If you’re a journalist, politician, or activist worried about your phone becoming the target of a state-sponsored cyber attack, Apple has released a security feature that everyone can use to protect their iPhone from these kinds of attacks. Read more: Pegasus Spyware and Citizen Surveillance: What you need to know Called Lockdown Mode, Apple’s new security tool is built into iOS 16 and is designed to combat attacks from malware and spyware like Pegasus. This is not the first step Apple has taken against Pegasus and its manufacturer, the NSO Group. In September 2020, Apple released a software update that targeted Pegasus, allowing potential victims to receive threat notifications in the event they are breached. If you want to know how to enable the lock function on your iPhone, here’s what you need to know. And if you’re interested in getting iOS 16 right now, here’s how to download the iOS 16 developer beta.
What does Lockdown Mode do?
Lockdown Mode offers an “extreme, optional level of security for the very few users who, because of who they are or what they do, may be personally targeted by some of the most sophisticated digital threats,” according to Apple. Those targeted by Pegasus software are these “very few users”. Essentially, the lock feature increases security capabilities in iOS by restricting certain features that may be vulnerable to attacks:
Most message attachments, except images, are blocked and features such as link previews are disabled. Web technologies, such as just-in-time JavaScript compilation, are disabled unless you opt out of the lock mode. Incoming invitations and service requests, such as FaceTime calls, are blocked if you’ve never called the person before. All Shared Albums in Photos are removed and any new invitations to Shared Albums are blocked. Any wired connections between iPhone and the computer or accessory are blocked. Configuration profiles, such as those for Apple’s public betas, cannot be installed. Your device cannot be registered with Mobile Device Manager.
Which devices support the lock function?
Currently, you can use the lock feature on any Apple device running iOS 16, iPadOS 16, or MacOS Ventura. iOS 16 is currently only available as a developer beta, but is expected to be accessible as a public beta soon. Read more: Will my iPhone run iOS 16? What You Should Know
How to Enable Lock Mode in iOS 16
As long as you’re running iOS 16, which you can download now as a public beta on eligible phones, you can easily enable Lock Mode in seconds. All you need to do is go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Lock Mode, read the description, tap Enable Lock Mode, then tap Enable & Restart. Your iPhone will reboot immediately, after which the lock mode will be activated. If you go to Safari, you should see an Enabled Lockdown or Lockdown Ready banner at the top of the page, indicating that Lockdown is actually enabled and securing your iPhone.
Configure lock mode settings
While the lock feature provides broad security, you have a way to modify it to better suit your needs. As mentioned above, websites in Safari are very limited when in lock mode, but you can bypass these restrictions by blocking a specific website. To do this, launch Safari, go to the site you want to exclude, tap AA > Site Settings, turn off Lock Mode, and tap Turn Off. The banner at the top of the site should now read Lockdown Off. To see all your excluded websites, go to Settings > Privacy & security > Lock feature and tap Configure web browsing at the bottom of the page.
How to disable the lock function
Do you want to disable the lock function? Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Lock mode, tap Turn off mode lock, then tap Turn off and restart. When your iPhone boots up, the lock feature will be disabled and you’ll be able to use your iPhone as usual once again.
