What’s the point of the Security Delay?

Update for anyone with same issue..

I turned on all my location services for a few days for my phone to "learn" my home location. I was then able to turn it off

NickolisCA wrote:

I understand that it’s an “added layer of protection” or whatever but honestly it feels useless… If my phone is stolen or lost it has a passcode on it..

I think the idea is to help provide some protection if the thief steals your phone while it is unlocked, or if the thief has a chance to surreptitiously observe you entering your passcode.

Also my home address is on my Apple ID and I’m at home, like I always am, but still it’s saying I’m not near a recognized location.

Apple may have been too clever by half if they let the phone build the list of "significant locations" (for purposes of bypassing the delay), rather than having the user manually set those.

You might have Significant Locations turned off.

Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > scroll all the way to the very bottom and tap System Services > then again at the very bottom tap Significant Locations.

It should say “Recent Records” and show you both your home and work.

Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Stolen Device Protection > toggle Off

To check what locations your iPhone has registered as “familiar locations” go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services > Significant Locations

If you are away from those locations when trying to disable Stolen Device Protection the phone will go into a 1 hour security delay, there is no way around this. If you try to restart your iPhone it will also restart the 1 hour timer.

There are two options when choosing when your device will require a security delay. You can choose for it to happen only when you’re Away from Familiar Locations, such as home or work, or you can set it to Always, so it will start a security delay no matter where you are.

To check what locations are considered “familiar locations” for your device go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services > Significant Locations

If you try to interrupt or stop the security delay, such as trying to reset your phone, it will also restart the one hour timer. There is no way around the timer, and only once it’s been fully completed can you then turn off the Stolen Device Protection feature.

To turn it off, look here:

About Stolen Device Protection for iPhone - Apple Support

Stolen Device Protection is optional and not required. With it turned on, the Security Delay is required in certain circumstances, so if that is an inconvenience, then simply don't turn it on in the first place. You can also increase this security by requiring Face ID without any Passcode input, but if you camera gets damaged and it cannot recognize your face, then you will need to have the devices serviced and will not be able to get into it. There is no bypass measures as that would defeat the whole purpose of enabling it.

For most, there is no need for it. Your device is already protected with the Passcode and cannot be erased without your Apple ID Password due to the Activation Lock. If someone attempts to guess your Passcode the device will also lock after too many failed attempts.

I turn that off for every device, first thing. it's useless. It's like "it's so secure even the owner can't get in".

Security Delay helps prevent someone from making changes to settings that can lock you out of your iPhone or Apple ID account. You don't have to use it. But it's just one more way, to keep you safe should someone come in possession of your iPhone.

ziaahmed94 wrote:

Just click on Face ID and passcode and turn off Require attention for Face ID.

That is NOT correct and has NOTHING to do with this. For future reference, this is what is being discussed --> Use Stolen Device Protection on iPhone - Apple Support

SEcurity Delay is especially helpful if someone steals your iPhone while it is unlocked. An example of this might be when you are using your iPhone while walking in town.

A scenario that I try to use most of the time, is Guided Access, it is required an arguably amount of trust to decide to restrict a lovely companion to use a powerful source within my device! It’s only seconds away for you to retract your decision, and why not extend the fraction to the key of your protection. Can’t cover all the angles at once, or can I…? Ingenuity is a tool for all and am challenged to test mine and what I’ve acquired through the journey!

Thanks for sharing more, if this helps!

This function is so flawed. I am at home,which is familiar place, but it is still ask me to wait for 1 hr. Obviously I won’t be sit there and wait for 1 hr, and I can’t see any notification. All I know is that when I got back, it ask me to wait another hour again. This is so useless function! Change it APPLE!

I thought it will give me extra security from thieves but it secures the phone from me the owner. Delays me the owner, deactivates me face ID. I can not unlock phone anymore, unless i type password for the past 24hrs i have not found solution to this my face id. I feel ******..

Yeah, same!! I am at home 85% of the times and it always says that I am at an unrecognized location.. at first I was sceptic because I didn’t know what that is, but I fell for it anyway.. like.. why?

[Edited by Moderator]

I often forget my passwords due to a lot of accounts at work and personal. I have face if why this have to activate! I need to wait 1 hour??? Why face id accepted then??? This must activated once the face is not recognize! This is a mess!!!!!

I Dont write in notes I prefer to make it change password!!!