How to unlock an iPhone even without knowing the passcode

Last Updated on 2016-05-19 , 1:50 pm

In recent news, there has been a video going around teaching people how to unlock an iPhone without a passcode. It seems to affect only those who have their Siri and fingerprint sensor turned on. We’ll explain why this is actually a hoax and how you can safeguard yourself if you’re still unconvinced.

Directions
In the video, the trick starts off with holding down the home button of a locked phone to bring up Siri. After asking Siri what time it is, the clock app comes up. The video then shows the user accessing the “Buy More Tones” option and gaining access to iTunes. From there, the phone’s usually locked options becomes available.

Image: YouTube user, SocialStar
Image: YouTube user, SocialStar

Why it is a hoax
This trick appears to be happening because people have been bringing up Siri with the finger that unlocks the passcode with. Hence, the phone has already been unlocked right from the very start.

Trying this trick with your other fingers or getting someone else to do it on your phone does not work. We tried it for ourselves and could not get past the “Buy More Tones” option–clicking on it did nothing and did not brought up the iTunes app.

How to safeguard your phone
However, if you are still worried about the potential loopholes in your phone’s security, there is an extremely easy way to protect your phone. Under your phone’s settings, go to “General” and turn off Siri. This will prevent Siri from being activated when the home button is held down.

Image: cnet.com
Image: cnet.com

If you still do not feel safe, you can also turn off your Touch ID and only use the passcode to access your iPhone. To do this, head over to your Settings and select “Touch ID & Passcode”. Upon keying in your existing passcode, you will be able to turn off the usage of Touch ID for both “iPhone Unlock” and “iTunes & App Store”.

Image: nostrotech.com
Image: nostrotech.com