Secure an iPad or iPhone with a Stronger Passcode

The default passcode for iPad and iPhone uses a fairly simple four digit numerical password, these are certainly better to use than nothing, but they can be somewhat easy to guess because statistically many people use common passwords or some variation of a simple theme, like a repetition, countdown, or birth year. An easy way to add more security to an iOS device is to disable simple passcodes and utilize the full keyboard, allowing you to type out complete passwords of varying complexity, instead of the simple numerical passcodes that are initially used.

Here is how to further secure an iOS device by using the strong passcode option:

1. Tap on “Settings” and tap “General”
2. Tap on “Passcode Lock” and enter the current passcode
3. Next to “Simple Passcode” slide the ON button so that it’s off
4. Enter the old simple 4 digit passcode, and then enter the new password based on the full keyboard and special characters

You can now use a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters, though using the latter can be difficult to remember since their placement is different on the iOS keyboard than a standard QWERTY layout.

Don’t set something so complicated that you can’t remember it yourself, though it isn’t too difficult to reset if you need to, assuming you have access to a computer.

For those especially concerned with security, you can also set the iPhone or iPad to “self destruct” and automatically erase all data after 10 failed password attempts. This is also a fairly good anti-theft countermeasure, just make sure you don’t forget it yourself or you could accidentally wipe your device.

Remember, even if you do not use the strong passcode option, at least use the default level of pass code protection with numbers, this insures some level of security and privacy as users will need to enter the proper code before being able to get beyond the lock screen.