guess a SIM PIN or PUK, because a wrong guess can lock the SIM permanently. If you've never set one, use the default from your network provider. Android menus vary by manufacturer, so check your phone maker's help pages.

While you're there, dial *#06# and write your IMEI down somewhere other than your phone. The Met says it helps identify the phone if it's stolen. If the worst happens, our guide on what to do if your phone is stolen covers the next steps.

Where Failshot fits

Failshot doesn't stop a theft or find a phone. It adds a photo of whoever gets in. On iPhone, you turn Failshot on and lock the phone; whoever unlocks it lands in Failshot and is photographed. It doesn't photograph a wrong passcode at the iPhone Lock Screen. On Android, it also photographs a wrong PIN, pattern or password at the real lock screen. The camera light shows each time it takes a photo.

Knowing your passcode isn't enough to switch it off: that needs Face ID (fingerprint or face on Android) or your own Failshot PIN plus your answer, and a wrong Failshot PIN takes another photo. With the optional web vault, photos are encrypted on the phone and viewable at failshot.app/vault if it's lost or stolen. Failshot is for your own phone only, coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Questions people also ask

Does Stolen Device Protection stop someone using my passcode?

Partly. Away from familiar places, things like using saved passwords, turning off Lost Mode and erasing the iPhone need Face ID or Touch ID, with no passcode fallback. Apple Pay can still use the passcode. Changing your Apple Account password also needs a one-hour delay.

What does Theft Detection Lock do?

It uses your Android phone's motion sensors, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to detect someone taking the phone and running, then locks the screen. Google says it isn't active while the screen is already locked, and may not trigger in some situations, such as on a stable Wi-Fi connection.

Will police or Apple ever ask for my passcode after a theft?

No. The Met says police, Apple and other legitimate organisations will never ask for passwords or information that would give someone access to your device or account. It warns that thieves pose as trusted organisations to get them.

Should I keep banking apps on my phone?

The Met suggests asking whether you need them on the phone you carry every day, and keeping sensitive apps behind Face ID or fingerprint. On iPhone, you can press and hold an app and choose Require Face ID.

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