Gone were the days when you had to disable the “Find My” and Activation Lock before sending in your iPhone for repair. Thanks to the arrival of a new feature called “Repair State”, you can send in your iOS device for repair without needing to deactivate the device tracking feature.
For those unfamiliar, “Find My” has long been a highly efficient device tracking feature. When it’s enabled “Activation Lock” becomes activated automatically and prevents unauthorized people from erasing your device or using their Apple ID. So, the next time if you find your iPhone faced with a hardware issue, make sure to take full advantage of Repair State. Read on…
Enable iPhone Repair State Before Sending the Device for Repair
As for requirements for using the “Repair State” feature, ensure that your iPhone is running iOS 17.5 or later. Go to the Settings app on your iPhone -> General -> Software Update and update the device.
Bear in mind that if your iPhone is not online or trackable via the Find My app, this new feature won’t be available. If the device is offline, you will see nothing but a simple “Removal” option.
Securely Back Up Your Device Before Activating the Repair State
Before activating the Repair State feature on your iPhone, I would recommend you fully back up the device. You can choose to back up your device on Windows PC (iTunes) or Mac (Finder) or via iCloud.
- Another important thing that you should do without fail is to remove your cards and passes from the Apple Wallet. Head over to the Wallet app on your iPhone. Now, select card/pass -> tap the More button -> Card/Pass Details -> Remove Card/Pass.
Enable Repair State on Your iPhone
- On your iPhone, launch the Find My app.
- Now, tap on the Devices list and select your iPhone.
- Next, tap on “Remove This Device” located at the bottom of the card.
- Finally, tap on the “Continue” option at the prompt to activate Repair State.
And that’s pretty much it!
It’s worth pointing out that when the Repair State is active in the Find My app, the iPhone displays a stethoscope icon as confirmation. Even when your device is in this mode, you can mark it as lost.
Read more: A Quick Look at the Best iOS 18 Accessibility Features (Video)
