iPhone Tips: What happens to an iPhone in Lost Mode

iPhones are hot items anywhere in the world. It’s a universal target from low level criminals to high level ones because it is easy to sell once it’s stolen from someone else.

Apple knew about this and to protect your investment and your data, a robust system is implemented on all Apple devices. This system is the famous Find my iPhone. As the name suggest, it finds your iPhone anywhere in the world as long as it is connected to a network.

But for Find my iPhone to work, you must first put your iPhone in Lost Mode.

What is Lost Mode?

Lost Mode lets you can remotely lock your device with a passcode, display a custom message with your phone number on your missing device’s Lock screen, and keep track of your device’s location. If you added credit or debit cards to Apple Pay, the ability to make payments using Apple Pay on the device is suspended when you put your device in Lost Mode.

What happens BEFORE turning on Lost Mode?

With a passcode on, whatever is available through the lock screen can be used. If you have Notification Center, Control Center, and Siri access enabled, all of those features are available to a stranger. Anything you can access from the lock screen, a stranger can access.

• Siri can answer personal questions about who the iPhone belongs to and offer up contact information. Asking “Whose iPhone is this?” or “Who am I?” gives a name and a phone number.

• Apple Music can be turned on, and Siri can be used to make phone calls to contacts based on commands like “Call mom.”

• Siri won’t give more detailed contact information like your email address without a fingerprint, apps can’t be opened, and settings can’t be changed.

• In Control Center, all features are accessible. The flashlight can be turned on, the calculator can be opened, and alarms can be set.

• The camera can be used. Pictures can be taken, but the Camera Roll can’t be opened to display existing images.

• Notification Center has the most potential to divulge personal information. Depending on what’s enabled, previews of emails and messages are displayed, calendar events are visible, recent Apple Pay transactions are listed, and many third-party apps, like Evernote, will show previews of content in the Today view.

• If you have the Medical ID feature set up through the Health app, all of that information is available, including emergency contacts, height, weight, blood type, allergies and health conditions.

All of these lock screen features are optional and can be disabled through the Settings app if desired.

What happens AFTER turning on Lost Mode?

Activating Lost Mode locks the iPhone down, which is why turning it on right away is imperative. Lost Mode prevents all of the above listed features from being used. Siri is inaccessible, as is the Control Center, the Notification Center, and Medical ID information.

All someone can do with your iPhone when it’s in lost mode is call you, turn it off, or make an emergency phone call.