Thieves often swipe down from the lock screen to enable Airplane Mode, cutting off all tracking and cutting you off from remotely locking or locating your device. This is commonly followed by turning the phone off or wiping it.
Disabling Control Centre access from the lock screen blocks that first move; buying you crucial time to locate your device before it’s gone offline. It also makes it more likely that a thief will simply cast the phone aside.
🔒 How to Disable Control Centre (and Airplane Mode) on iPhone
- Open Settings → Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode).
- Enter your passcode.
- Scroll to “Allow Access When Locked”.
- Toggle off Control Centre.
This prevents anyone from swiping down to toggle Airplane Mode, Wi Fi, Bluetooth, and more.
Optionally, disable other lock screen features like Notification Centre, Reply with Message, and Siri for added security.
You can still access Control Centre when the phone is unlocked; simply unlock with Face/Touch ID or passcode first.
🔄 A Brief Android Mention
On Android, as long as you have biometrics or a PIN code in place, then an equivalent measure is unnecessary.
🔐 Final Takeaway
For iPhone users, disabling Control Centre on the lock screen is the single most effective step to stop thieves from immediately cutting off connectivity via Airplane Mode. Assuming your device is relatively up to date; then this measure is quick to set, frictionless in daily use, and a must-have defense in the event of theft.
