Apple is reportedly adding a new “repair state” with iOS 17.5 that keeps Find My turned on during repairs

Apple is reportedly working on a new feature that will allow iPhone users to keep Find My turned on even when they send their phone in for repair. This new feature is called Repair State and is said to offer a workaround to turn off device tracking, which can reduce device security. This feature was spotted with the latest iOS 17.5 beta update. The global stable version of the operating system may arrive later this month.

The function was noticed from 9to5Mac within the codes of iOS 17.5 beta 4, which was released on Tuesday to users who enrolled in the Beta program. This feature is said to be partially working for beta testers. According to the report, the Repair State feature was probably added to allow users to track their device even when it is under repair.

Apple currently requires users to turn off Find My when sending in an iPhone for repair. Guidelines are also mentioned in the Apple support page which countries, “To prevent someone else from getting service for your device without your knowledge, Apple may not be able to service your device if Find My is not turned off.” The idea behind the rule is to make sure that the person handing over the phone , is indeed the owner of the phone. However, doing so has become more difficult with the latest updates from the tech giant.

Apple introduced stolen device protection with iOS 17.3, which adds a time delay when accessing critical settings, such as removing an Apple account or turning off Find My. Currently, the Find My shutdown delay is one hour. This means that if a user forgets to turn on the feature and shows up at an authorized service center, they will either have to wait an hour or come back later. This issue can be resolved through Repair State.

According to the report, the Repair State mode in iOS 17.5 beta 4 allows users to confirm that an iPhone is going for repair using their Apple ID and password. While in this state, the user cannot remove their Apple ID. This allows the technician to verify the owner of the device without requiring them to turn off Find My.

However, the publication warned beta testers not to enable the mode if the device is not going for repair. This is because there is currently no way to turn this mode off, and once enabled, the Apple ID cannot be removed. It’s unclear if Apple didn’t add this feature intentionally so that a technician could eventually remove it, or if the stable version of the feature will come with an option to remove it.