How to Enable Your iPhone to Self-Destruct After 10 Failed Unlock Attempts

Your iPhone contains a multitude of personal data: contacts, messages, photos, videos, histories, location data, etc. To better protect them from prying eyes in the event of loss or theft of the smartphone, an effective, although somewhat radical, option exists: automatic deletion of all of your data after 10 unsuccessful unlock attempts. Here we explain how to activate it and in which case it may be interesting to do so.

Reinforced security, but double-edged

By default, iOS temporarily locks access to the device after five consecutive failures. The duration of this lock gradually increases, until the phone is completely blocked. However, if you want absolute protection, the total deletion option that we present to you here is the ultimate solution.

This has an obvious advantage: it guarantees that no data will fall into the wrong hands if an unwise person forces the unlocking of your phone and enters the wrong code 10 times.

Nevertheless, it also involves risks which cannot be ruled out. Forgotten code, inadvertent handling by your child or accidental pressure in a pocket can lead to the irremediable loss of all the information stored on the device.

Therefore, before enabling this option, it is essential to carefully weigh the pros and cons and above all to ensure that your data is regularly backed up, on iCloud, on Mac, or elsewhere.

Enable self-destruct in just a few steps

If you’ve decided to take the plunge, here’s how to activate this advanced security feature (it also works on iPad). :

• Open the app Settings on your iPhone
• Scroll down and select Face ID et code or Touch ID and code depending on the model of the device concerned
• Enter your current access code
• Scroll down to the bottom of the page
• Enable the option Clear data

• Finally confirm your choice by pressing Enable

Once this is done, the contents of your iPhone will automatically erase as explained previously. If this ever happens, you will be obliged to completely reconfigure your device and restore your data from a previous backup.

You will have understood, this functionality is mainly aimed at users handling sensitive data or operating in risky environments. For the majority of users, the standard security measures of iOS already offer more than sufficient protection. Whatever your decision, remember that the best security remains caution and above all regular backups !