iOS 17.3: Your iPhone Gets Stolen Device Protection, Bug Fixes and More
The latest iOS update also includes collaborative playlists for Apple Music subscribers.
Zachary McAuliffe
Jan. 31, 2024 4:00 a.m. PT
3 min read
Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto/Getty Images
Apple released iOS 17.3 to the general public on Jan. 22, more than a month after the company released iOS 17.2. The latest update brings a few new features, like Stolen Device Protection, as well as some important bug fixes to your iPhone.
To download the update, go to Settings > General > Software Update, tap Install Now and follow the onscreen prompts.
Here are the new features iOS 17.3 brings to your iPhone.
Stolen Device Protection
Apple’s iOS 17.3 introduces Stolen Device Protection to your iPhone, which aims to help protect you and your data.
According to CNET’s David Lumb, Stolen Device Protection requires you to enter your biometric authentication, like Face ID and Touch ID, multiple times to access some of your sensitive settings and information, like your Apple ID password. This feature uses a new mechanism, called Security Delay, when you try to change these settings.
If you attempt to change these settings when you’re away from a familiar location, like your home, Stolen Device Protection will require you to enter your biometric info, like your facial scan or fingerprint, twice; once initially and then again after an hour. However, since Stolen Device Protection only protects a handful of settings, you still have to take steps to protect other information, like your social media accounts. This is an optional security feature, but Apple recommends everyone turn it on.
The new Unity Bloom wallpaper in iOS 17.3.Screenshot by Zach McAuliffe/CNET
In honor of Black History Month, iOS 17.3 brings a new wallpaper, called Unity Bloom, to all iPhones. According to Apple, the wallpaper shows an outline of flowers that will fill with color once the display is active.
Apple Music collaborative playlists are here at last
With iOS 17.3, Apple brings collaborative playlists to Apple Music subscribers. The feature allows multiple people to edit and control shared playlists on the music streaming platform. You can also react with an emoji to a song in a collaborative playlist that someone else added. That way you can let someone know instantly if you like a song or not in the playlist.
Apple announced collaborative playlists in Apple Music at WWDC 2023 in June. The feature was included in some beta versions of iOS 17.2, but wasn’t included in the final release of that update.
Here are the full release notes for iOS 17.3:
About This Update
Stolen Device Protection
Stolen Device Protection increases security of iPhone and Apple ID by requiring Face ID or Touch ID with no passcode fallback to perform certain actions.
Security Delay requires Face ID or Touch ID, an hour wait, and then an additional successful biometric authentication before sensitive operations like changing device passcode or Apple ID password can be performed.
Lock Screen
New Unity wallpaper honors Black history and culture in celebration of Black History Month.
Music
Collaborate on playlists allows you to invite friends to join your playlist and everyone can add, reorder, and remove songs.
Emoji reactions can be added to any track in a collaborative playlist.
This update also includes the following improvements:
AirPlay hotel support lets you stream content directly to the TV in your room in select hotels.
AppleCare & Warranty in Settings shows your coverage for all devices signed in with your Apple ID.
Crash detection optimizations (all iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 models).
Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website:
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222
For more on iOS 17, check out what was included in iOS 17.2 and iOS 17.1. You can also check out our iOS 17 cheat sheet.Start videoLarge play-pause togglePlay pause
iOS 17.2: How to Easily Turn On Contact Key Verification
The new security feature can help make sure the person you’re texting is who they say they are.
Zachary McAuliffe
Jan. 11, 2024 4:00 a.m. PT
3 min read
Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Apple released iOS 17.2 in December, and the update brought security patches and long-awaited features, like the Journal app, to your iPhone. Among the new features is Contact Key Verification, a security tool meant to help verify that the person you’re texting is who they say they are.
Apple wrote in December 2022 that with Contact Key Verification, people who might find themselves in dangerous situations, like journalists, activists and members of government organizations, can verify that they are messaging who they intend to. While most people won’t find themselves targeted in such a way, Apple wrote that the tool provides an important layer of security to those who might.
Here’s how to enable Contact Key Verification and how to use the new security feature. Note, both you and the person you’re messaging need to have this feature enabled for it to work properly.
How to enable Contact Key Verification
1. Open Settings. 2. Tap your Apple ID (your name and picture) near the top of your screen. 3. Tap Contact Key Verification near the bottom of the menu. 4. Tap the switch next to Verification in iMessage.
Next you’ll see a splash screen that explains Contact Key Verification. Tap Continue on this screen.
You might be taken to another splash screen that says you need to update some of your devices in order to turn the feature on. You can either tap OK and then update the devices, or you can tap Remove Devices in Settings. However, you should probably update your devices even if you don’t plan on using Contact Key Verification.
Verifying the identity of yourself and others
After you’ve enabled the feature, the Contact Key Verification menu will have a new option called Show Public Verification Code. Tap this new option and you’ll see a string of letters, numbers and symbols. This code is how people verify they are messaging you.
Screenshot by Zach McAuliffe/CNET
Next, tap Copy Verification Code beneath your code, and you’ll be able to paste your code wherever you want to share it, like in a message or online. Now others can verify they’re messaging you, and if their code doesn’t match their code online, you’ll know you might not be talking to the right person.
Generating codes in Messages
You can also generate a code with someone directly in Messages. This is a quick way for both you and another person to simultaneously verify identities and devices, but you and the other person need to have Contact Key Verification enabled for this to work.
If you both have the tool enabled, here’s how you make a code directly in Messages.
1. Open Messages. 2. Start a conversation with someone or tap into the right conversation. 3. Tap the person’s name at the top of the conversation. 4. Tap Verify Contact near the bottom of the menu.
Then, compare the six-digit codes generated on both devices. If the codes match, tap Mark as Verified, then tap Update on the following screen. Now that person’s contact card will have the code associated with it, and a checkmark will appear next to their name in Messages.
If the codes don’t match, tap No Match. You might not be communicating with the right person, and you should stop messaging them until you can verify their identity.
