Apple is about to simplify iPhone repairs with an upcoming iOS 17.5 update.
They're introducing a "repair mode" feature that lets users prep their phones for service while keeping the "Find My" and "Activation Lock" features active.
This means even when your iPhone is being shipped off for repairs, you can still track it and it's safeguarded against unauthorized resets and resales.
Arstechnica.com notes that this feature eliminates the old hassle where you had to back up and erase your data or turn off "Find My" before sending your phone in.
This was made even trickier with the new "Anti-Theft" and "Security Delay" measures, which forced a mandatory one-hour wait after disabling "Find My."
Now, with repair mode, you can set up your phone for repairs right from the "Find My" app while it's still online. This keeps your phone linked to your account but ready for repairs, skipping the one-hour wait.
It’s worth mentioning that Repair Mode is only for iPhones right now. It doesn't cover iPads, Apple Watches, or Macs. Plus, users can't turn off this mode on their own; only an authorized Apple technician can do that.
The full impact on security and privacy isn’t clear yet, but we expect more details to come out when iOS 17.5 officially releases.
This update is expected soon and might be the last one with new features for iOS 17, as Apple begins to focus on iOS 18.
