iOS 18 is Apple’s latest software update for iPhones, and with it you get 3 very important security features that will make it harder for others to snoop around your devices and make it easier for you to manage your ever-growing digital footprint.

1. Passwords app

This is an underrated feature, but having a dedicated Passwords app from Apple breaks the barrier for most people to start organizing their passwords. Apple already had its own password manager in the past, but it was buried in the Settings app making it hard for most people to use.

You can even create shared group where you can share passwords with others, which is great for families.

The app also has a built verification code system like Google Authenticator, so you can save all your 2-factor authentication codes all in one place. (do they sync over the cloud?)

You can even create new passwords from the app so you don’t have to come up with them yourself. Check out Apple’s website for more info on the passwords app.

2. Locking and hiding your apps

Every app can now require authentication, either via Face ID or Touch ID. Simply tap and hold any app, and select the “Require Face ID” option (It will say Touch ID if you have an iPhone SE 2nd gen or later). This is an easy and secure way to protect your most private information from people who also might share your device.

For all 3rd party apps, you can also require Face ID and hide the app from your homescreen. This does also disable notifications and critical alerts from the app, so be careful.

To “un-hide” the apps, you just need to go to your hidden apps folder under App Library, and tap on it to initiate Face ID, and it will reveal the hidden apps. Touch and hold the app of your choice and select, “Don’t require Face ID.”

3. “Inactivity Reboot”

This is the hero feature of iOS 18.

This feature was added by Apple in iOS 18.1 as an extra security and safety measure against hackers and thieves. If your phone goes unused for 3 days (72 hours to be exact), the phone automatically reboots itself even if it has plenty of battery power.

It was initially thought to be 4 days, but it has been confirmed to be 72 hours.

This reboot puts your iPhone in a more secure state, also known as “Before First Unlock,” or BFU state. Every time your iPhone reboots, it requires your password before it enables Touch ID or Face ID, making it harder for hackers to retrieve information from the phone with older hacking devices since the data is encrypted.

Per TechCrunch:

“Inactivity reboot” effectively puts iPhones in a more secure state by locking the user’s encryption keys in the iPhone’s secure enclave chip. 

Once someone unlocks their phone with their password, the phone is now in “After First Unlock,” state or AFU.

Security researchers use their own simplified terms. Phones that have had their password entered are “hot” devices, while freshly rebooted phones are “cold” devices:

Tihmstar said that many forensic companies focus on “hot” devices in an AFU state, because at some point the user entered their correct passcode, which is stored in the memory of the iPhone’s secure enclave. By contrast, “cold” devices are far more difficult to compromise because their memory cannot be easily extracted once the phone restarts.

Although it might be a nuisance for law enforcement, it is another deterrent for thieves and hackers until they find more sophisticated ways to steal data from your iPhone.

For the general consumer, it is another victory for data privacy and security.