Lockdown Mode is an extreme protected state most people won’t need to put their devices in.When enabled, Lockdown Mode deeply restricts the attack surface that can be exploited by such attacks, but does also have a consequence on what you can do with your device.
This guide explains how to use Lockdown Mode on your iPhone. This feature is designed to protect you if you are targeted by a sophisticated cyber attack
How to activate Lockdown Mode on iPhone
Lockdown Mode is disabled by default but you can turn it on in your iPhone settings, A list of things this feature locks down or disabled will appear when you turn it on. If you still wish to continue, your phone will ultimately need to reboot to enable the feature.
Below is how to enable Lockdown Mode on iPhone:
1. Head to Settings > Privacy & Security > Lockdown Mode (at the very bottom). Click Turn On Lockdown Mode. A pop-up will appear to make sure you know what you’re getting in to.
2. Scroll down to the bottom of the pop-up, click Turn On Lockdown Mode again, then click Turn On & Restart.
What Is Lockdown Mode on the iPhone?
Lockdown Mode helps to protect your device if you have the feelings that you are being targeted by a sophisticated cyber attack. This safety feature disables and blocks many things, so your phone won’t work the way it normally does while Lockdown Mode is on.
In order to preserve core calling and texting functionality, Apps, websites, and even core iPhone features are restricted to protect you while a cyber attack is underway.
When Lockdown Mode is on, some of the limitations you’ll experience include:
- Messaging: In most cases, message attachments are severely limited and blocked and some features are disabled.
- FaceTime: This only works with people you have be in touch with in the past, avoiding unknown people from calling you.
- Websites: So websites may nor work perfectly and others won’t load at all due to the limitations placed on web browsers. This prevents sites from carrying out malicious code that could run malware on your phone.
- Device Connections: This will prevent you from connecting your 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: This will prevent you from installing 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?
Currently, there is not any way to customize exactly what gets locked down. Lockdown Mode is designed as an emergency protection feature, It’s a binary switch that is 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.
