passcode

How to set a strong passcode on Apple Watch

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Keep your Apple Watch safe with a proper, long, strong passcode.
Keep your Apple Watch safe with a proper, long, strong passcode.
Photo: Chuttersnap/Unsplash

The default passcode length on the Apple Watch is just four digits. And while it’s true that you don’t keep as much sensitive data on the smartwatch as you do on an iPhone, and that your Apple Watch is arguably safer from bad actors because it is always strapped to your wrist, it’s still worth making this passcode more secure. After all, it’s not like you have to enter your strong passcode very often, right?

Today we’ll see how to change your Apple Watch passcode to a longer one. And we’ll also check out a neat feature that lets you skip entering the passcode altogether.

Is your iPhone passcode on this list of pathetic PINs?

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GrayKey can bypass iPhone security
Don’t use generic passcodes.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Over 25% of phones can be cracked just by using one of the top 20 most used four digit PINs.

Cyber security expert Tarah Wheeler shared a list of the most popular PINs based on the findings of the folks at the SANS Institute, which is one of the largest cyber security organizations in the world. Some of the passcodes on the list aren’t surprising but there are a couple combinations that we didn’t expect to see.

Make sure your PIN didn’t make the list:

iOS 11 has another feature to stave off snooping cops

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iOS passcode

Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple has made a couple of changes in iOS 11 that make it more difficult for cops to get into your iPhone. We discovered one of those last month, and now another has been uncovered by security software developer ElcomSoft.

It makes it even more difficult for law enforcement to obtain the data on your iPhone, even if they have your fingerprint.

iOS 9 security update means more passcode unlocks

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There has to be a safer solution.
It's not just in your head.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

If you’ve found yourself entering your passcode more frequently since you updated to iOS 9 — even though you have Touch ID enabled — it’s thanks to Apple’s latest security measures.

In an update to its Security Guide, published this month, the company confirms that iOS 9 will make you enter your passcode if you haven’t used your iPhone or iPad in at least eight hours.

World’s longest iPhone passcode video goes viral

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Photo: Rob LeFebvre, Cult of Mac
This user takes iPhone security to the next level.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre, Cult of Mac

There’s being careful about iPhone security and then there’s…. this.

Over the weekend, Japanese Twitter user yossy1999116 posted a video clip shot on the subway, showing a user with an historically long and complex passcode unlocking their iPhone. If you’ve ever wanted an advert for how Touch ID can improve your life, this is almost certainly it.

Draw a picture for your passcode with this jailbreak tweak

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Screen Shot 2014-04-29 at 7.48.28 AM

You unlock your iPhone by either having it read your fingerprint or typing in a simple passcode. On Android, you unlock your device by drawing a pattern between a grid of dots.

But imagine being able to unlock your iPhone with art. Imagine painting a smiley face, or scrawling your signature, or heck, drawing a pornographic picture on your iPhone display and having it magically spring to life.

That’s just what a new jailbreak tweak lets you do.

Make A More Secure Passcode On Your iPhone or iPad [iOS Tips]

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Photo: Rob LeFebvre, Cult of Mac
photo - Rob LeFebvre, Cult of Mac

Sure, a simple passcode with four numbers will keep most casual folks out of your iPhone, but if you want it to be really secure, you should think about using an alphanumeric password, like you would on a website or your Mac.

The idea here is simple, the more characters you have (and the less obvious your password is), the better your security. Balancing a large enough number of characters with ease of recall can still be tricky, but I’d bet you’ve got it fairly worked out on the websites you visit — why not use that same acumen on your iOS devices?

Here’s how to turn off the simple passcode in iOS, and set up a more secure one.

Keep Other People From Using Siri In Your iPhone’s Lock Screen [iOS Tips]

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SiriOffLockScreen

Did you know you could use Siri, Apple’s personal voice assistant, without unlocking your iPhone? Well, you can. Hold the Home button for the few seconds it takes for Siri’s purple microphone icon to show up, and you can ask it to do anything you like, like making a phone call, composing a Tweet, or sending an iMessage. This is a great feature for the person who owns the iPhone, but what about someone who finds your iPhone, or that one friend who can’t keep from messing with your stuff?

Luckily, you can turn this “feature” off, thereby preventing this from happening. Here’s how.

Disable iPad Picture Frame Mode For Better Photo Security [iOS Tips]

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Passcode Slideshow Options

Reader James G writes,

I use the iPad’s locking feature requiring a 4-digit pin. The problem I was worried about is that the default setting has a button allowing you to see photos without knowing the 4-digit pin.

With the dozens of login names & passwords I’m required to remember, I often take a screenshot whenever I’ve created a new login or changed my password. So some of my “photos” are part of what I want to protect. Until recently I hadn’t realized that by default the pin didn’t block looking at the pictures.

I had looked and not found a way to turn that off, but after writing to you discovered there is a way to do it.

So, as James found out, there is, in fact, a way to keep your photos private when using the passcode security on an iPad, but you have to disable the default slideshow option first.

Keep Apps From Being Installed Or Deleted On Your iPhone or iPad [iOS Tips]

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How much money do I owe iTunes? Who bought Pretty Pet Palace 3?!
How much money do I owe iTunes? Who bought Pretty Pet Palace 3?!

This one’s for the ladies parents out there. You know how you hand your iPhone off to your kid when you’re all waiting for the doctor? Or slide your iPad to the backseat for those long drives to Aunt Josephina’s house? If your kid is App Store savvy – and what kid isn’t, these days – they can rack up quite a bill installing apps that look cute to them but cost you real money. They can even wreak havoc with the simple tap-hold-wiggle dance, deleting your precious apps from your iOS device faster than you can say, “Do I need to turn this car around right now?!”

Luckily, there’s a simple, built-in way to prevent this from happening. Here’s what to do.

This Software Can Extract Your iOS Device’s Passcode, Contacts, Call Logs, And Even Keystrokes [Video]

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Passcode locks are no match for a piece of software called XRY.
Passcode locks are no match for a piece of software called XRY.

Setting up a passcode for your iOS device is one of the first steps you can take to keep your data safe. It prevents access to your device, blocking unauthorized user from accessing your personal data, photographs, contacts, messages, and anything else you have stored inside.

However, that passcode lock is useless when it comes up against a piece of software called XRY from the Swedish security firm Micros Systemation. With XRY, your personal data, call logs, GPS location data, contacts, and even keystrokes can all be extracted and decrypted in under ten minutes.

iOS 5 Security Flaw Allows Access To Contacts List, Recent Calls & Text Messages Without Passcode

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Passcode locks are no match for a piece of software called XRY.
Passcode locks are no match for a piece of software called XRY.

Apple’s iOS devices has suffered a number of passcode flaws in recent years, which have allowed anyone to circumvent their security and access features within the device. The company has always been fairly quick to address these issues, but they continue to crop up.

The latest allows anyone with knowledge of the exploit to access your contacts list, your recent calls, your voicemail, your text messages, and more.

Get Started With Your New iPad — The Right Way [Setup Guide]

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ipad

Just got an iPad for the holidays? You lucky sod! You scored the crown jewel, the Big Tamale — the most marvelous gadget Apple has ever made. Yes, go ahead, pick up its slim aluminum frame and dive right in — Steve knew that’s what you wanted to do, and he designed the iPad so you could do just that.

We want to make sure you get everything right though, and we know there are a few key setup tricks along the way that new (and even some not-so-new) iPad users miss. So take a look at the short list of steps we’ve lined up here. They won’t take long, and they’ll make sure you get the best out of your iPad 2. Ready? Here we go.

How To Create An Alphanumerical Passcode On Your iOS Device [iOS Tip]

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alpha-passcode-iphone

When we have an iOS device stolen, thieves don’t just obtain our precious iPhone, but they also obtain all the information that’s stored on it. Our devices are filled with personal data such as names and addresses for our friends and family, and for our convenience, they save usernames and passwords for all kinds of different services.

That’s why we secure our devices with passcode locks. But did you know you can use an alphanumeric passcode to make it even more secure?