When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Heres how it works.
While these phone searches are meant to protect national security, they can raise concerns about personal privacy.
Encrypt your equipment and use a strong password
The foundation of equipment security starts with fullencryptionand a robust password.
This critical step ensures your data remains protected even if your phone is subjected to more advanced examination techniques.
For Android devices, check that encryption is enabled by going toSettings, Security, and Encryption.
And avoid using easily guessable information like birthdays, names, or common words.
Before arriving at customs,power down your machine completelyanddisable biometric authentication features.
This precaution serves two purposes.
Firstly, a powered-off rig returns to a heightened security state, potentially making encryption more difficult to bypass.
Once you see the sliders, Face ID is disabled until you key in your passcode.
Start bydeleting specific conversations, photos, or files you wouldn’t want accessed.
For messaging apps likeWhatsApporSignal,considerbacking up essential conversations to cloud storageand then deleting them from your unit.
Remember to alsoempty recently deleted foldersto ensure content is completely removed.
For apps containing sensitive information, you might temporarily delete them and reinstall them later.
Take advantage of this distinction bymoving sensitive files to secure cloud storagebefore your trip.
Border agents are required to put devices in airplane mode before searching them, preventing access to cloud-stored content.
For added security, considerlogging out of cloud services before travelandremoving saved passwordsfrom your surfing app.
This creates an additional barrier to accessing your online accounts during a phone search.
Know your options
Before traveling, decide how you’ll respond if asked to unlock your gear.
Your approach might depend on your citizenship status and comfort level with potential consequences.
If you choose to comply,unlock the machine yourself rather than sharing your password.
This maintains some control over how the rig is accessed.
Non-citizens face additional risks, including potential denial of entry.
This documentation will be essential for following up.
You canspeed up your iPhone by clearing its cache.And ensure to check out the latestiPhone features in iOS 18.4.
For less-known features, check out the changes toiOS 18 Notes.
