iPhones are among the most expensive and prestigious smartphones globally, making them a target for thieves. When someone steals your iPhone, they might erase the data and sell it to another person. If someone steals your iPhone and you know it is still on, you might be wondering if you can prevent it from being turned off.
So, can you prevent and stop an iPhone from being turned off? You cannot completely prevent an iPhone from being turned off, as the ability to power off the device is a built-in hardware function. However, there is a workaround that makes it more difficult for someone to turn off your iPhone without unlocking it first. This can be particularly helpful in situations where your device is lost or stolen.
To do this, you need to enable the “Guided Access” feature in your iPhone settings.
Here’s how to set up Guided Access:
- Open the Settings app.
- Scroll down and tap “Accessibility.”
- Under the “General” section, tap “Guided Access.”
- Toggle on “Guided Access” and set a passcode by tapping “Passcode Settings” and “Set Guided Access Passcode.”
To enable Guided Access and make it more difficult to turn off your iPhone:
- Open any app that you would like to keep active, such as the Phone app.
- Quickly press the side button three times (iPhone X and later) or the Home button (iPhone 8 and earlier) to activate Guided Access.
- Tap “Start” to begin Guided Access.
With Guided Access enabled, the person attempting to turn off the iPhone will be unable to access the power-off screen without unlocking the device first. Keep in mind that this method does not entirely prevent the iPhone from being turned off, as someone can still force a restart by holding specific button combinations, depending on the iPhone model. Additionally, if the battery runs out, the iPhone will shut down.
Remember to disable Guided Access when you want to use other apps or access the full functionality of your iPhone. To do this, press the side button or Home button three times quickly and enter your Guided Access passcode. Then tap “End” to exit Guided Access.
You cannot prevent and stop your iPhone from being turned off when in the wrong hands. Whoever has physical control of the iPhone can turn it off by pressing the power button and dragging the slider. No software prevents your iPhone from being turned off. If you want to protect your iPhone after it gets stolen, first ensure your phone is passcode protected, you have to turn on the “Find My” feature, and you have informed the police and your cellular carrier.
Sometimes thieves might be interested in the data in your iPhone instead of the device. If your iPhone is stolen while it is still on, you might be worried someone might access your data in the iPhone.
If your iPhone is stolen or misplaced while on, you might be looking for ways to prevent another person from accessing your data or using your iPhone. While you are tracking down the iPhone, you might want the iPhone to stay on to ensure the tracking is more accurate. You might be wondering if there is a way to prevent and stop your iPhone from being turned off.
You cannot prevent and stop your iPhone from being turned off. Apple has not developed any software that allows you to prevent someone from turning off your iPhone. The process of powering down an iPhone does not require any authentication.
The person who physically possesses the iPhone will determine if the iPhone remains on or they turn it off. While you have your iPhone, you should ensure you have several measures to prevent the thief from accessing data in the iPhone or selling it to another person if your iPhone is stolen.
When you buy an iPhone, ensure you have activated the “Find My” feature and you have a passcode while setting it up. If your iPhone is stolen, you can use the “Find My” to locate your iPhone, and the passcode will prevent the thief from going through your iPhone.
The “Find My” feature will not give you a real-time location if the iPhone is turned off but will show you where it was before it was turned off. You can enable the “Notify When Found” feature, which will send you an email on your other synced apple device when the iPhone is back on. To turn on “Notify When Found”,
- open the “Find My” app on your Apple device,
- tap on your missing device and
- turn the toggle next to “Notify When Found” on.
If your iPhone is lost, the first thing you should do is try to look for it on a map. To locate your device, sign in with your account on iCloud or use the “Find My” app on another Apple device that you own, such as an iPad or Apple Watch.
The next thing you should do is mark the iPhone as lost. When you mark your device as lost, you can also add a passcode to prevent the person who has it from going through your iPhone. If you have Apple Pay, marling your iPhone as lost will disable it, preventing the thief from buying items using your account.
You should also report your missing iPhone to the local law authorities. Informing the police if your iPhone was stolen can help you locate your device faster and catch the thief. The police might require your iPhone’s serial number; therefore, have it on you when you file a report.
You should also inform your cellular carrier that your device has been stolen or is missing. You can ask your cellular carrier to disable your account to prevent the thief from calling or sending texts to your contacts.
If you have AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss, you can file a claim for an iPhone replacement. Sometimes, tracking the iPhone might be unsuccessful; if you do not have AppleCare+, you will have to accept the loss and buy another iPhone. However, if you have AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss, you will be given a new iPhone after filing your claim, and Apple has approved your claim.
After Apple has approved your claim, you should remove your stolen or missing iPhone from your account. You should also file a claim with your cellular carrier if your iPhone is covered under your cellular carrier plan.
How Can You Turn Off iPhone Without Passcode?
One of the security features on an iPhone is a passcode that helps protect your data. After setting up a passcode on your iPhone, there are some actions you cannot do on your device until you provide the passcode. If you have forgotten your iPhone passcode, here is how you can turn it off without a passcode.
You can turn off an iPhone without needing a passcode, as powering off the device is a built-in hardware function. To turn off an iPhone without a passcode, depends on the model
For iPhone SE (2nd generation), iPhone 8 or earlier, and iPhone X:
- Press then hold the Side button (or Top button for iPhone SE 1st generation, iPhone 5, and earlier models).
- When the slider “slide to power off” appears, swipe it towards the right to turn off the device.
For iPhone models that have Face ID (iPhone X and later):
- Press then hold the Side button and either the Volume button.
- When the slider “slide to power off” is shown, swipe it towards the right to turn off the device.
It’s important to note that even if you have Guided Access enabled, someone can still force a restart by holding specific button combinations or turn off the device using the steps mentioned above. The device will eventually power off if the battery runs out as well.
To turn off an iPhone without the passcode, there are certain methods you need to use depending on your model. If you are using iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, and later, long press both the side button and the volume down button until the screen displays the power off slider. Drag this slider to turn off your device.
If you have an iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, iPhone 7, or iPhone 7 Plus, press the side button until the phone displays the power off slider. Drag it to turn off the iPhone. If you are using the iPhone 1st generation, iPhone 5s, or earlier, long press the top button until the screen displays the power off slider and drag it to turn off the iPhone.
The passcode is not required when turning off your iPhone. This also applies to other forms of security that you have enabled on your iPhone, such as fingerprint or Face ID, depending on your model.
If you use a passcode to secure your iPhone, it will be required in turning on or restarting your device and when you want to unlock your iPhone after pressing the home button. It will also be required when you want to update your software or erase your device. Your passcode will be required if you want to change your passcode settings iOS Configuration profiles.
Even though the passcode is not required when turning off your iPhone, it still plays an important role in protecting your data. If your phone is stolen and has a passcode, the thief will not have access to the phone unless they know your passcode.
To set up a passcode on your iPhone, if you are using an iPhone X and later, on “Settings” click on “Face ID & Passcode” and if you’re using earlier iPhone models, tap on “Touch ID & Passcode”.
If your iPhone does not have Touch ID,
- go to “Settings”
- tap on “Passcode”
- tap on “Turn on Passcode On”
- enter a 6-digit passcode.
If this passcode is too long, tap on “Passcode Options” to switch to a four-digit numeric code or select a custom alphanumeric code. Enter the passcode again to confirm and start using it.
When setting up a passcode, ensure that you select digits that you can easily remember but are not known to others. If you enter the wrong passcode too many times, your iPhone will be disabled, and if you cannot remember it, you will have to put your iPhone in recovery mode, erase it and set it up again.
First, ensure you have a computer with iTunes installed. Turn off your iPhone and put your iPhone in recovery mode by pressing the side button on iPhone 8 or later, the volume down button on iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus, and the Home button on iPhone 1st generation and later. Press the correct button and hold while connecting your iPhone to your PC.
Hold the button until the recovery mode screen appears on your iPhone; go to iTunes and select Restore. Wait for the download to finish; when it is done, disconnect your iPhone and set up your iPhone again.
How Can I Turn off Locked iPhone?
Sometimes, your iPhone might stop responding to commands making it impossible to access apps and other features on your iPhone. You have to find a way to make your iPhone’s screen active so that you can continue using your device. If you have locked your iPhone and want to turn it off, here is how you do it.
To turn off your locked iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, or later, long press the Volume down button and the side button prompting a power off slider to appear on the screen. Drag this slider, turning off your device.
If you have an iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 6s, or iPhone 6, long press the button on the side until the power slider appears on the screen and slide it to turn your iPhone off. If you have an iPhone SE, iPhone 5s, or earlier, long press the button on top of your iPhone. When the power slider appears on your screen, slide it to power off your iPhone. If your iPhone keeps freezing and you cannot unlock it, there are several ways you can solve the issue.
If your iPhone keeps freezing and you cannot access the lock screen to enter your passcode, use your fingerprint or face to unlock it; you should have it checked and repaired. First, contact Apple Care and explain the problem; sometimes, the things causing your iPhone to freeze can be easily fixed at home.
These things include low available storage, uninstalled updates, and bad apps. If your iPhone does not have enough storage, you have to create space by deleting unwanted data. You should also ensure that your iPhone runs recent iOS and that all apps are up to date. You should also uninstall apps that are causing your iPhone to freeze. If these solutions do not work, you can take or mail your iPhone to the Apple Store for diagnosis and repair.
You should download a system monitor that will track your iPhone’s performance and help spot problems before they affect your device. You can find such apps on the iTunes store. If your iPhone has been freezing and you cannot access the screen until turning it off, these apps can help you figure out the problem.
These apps track your iPhone’s systems logs, memory usage, and cache information. If the apps do not solve the freezing issue, you can try restoring your iPhone. This process will restore your iPhone to its original state, and you have to set it up again. You should back up your data before attempting to restore the app because the process might delete or lose some of your data.
When buying a second-hand iPhone, there are many things to consider, and one of them is that the seller should prove they own the phone. They can do so by unlocking the phone and removing the previous owner’s details. Most iPhones have the Activation Lock feature, which locks the device when lost or misplaced.
If the seller hands you a locked iPhone, you cannot access anything without the passcode, fingerprint, or Face ID. You should hand over the iPhone and ask them to unlock it and remove the security feature enabled. If they cannot unlock the iPhone, it might mean they do not own the device; hence it would be a great idea to avoid buying the iPhone.
Finally
Tracking a stolen or lost iPhone is easy if the device remains on; however, when it is turned off, you can only get the location it was when it was turned on. If your iPhone is stolen and you want to track it, there is no way you can prevent and stop it from being turned off.
The only thing you can do is mark it stolen and add a passcode that prevents the person who has it from accessing your data. The passcode on your iPhone does not prevent your iPhone from being turned off.
Once you long press the correct button on your iPhone, the power off slider will appear on the screen, and you will not be required to enter any passcode to drag it. Apple has not developed software that can allow you to prevent and stop your iPhone from being turned off, but if more people request it, they might do it.
