Apple added the "Stolen Device Protection" feature in iOS 17.3 version, mainly to prevent the iPhone from being accidentally lost or stolen, even if the thief knows the unlock password of the iPhone, they cannot easily obtain the sensitive information on the device, but the most troublesome thing is that as long as this function is turned on, when your phone is taken for repair, you need to turn off "Find My iPhone" at home earlier , or wait an hour in the repair shop to turn it off, so in order to allow users to enter the repair status more quickly, without losing the security and traceability of the phone, Apple added a new feature of "repair status" in iOS 17.5 Beta, what is the purpose of this feature? and how to turn it on? This article will let you understand it at once!
Apple has added a new "Repair Status" feature to iOS 17.5 Beta
When your iPhone is going to be sent to an Apple authorized repair center or Apple Store for repair, you must first turn off the "Find My iPhone" function, which is originally intended to ensure that the person who sent the phone for repair, but after turning it off, the tracking protection mechanism will be lost during the repair period, and the iPhone may not be lost. Find My iPhone", or wait an hour at a repair shop to turn it off, which complicates the process of sending my phone in for repair.
Therefore, Apple expects that in the iOS 17.5 update, a new "Repair Status" feature will be added to the "Find Me" app, making the iPhone repair process easier, and the phone can be repaired without turning off "Find My iPhone".
So when you upgrade to iOS 17.5, there will be a new option to "remove this device", and there is also a tutorial later in this article, remember to read the article to the end.
Why did Apple add the "Repair Status" feature?
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Improved security and anti-theft measures:
In the past, users had to turn off "Find My iPhone" when sending their iPhone in for repair, which also disable the "Enable Lock" feature. Enabling Lock is an important security feature that prevents anyone else from using your device if your iPhone is lost or stolen. Therefore, if the mobile phone is lost during the maintenance process and the lock function is not enabled, the possibility of retrieving it will be greatly reduced, and the mobile phone is likely to be used by someone who cares.
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Simplify the process of sending in for repair:
The "Repair Status" feature allows users to send in for repair without turning off "Find My iPhone", so that the phone can still be tracked, which increases the security of the phone in transit, and this function does not need to remove the "Stolen Device Protection" and set up an hour of waiting, so that you can send it for repair more quickly.
How do I turn on the "Repair Status" function?
*At the time of writing, iOS 17.5 Beta 4 is released, and the interface and content may be different when it is officially launched.
- Step 1: Update to iOS 17.5 or above
Make sure your iPhone is updated to iOS 17.5 or later.
- Step 2: Open the Find App and select the iPhone you want to send for repair
On your iPhone, open the Find My app, select Devices at the bottom of the app, and select the iPhone device you want to send for repair from the list.
- Step 3: Select "Remove this device"
Once you've selected the iPhone device you want to send in for repair, scroll to the bottom of the message and you'll see a new "Remove this device" option, which will prompt you to confirm if you plan to send the device for repair, and click "Continue" if you're sure you want to send it in for repair.
- Step 4: Done! iPhone enters "Repair Status"
Next, you will be asked to enter the password of your Apple ID, and after the confirmation is completed, your iPhone will enter the "Repair Status" and the repair icon will appear clearly on the list.
However, in the current iOS 17.5 Beta 4 version, we have not seen how to "cancel" this "repair status" if you don't want to send it for repair, maybe we will know the actual process more when the official version is launched.
summary
If you haven't updated to iOS 17.5, you need to turn off Find My iPhone and enable Lock when you need to send your iPhone for repair, and if you still have the Stolen Device Protection feature, you will need to wait an hour to turn off the Find My iPhone feature in an unfamiliar environment.
Therefore, after upgrading to iOS 17.5 in the future, when your iPhone is to be repaired, as long as you turn on "Repair Status", your iPhone does not need to turn off "Find My iPhone" or enable the lock function, which can not only be quickly repaired, but also can continue to track the phone during the repair process, making the iPhone safer.