As a software professional and lecturer I get asked so many times by friends how to secure their iPhone and Digital Identity: be it a stolen phone, sunk in water, lost passwords. And often I see the most expensive Apple Devices with cost over CHF 1000.- - but basic features are not used nor known. This is a shame - and also dangerous, because we rely so heavily on our Apple Device: access to private pictures, chats, bank accounts, Twint - and so on.
This is why I decided to finally write a short to-do article with the most important configurations. Written in english, because I am constantly switching the three languages german, french and english.

Content:

1. Basics
   1. 🆔 Know and safely store your Apple ID
   2. Turn on «Find My iPhone»
      1. 🆘 Found lost iPhone
   3. 🔐 Enable faceID and passcodes.
   4. 🥂 Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
   5. ⏱️ Enable «Stolen Device Protection» delay time
   6. 📼 Turn on iCloud Backup
   7. 🔐💞 Never share your password (even with loved ones)
2. Advanced features
   1. 🕵️‍♂️ Add an Account Recovery Contact
   2. 🔑 (Optional) Set up a Recovery Key
   3. 🪦 Legacy Contact / Digitaler Nachlass
3. Other Security features
   1. Follow a friend
   2. Check-In / Begleitung
4. Bottom line

Basics

those are the absolute minimum - if you own an iPhone and don’t have this - you cannot be helped ;-)
I at least propose to follow these points - and then skip the others.

🆔 Know and safely store your Apple ID

Your Apple ID is the master key to your digital life (sic!)

• It consistes of an eMail Adress as username and a secret password (which is not the same as the eMail Password).
• Store it in a password manager (Apple’s iCloud Keychain).
• Never reuse this password anywhere else. (Passwords get stolen - and then you are lost.)
• Bonus: Write this Username and Password down on a paper and store it in a secure place: e.g. a bank safe or in a hidden place at home. Advanced users use Stagenography.

When something happens to your Digital Identity - this will always be the first question in case of troubles.

Isider Joke: I often get messages like «Rémy, I can’t [do this and that] — I don’t even have an Apple ID!» (Sent via WhatsApp. On iPhone.)
To whom understands the joke - you are invited to a glass of beer or champagne!

Turn on «Find My iPhone»

Settings → Your Name → Find My → Find My iPhone → On
Also enable Send Last Location and Find My Network which will help in case your iPhone runs out of battery.

This does two things:

1. Lets you locate, lock, or erase your device.
2. Activates Activation Lock, so thieves can’t reuse your phone.

Additionnal Information: Use «Where is».

🆘 Found lost iPhone

if you lost your iPhone or other device, you can re-find it here:

• Apple Find Device
• or: Use the App «Find my / Wo ist?» in iPhone, iPad or Mac - even on Apple Watch.

For this, you need your AppleID.

🔐 Enable faceID and passcodes.

Very Basic: Enable a Passcode. I still see people using their devices without passcode at all. Never use an iPhone or other device without password/passcode.

Settings → Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode) -> FaceID

Often I see people not using faceID for some weird privacy reasons. This is dangerous. Use the feature.
Not using faceID makes spotting out your passcode in public easy. Never type-in your passcode in crowded areas. This is dangerous.
Disable Allow Access When Locked for

• Control Center (this prevents a thief from putting your phone in Airplane Mode)
• Wallet

Details: see Enable faceID.

Note: If you have privacy concerns with FaceID, don’t use a mobile device at all, especially Whatsapp.

Extra Security: Alphanumeric passcode. Go to: Settings → Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode)
and choose Change Passcode → Passcode Options → Custom Alphanumeric Code.
Downside: difficult to type in.

🥂 Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Two-Factor Authentication means, you need to things to access your stuff, e.g. knowing a password and having a device. This makes it more difficult for häckers if one of the factors got lost (leaked password, stolen device).

Settings → Your Name → Password & Security → Two-Factor Authentication

Add at least one backup trusted phone number, ideally of a close friend or family member.
That way you can still get verification codes if your phone or SIM card is gone.

Detailled Infos via those Articles:

• Apple 2fa.
• Apple Trusted Device

⏱️ Enable «Stolen Device Protection» delay time

Introduced in iOS 17.3.
Settings → Face ID & Passcode → Stolen Device Protection

It delays sensitive actions for about 1h (like changing passcode, your Apple ID password or Face ID settings) unless you’re at a familiar location such as home.
If someone steals your unlocked phone, this gives you precious time.

📼 Turn on iCloud Backup

Settings → Your Name → iCloud → iCloud Backup → Back Up Now

This ensures your photos, notes, and app data can be restored if you lose your device.
If you don’t have enough space:

• make sure Whatsapp is not eating your space
• buy more storage - at CHF 1.- / month it will not kill you and is worth it.

🔐💞 Never share your password (even with loved ones)

Sharing passwords “for trust” often ends badly later. Often I hear that couples expect the partners to share their iPhone Code. Don’t do this. No! Really. Don’t. I hear some of you shouting - but it’s trusting the partner… - Don’t do it. If you have trust issues - maybe you should have a talk about it with a coffee. And me. Or a therapist haha. But don’t share passwords.

If you want to share subscriptions or purchases, use Family Sharing instead.
It’s designed exactly for that and keeps your accounts separate.

Ok, there is maybe one exception: if you are taking care of a very old person that is not used to digitalisation, maybe in this case you can keep this password.

Advanced features

For those who want some more sophisticated features.

🕵️‍♂️ Add an Account Recovery Contact

If you don’d have access to your phone’s SMS, you can add a friend as recovery contact:

Settings → Your Name → Sign-In & Security → Account Recovery → Add Recovery Contact

This person can’t access your data — they only help you verify your identity if you forget your password or lose all your devices.
Think of it as a human backup key.

Details in:

• Account Revovery
• and this Apple Article.

🔑 (Optional) Set up a Recovery Key

Settings → Your Name → Sign-In & Security → Account Recovery → Recovery Key

This replaces Apple’s online recovery process with a key you control.
Excellent for privacy, but don’t lose it — Apple can’t help you recover the account without it.

🪦 Legacy Contact / Digitaler Nachlass

If somebody want to open their digital lagacy to heirs, this is how it can be done: Add Legacy Contact.

Other Security features

Follow a friend

If you want - you can allow a trusted friend of yours to see you on the App.
My advide: Choose your best friend, not a familiy member - this often leads to troubles and trust issues sadly. It’s for emergeny, not for control.

Check-In / Begleitung

Another nice feature is «Check-in / Wegbegleitung». When you are walking home alone in the middle of the night or go cycling in Eschenberg-Forest at night alone, you can swith on that feature. It will alarm your friend if something goes wrongt - inclunding a map where you went and where contact was lost. Details: Check-In

You can acivate it in iMessage or in the Trainings, if you are using Apple Watch.

Bottom line

If you only do half of these steps, you’re already far safer than most iPhone users.
Spend 10 minutes today — future-you will thank you.