How to Enable Lockdown Mode on iPad
Lockdown Mode is a feature of iPadOS 16, so your iPad needs to be running that version of the OS or higher to take advantage of it. It’s designed to thwart even the most sophisticated attacks and techniques used by hackers and state-sponsors actors. To enable it, follow these steps:
Tap Settings. Tap Privacy & Settings. Select Lockdown Mode. Choose Turn on Lockdown Mode. In the pop-up window, tap Turn On Lockdown Mode. Choose Turn On & Restart. After your iPad restarts, it will be in Lockdown Mode.
What Is Lockdown Mode on iPad?
Now that you know how to use it, it’s important to understand what Lockdown Mode is. It’s a set of features and configurations that offer a much higher level of security than the iPad normally does, but it’s also a tradeoff. In return for better security, you lose a lot of functionality.
The security measures that are enabled by Lockdown Mode include:
All FaceTime calls are blocked unless they come from people you’ve called before. Most attachments (except images and links) are blocked in Messages. In Safari, some technologies that improve performance are turned off. Shared albums in Photos are removed; invitations to new shared albums are blocked. Connections via cable to computers and other devices are blocked when the iPad is locked. Invitations to join Apple services are blocked unless they come from people you’ve invited in the past. Configuration profiles—used to install beta versions of iPadOS—are blocked.
While anyone can use Lockdown Mode, it’s designed specifically for people who are at a high risk for the most sophisticated and powerful kinds of attacks: politicians, journalists, activists, etc. Apple will directly contact anyone who it believes is at a high risk and who should begin using Lockdown Mode to protect themselves.
