Apple will soon add a 'Repair Status' mode to iPhones, so you can keep them safer during repairs.

Repair State, which is currently being tested in the iOS 17.5 beta, lets you keep Find My enabled when taking your iPhone in for repairs. It seems like a way to get around the recently introduced Stolen Device Protection, which doesn’t let you turn off Find My unless you’re home, but it also makes repairs more secure. Which makes us wonder: why does Apple make you turn off Find My when it repairs your iPhone? And wouldn’t it be best to just wipe your phone entirely before handing it over?

“Find My, along with Activation Lock, is a powerful deterrent against theft or unauthorized access to your iPhone. By keeping Find My enabled, even during the repair process, you ensure that your device remains traceable and secure. This not only protects your data, but also reduces the risk of your device being stolen or misused while it is not in your possession,” software company founder Dhanvin Sriram told Lifewire via email.

Apple currently requires you to back up your iPhone, disable Apple Cash, and remove your cards and passes from Apple Wallet before handing your iPhone over or sending it in to Apple for repair. It also requires you to disable Find My, the service that lets you track your iPhone on a map and — crucially — lock it in Lost Mode or perform a remote wipe so that a hacker can’t access your data, no matter how good they are.