Summary
Your iPhone has a lot of built-in protections in case it gets stolen.
I created this shortcut to protect myself in case either of those things happen.
But that’s not enough.
Lucas Gouveia / How-To Geek |Flash Vector/ Shutterstock
What if someone snatched your iPhone right after you unlocked it?
This is exactly whyApple added Stolen unit Protection to devices, which you should also turn on.
But the shortcut below will give you even more protection.
How an iPhone Shortcut Can Help
The idea behind this shortcut is pretty simple.
Both steps of these instructions are crucial, so don’t skip one.
launch the dropdown at the top of the screen to rename the shortcut.
Now tap “Add Action.”
Search for and add the “Lock Screen” action.
Then search at the bottom of the screen to add the “Set Airplane Mode” action.
confirm you configure it to turn Airplane Mode “Off.”
Also, bring up the dropdown and shut down the “Show Camera Preview” option.
Taking a photo slows the shortcut down, so it could be more secure to go without it.
Search for and select “Airplane Mode.”
Then tap “Next” and grab the “Theft Protection” shortcut you created in the previous step.
When you’re done, be sure to test the shortcut by turning on Airplane Mode.
You should find that the screen locks and Airplane Mode turns off again a moment later.
If it doesn’t work, try restarting your iPhone first.
For those situations, you’ll need to disable this automation.
Just go to Shortcuts > Automation and select your “Airplane Mode” automation.
Then bring up the “Automation” dropdown and select “Don’t Run.”
Since I don’t live in a high-crime area, I keep this shortcut disabled most of the time.
But I double-check to enable itwhenever I’m traveling with my iPhoneor going to a busier area.
