Solution · Technology & Digital Safety · Updated 2026-11-01 · Reviewed by Monirujjaman Monjil

How to protect your personal information on your phone

Your phone holds the keys to most of your accounts, so protect it in layers: a passcode of at least six digits with Face ID or Touch ID, automatic software updates, regular backups, Find My turned on, and a review of which apps and people can see your location, photos and contacts. Then protect the accounts themselves with unique passwords and two-factor authentication.

The problem

What it looks like

Your phone contains your email, messages, photos, banking and shopping apps and saved passwords. If someone gets into it, or into the accounts on it, they can see or use all of that.

Who it affects

Everyone with a smartphone, and especially people who use banking apps, share devices or accounts with family, or have recently left a relationship.

What it costs you

Stolen accounts, money taken from bank or shopping apps, private photos or messages exposed, and someone else being able to see where you are.

Why it happens

Phones are lost and stolen, software has security flaws that updates fix, apps ask for more access than they need, and location or photo sharing set up once can stay on long after you meant it to. Scam messages and fake websites also try to get you to hand over passwords or codes.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission's advice comes down to four basics: lock your phone with at least a six-digit passcode, keep the software updated, back up your data, and turn on the feature that helps you find, lock or erase a lost phone.

Access to your accounts matters as much as the phone itself. Apple's guidance is to never share passwords or security codes, use two-factor authentication, and be suspicious of any unexpected request for them, because scammers often pretend to be a trusted company.

Sharing is the part people forget. Apple's Personal Safety guide includes Safety Check on iPhone with iOS 16 or later, which lets you quickly review and stop sharing location, and access to your data, with people and apps.

Common mistakes

Using a four-digit or easy-to-guess passcode, or none at all.
Postponing software updates for weeks.
Reusing the same password for email and other accounts.
Sharing verification codes with someone who calls or texts you.
Leaving location sharing on with people you no longer want to share with.

How to fix it, step by step

Lock your phone properly
Use a passcode of at least six digits and turn on Face ID or Touch ID. Set the screen to lock automatically after a short time.
Turn on automatic updates
Updates often include fixes for security problems. Turn on automatic updates for the system and your apps, and install pending updates now.
Back up your phone
Turn on cloud backup or back up regularly to a computer, so losing the phone does not mean losing your photos and data.
Turn on Find My
On iPhone, turn on Find My so you can locate, lock or erase the phone if it is lost or stolen.
Review who and what can see your data
On iPhone with iOS 16 or later, run Safety Check to review location sharing and app access. Remove anything you no longer want, and turn off location, photo and contact access for apps that do not need it.
Protect the accounts on the phone
Use a different strong password for your email and other important accounts, ideally saved in a password manager, and turn on two-factor authentication everywhere it is offered.
Never share codes or passwords
No real company will ask for your verification code or password by phone or text. If in doubt, contact the company through its app or a number you already know.

Doing it without an app

You do not need to download anything to solve this. Any of these work:

A written checklist

Copy the seven steps onto a card and go through it once now and once every few months.

Ask a trusted person

If settings feel confusing, go through them together with a family member or at an official store or support appointment.

Tools that can help

The phone's built-in passcode, Face ID and Find My
Password managers, which also refuse to fill passwords on look-alike sites
Two-factor authentication apps or built-in codes
Your phone's privacy and sharing reviews, such as Safety Check

Questions

Is a six-digit passcode really better than four?

Yes. The FTC recommends at least six digits; more possible combinations make guessing much harder.

Do I need antivirus on an iPhone?

The most effective protections are the built-in ones: updates, a strong passcode, downloading apps only from the App Store, and being careful with links and codes.

Someone may have access to my phone or accounts. What first?

Change your Apple Account and email passwords from a device you trust, turn on two-factor authentication, and review sharing with Safety Check. If you feel unsafe, contact local support services or the police.

What if my phone is stolen?

Use Find My from another device to lock or erase it, change your important passwords, and contact your mobile provider and bank.

Sources

How To Protect Your Phone From Hackers, U.S. Federal Trade Commission
Recognize and avoid social engineering schemes including phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams, Apple Support
Personal Safety User Guide, Apple Support

Checked 2026-11-01. Found a mistake? Tell us. Read our editorial policy.

Related guides

How to check if a link is safe before you open itSimple checks to tell a safe link from a phishing link — look-alike domains, shortened links, urgent messages — before you tap.
QR code scams: how to spot a fake QR code before you scanHow QR code scams work on parking meters, posters, emails and parcels, the warning signs, and how to check a QR link safely before opening it.