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Pretty soon, Apple might let you send your iPhone in for repair without disabling Find My and Activation Lock. In the fourth iOS 17.5 beta, 9to5Mac and MacRumors found that Apple is planning to introduce a new “Repair State” mode that keeps the anti-theft measures on while your iPhone is getting fixed.
Apple and many authorized repair providers currently ask you to turn off Find My when you’re getting your iPhone repaired. It has this requirement to “prevent anyone else from getting service for your device without your knowledge,” according to Apple’s support page.
But turning off Find My got a little more tricky with the introduction of Stolen Device Protection. When enabled, this feature forces you to wait one hour before performing certain actions, like turning off Find My. That isn’t too convenient if you forget to turn off Find My before you arrive at the Apple Store for a repair.
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The new Repair State option should change this. As pointed out by 9to5Mac, it will let you confirm that your phone is getting repaired by entering your Apple ID and password. You can then continue to track your phone from other devices. The device will have a “Ready for Repair” in the Find My app when the option is enabled, along with a note that the “device remains fully functional,” 9to5Mac reports.