Protect a phone before it is stolen
A strong screen lock, current software, account recovery options and finding settings reduce avoidable damage if the phone disappears.
What to do
First, check
Review the screen lock, account recovery contacts and backup status.
Then
Enable the provider's theft and lost-device protections, then store important device identifiers securely.
If it’s not that simple
Preparation covers several failure modes
Unlocked-device risk
Review a strong screen lock and available platform protections.
Lost sign-in route
Prepare account recovery and independent verification options.
Lost local data
Check backups and what they exclude.
Good to know
Preparation cannot guarantee recovery or prevent every account compromise.
Official source
Apple Support · stolen iPhone actions