3 Common Mistakes iPhone Users Make That Put Their Personal Data At Risk (And How To Fix Them)

Consider how often you pick up your phone throughout the day. Now think about the many ways you use your phone — whether it’s to send and receive work emails, make Amazon purchases, pay off a credit card, or simply post on social media to pass the time. With all of that in mind, it makes sense that your phone has a ton of personal information stored on it. Anyone who gains access to your device can discover a great amount about you — and a lot of that data would be better left private. 

So, what can you do to ensure that your iPhone is safeguarded against prying eyes? Being proactive helps a great deal. As does avoiding these three common mistakes that iPhone users make that put their personal data at risk. Tech Expert Matt Payne, CEO of Width.ai, lets us in on the most common iPhone data mistakes and how to fix them. 

Mistake #1: Not Using a Passcode

“One of the most common mistakes iPhone users make is not using a passcode to lock their devices,” Payne revealed. “This puts your personal data at risk if your phone is lost or stolen. To fix this, simply go to Settings > Touch ID & Passcode and turn on the passcode feature.”

Mistake #2: Not Updating to the Latest iOS Version

Another mistake that puts your iPhone at risk is not updating to the latest iOS version, according to Payne “Apple releases updates regularly that include security patches to protect your device from vulnerabilities,” Payne said. “To update your device, go to Settings > General > Software Update.”

Mistake #3: Not Checking the Automatically Generated Security Recommendations

“If you go to Settings > Passwords there will be times that the system will alert the user of ‘Security Recommendations,’” Payne said. “iPhone is capable of securely monitoring your saved data and passwords in the device and creating appropriate notice to the user if those data appear in data leaks. It might be possible that multiple of the user’s account uses the same password and it is vulnerable since it is potentially involved in the data leak.”

Regularly checking this and doing the appropriate countermeasures such as changing passwords or enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) can further fortify your security, Payne confirmed. 

Don’t worry if you’ve been making these mistakes all along. It’s never too late to turn an error into an opportunity to learn more about how to beef up your phone security and keep your personal data better protected.