How to Enable Lockdown Mode on iPhone
Lockdown Mode is disabled by default, but you can turn it on in your iPhone’s privacy settings. When you turn it on, you will be presented with a list of things that this feature locks down or disables. If you still wish to continue, your phone will ultimately need to reboot to enable the feature.
Here’s how to enable Lockdown Mode on iPhone:
Open Settings. Scroll down and tap Privacy & Security. Tap Lockdown Mode. Tap Turn On Lockdown Mode. Tap Turn On Lockdown Mode again. Tap Turn On & Restart. Your iPhone will restart in Lockdown Mode. To disable Lockdown Mode, navigate to Settings > Privacy & Security > Turn Off Lockdown Mode.
What Is Lockdown Mode on the iPhone?
Lockdown Mode is a safety feature that can protect your phone if you suspect that you are being targeted by a sophisticated cyber attack. This feature disables and blocks a lot of things, so your phone won’t work the way it normally does while Lockdown Mode is on.
Apps, websites, and even core iPhone features are restricted to protect you while a cyber attack is underway, in order to preserve core calling and texting functionality.
When Lockdown Mode is on, some of the limitations you’ll experience include:
Messaging: Message attachments are severely limited and blocked in most cases, and some features won’t work. FaceTime: Only works with people you have communicated with in the past, preventing unknown people from calling you. Websites: Limitations are placed on web browsers, so some sites may not work correctly and others won’t load at all. This prevents websites from executing malicious code that could run malware on your phone. Device Connections: You will not be able to connect devices to your iPhone. This prevents attacks that may originate from a connected device. Apple Services: People you haven’t already invited will not be able to send you invitations. Profiles: You will not be able to install configuration profiles. This will prevent you from installing an iOS beta profile or a profile for your school or work, but it also prevents the installation of malicious profiles.
Can You Customize Lockdown Mode?
Lockdown Mode is designed as an emergency protection feature, so there isn’t currently any way to customize exactly what gets locked down. It’s a binary toggle that’s either on or off. The only exception is that you can white list websites that you trust in Safari. Sites that you white list will work as they normally do, but only if you visit them using the Safari browser.
To white list a website in Safari, navigate to Settings > Security & Privacy > Web Browsing > Excluded Safari Websites, and add any websites that you trust. These sites will be exempted from the Lockdown restrictions, so only add sites if they don’t work in Lockdown Mode and you’re confident that you can trust them.
