iPhone 12 Pro iPhone reset/wiped (Activation lock) itself whilst in pocket - how to avoid in future?

[karansaraf]

I was recently hiking with my phone in my pocket (screen facing my thigh). The sweat/moisture must have built up on the screen surface and I guess the sensitivity changed and it detected contact. Next thing I know, my phone has wiped itself and activation lock is on, saying the phone can only be viewed by its owner. I don't know whether it detected x number of incorrect pin entry attempts or whether some setting was activated to completely reset itself.

I was away from home, and unable to restore from iCloud as it required two factor authentication, which I couldn't do as I didn't have a second device with me. Very difficult to contact people as I had no access to icloud contacts etc.

How can I avoid this in future?

I frequently go hiking with screen facing my thigh, or cycling, and the phone is in my jersey back pocket, with screen facing my back, in order to prevent screen breakage in the event of falls/impact.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Settings > Display & Brightness > lift to wake > toggled off.

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

Settings > Display & Brightness > lift to wake > toggled off.

He’s probably looking for settings>faceID & passcode>Erase data (very bottom)

 

[Apple_Robert]

He’s probably looking for settings>faceID & passcode>Erase data (very bottom)

Unless I misread the OP, the member is asking how to lock the screen so the phone doesn't accidentally get activated.

 

[now i see it]

Power button> Off

Do people really need to have their iPhone powered on when doing outside recreational activities?

 

[kitKAC]

Shouldn't it take some time before you reach the maximum of 10 attempts before the device wipes itself? After a certain number of tries, there's an increasing wait period before you can try again.

 

[NoBoMac]

^This. Maybe.

It will take about 1.5 hours before 10th and erase happens, so possible on a long hike.

 

[karansaraf]

Unless I misread the OP, the member is asking how to lock the screen so the phone doesn't accidentally get activated.

This would most likely prevent this issue from ever happening again. I guess the downside is that I actually like the lift to wake feature.

He’s probably looking for settings>faceID & passcode>Erase data (very bottom)

I think that is probably the best solution. However in my settings menu, this option is greyed out and I cannot toggle this off. Any suggestions?

 

[BigMcGuire]

I think that is probably the best solution. However in my settings menu, this option is greyed out and I cannot toggle this off. Any suggestions?

Is this a company phone? May be enforced by your company's profile requirements.

 

[karansaraf]

No it's mine.

 

[NoBoMac]

You might have a profile installed after all. Corporate Exchange account? Other? Settings > VPN & Device Management
(Profiles & Device Management on older OSes)

Erase is 10 by default. MDM/profiles can be setup to erase at lower attempt values. In the case of the screen grab, five. Plus showing that option as greyed out. So, does look like a profile is installed.

And at five attempts, that's basically instant erase vs 10 taking 1.5 hours.

Attempts Delay enforced
1–4 None
5 1 minute
6 5 minutes
7–8 15 minutes 
9 1 hour

 

[CE3]

Power button> Off

Do people really need to have their iPhone powered on when doing outside recreational activities?

I think quite a few people would answer yes to this question. Including me. My phone will primarily stay in a pocket or backpack while hiking, for example, but I still want:

-Camera access
-GPS
- The ability to play music if I’m hiking alone in bear country.
- And if there’s cell service in the area, I want to be able to make and receive calls and contact
emergency services without waiting for my phone to power up.

 

[karansaraf]

You might have a profile installed after all. Corporate Exchange account? Other? Settings > VPN & Device Management
(Profiles & Device Management on older OSes)

Erase is 10 by default. MDM/profiles can be setup to erase at lower attempt values. In the case of the screen grab, five. Plus showing that option as greyed out. So, does look like a profile is installed.

And at five attempts, that's basically instant erase vs 10 taking 1.5 hours.

Attempts Delay enforced
1–4 None
5 1 minute
6 5 minutes
7–8 15 minutes
9 1 hour

Yes you must be right. I've got an email account via Exchange for the institution I work for. I'm guessing there's nothing I can do about that, other than deleting the email account from my iPhone?

 

[NoBoMac]

Yes, would need to remove the Exchange account to get rid of the profile setting wipe after five attempts.

 

[rpmurray]

With my NAIP (not an iPhone) I wanted to keep it safe from things like getting sweat all over it, so I bought a sleeve for it. The inner lining of the sleeve also works to clean the screen whenever I slide it in and out.

 

[Al Rukh]

This would most likely prevent this issue from ever happening again. I guess the downside is that I actually like the lift to wake feature.



I think that is probably the best solution. However in my settings menu, this option is greyed out and I cannot toggle this off. Any suggestions?

You might want to disable tap to wake too, just to be sure the screen doesn’t get turned on accidentally at all in your pocket.