How to turn off Stolen Device Protection on my iPhone?

Make sure all your important data is sync'd to iCloud then wipe the phone using your computer and Recovery Mode

If you can't update or restore your iPhone or iPod touch - Apple Support

You will not be able to use a recent backup

milt4503 wrote:

I believe you are mistaken Lawrence. No “functioning” touch id was required to enable it - obviously the phone was unlocked with passcode.

I suspect the protection is made available on a phone with the capability for touch id despite it’s functionality. I know, I’m pretty much screwed on this faux pas.

I’ve researched it. If Touch ID is not working you will not be offered a chance to set up Stolen Device Protection (this has been reported by other users). So Touch ID is definitely working on that iPhone. It may be that it doesn’t recognize your finger, but that is not the same thing as Touch ID not working.

The other factor is that SDP is disabled when you are at home or another frequently visited (“Significant”) location, so if you just try to disable it when you are at home you should be able to.

This should only be a problem if your familiar location is not recognised, or after 17.4 you turned SDP on “Always”.

If familiar location is recognised then it defaults to passcode after a few tries, but if not in a familiar place or “Always” is on then restoring in Recovery Mode is the only way out.

Best have more than one fingerprint set up or an alternative appearance and of course daily iCloud backups.

I haven’t tested whether it restores from backup with SDP on or off.

If it does know you are st home then try your fingerprint three or four times in a row and it will revert to passcode.

Solution was to go to the Apple Store where they completely wiped my phone & set it up as a new phone from an iCloud backup. Took 3 tries before it worked. Lesson learned: will not be using the stolen phone feature going forward.

If it does not recognise you familiar location (home) then wiping in Recovery Mode is the only option.

You need a computer and see this

If you can't update or restore your iPhone or iPod touch - Apple Support

Save your data in iCloud first

Milt, I experienced the same thing too. This is what the issue was.

You have Restrictions enabled: If you or someone else with access to your device has enabled Restrictions, it may be preventing you from accessing the Face ID and Passcode options. To check if Restrictions are enabled, go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions.

once that is turned off, the face id and passcode menu comes on in settings. I hope that helps.

If you activated SDP with a faulty biometrics system then wiping in Recovery Mode is the only option assuming you need to turn it off.

MrHoffman wrote:

Tap the side button five times to activate the password prompt, enter the passcode, and…

Really? Doesn’t work on mine and should not do so. I just get medical ID, SOS etc

If it did work it would need reporting.

The only way I know is to wipe the phone in recovery mode.

When I had this problem, Touch ID no longer recognized my fingerprint & therefore I couldn’t turn off stolen device protection. Apple fixed this by completely wiping & reinitializing my phone.

If the phone recognises the location as familiar then several failed biometrics will default to passcode.

In this case either SDP had been set to Always, or the phone had not been schlepped around enough to learn where home is

UPDATE: I tried to turn off SDP again today and it finally took my fingerprint! I was just messing around, rotating my finger, going upside down and such..and for the first time, after trying all of yesterday, it asked for my passcode!

I recall from somewhere if Touch ID fails a certain number of times you can use a passcode. Give it a try, anyway.

Hello~ It works for me. If you go to the Medical ID, SOS, etc. and hit cancel it brings up keypad for password prompt as well.

~Katana-San~

endang.widiati wrote:

Hi Milt, did you finally find solution to turn it off without going to apple store and wipe all/reset your phone?

what the final solution did you take?

please share if you dont mind as i’ve just got the same issue😭 i tried some suggestion here but it didn’t work😭

If SDP is on away from familiar places you can try several times til you get passcode option.

With SDP set to Always, or if it has not learned your home location yet, you have two choices, leave SDP on, or wipe the phone in Recovery.