Secure your iPad in four easy steps

Your iPad and iPhone store quite a bit of personal information.  What happens if one is lost or stolen?  There are four easy things you can do right now to secure your smart devices from unwanted eyes.

1)  Password protect your iPad and iPhone

• Go into Settings, General, Passcode Lock
• Select a four-digit passcode
• Once you’ve selected a passcode, select “Immediately” so that anyone who picks up your iPad will have to enter a passcode before they can do/change anything

2)  Use the Auto-Lock feature

• Go to Settings, General, Auto-Lock
• The iPad will turn off in 1-5 minutes if the iPad is unattended.  This is a good security feature.  Once the iPad shuts off, you need a passcode to unlock the device

3)  Set the Auto-Wipe feature to ON

• Go to Settings, General, Passcode Lock
• Turn Erase Data ON
• This will erase all data on the iPad after 10 failed passcode attempts.  Just make sure you have backed up your device so that when you find your device you can reload your important information

4)  “Find My Phone” App

• https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/find-my-iphone/id376101648
• Download the free APP and register your device using your Apple ID in the Cloud.  It will locate your iPad/iPhone.  From there, you can “Play Sound” to alert someone that the iPad is there, put it in “Lost Mode” which locks and tracks the iPad and lets you put in contact info if found, or “Erase iPad.”  The only bad thing about erasing an iPad is that it cannot be located or tracked but at least your personal information is deleted.

5)  I know I said “four easy steps” but I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you how to back up your information NOW.

• Go to Settings, iCloud, Storage & Backup
• Turn iCloud Backup ON
• Your device will automatically backup your pictures, accounts, documents and settings when the iPhone is connected to WiFi, is plugged in and the screen is locked.   You can also force your device to “Back Up Now.”   I highly recommend you force the “Back Up Now” when you first get your phone to save all of your contact information.