Passcode

How to use the Lock screen passcode screen to dial phone numbers

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

Have you ever wanted to use your Lock screen passcode for more than just unlocking your iPhone? If so, then boy, do I have a jailbreak tweak for you.

PassDial is a brand new tweak that allows you to assign a speed-dial number to a passcode of your choice. For example, I can assign the passcode '1-2-1-2' to phone number 1-888-888-8000, and any time I enter that specific passcode, the number assigned will be dialed.

We've created a hands-on video to show you how PassDial works in action. Take a look inside to see what this jailbreak tweak is all about.

How to password protect individual apps with iAppLock

Joe Rossignol ∙ February 8, 2014

While setting a passcode on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch can go a long way towards improving the security of your device, it is meaningless in situations where it is already unlocked and an invasive family member decides to read through your Messages history or tamper with your ongoing Candy Crush Saga game.

Fortunately, a myriad of jailbreak tweaks have been released over the years that password protect apps on iOS devices. iAppLock stands as one of the first candidates to be updated with support for iOS 7 or later, and it has some useful features. Read ahead for a complete rundown…

How to set your iOS passcode to your device’s current time

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

TimePasscode is a new jailbreak tweak that lets you use your device's current time as a passcode to unlock your device. Spurred on by a Reddit request, developer Steve Hetelekides has created a tweak that allows you to have a different passcode with every passing minute.

If you're looking for a way to spice things up on the Lock screen from a security standpoint, then this might be the tweak for you. Have a look inside as we demonstrate how TimePasscode works on video.

Mesalation: set a passcode grace period with Touch ID enabled

Jeff Benjamin ∙ February 3, 2014

Mesalation is brand new jailbreak tweak from developer r_plus that allows you to get back the passcode grace period list when using Touch ID. Enabling Touch ID on the iPhone 5s forces iOS to require a passcode immediately and there are no options otherwise.

If you're someone who likes to use Touch ID, but don't necessarily like the idea of having to verify every time your device is locked, Mesalation is the jailbreak tweak for you. Have a look at our walkthrough inside for more details on how the tweak works.

PassTime lets you customize the passcode requirement duration (and it’s really awesome)

Sébastien Page ∙ January 31, 2014

If you've been listening to either Let's Talk Jailbreak or Let's Talk iOS, you've probably heard Cody and I rant about the fact that you can't use Touch ID for iTunes purchases without either using Touch ID or a passcode to unlock your device.

Since I first got my iPhone 5s, this has been a big annoyance. I do like the simplicity and security that Touch ID brings to my purchases on iTunes or in the App Store, but I do not want to use Touch ID or even a passcode to unlock my device. As it turns out, Apple won't let you do one without the other.

Enters PassTime, a new jailbreak tweak by Julian Weiss that lets you set custom passcode or Touch ID unlock requirement durations, effectively solving my biggest Touch ID pet peeve...

How to remove the numbers and letters from the passcode buttons on the Lock screen

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

Interested in removing the letters and numbers from the passcode buttons on the Lock screen? If so, then SimplePasscodeButtons is a tweak that was created just for you.

SimplePasscodeButtons is an extremely simple tweak (hence the name) that allows you to hide the letters on the passcode screen, or both the letters and numbers. The end result is a a bunch of circles on the passcode screen with nothing inside them. Have a look inside for our video walkthrough and more details.

Create passcode free intervals with PasswordTime

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

PasswordTime is a jailbreak tweak that let's you disable the passcode on your device during specific user defined time intervals. In theory, this could allow you to disable the passcode at 6 PM, the time when you arrive home from work. It could then be set to reenable the passcode before you leave the next day.

It's not a fail safe method of security, but if you're looking for something to add a little bit of convenience to your device, while still maintaining a passcode, then PasswordTime is worth your attention.

Review: Touch ID fingerprint sensor

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 13, 2018

Far and away, the most compelling upgrade worthy feature on the new iPhone 5s is the new Touch ID fingerprint sensor. It was a feature that was rumored for many months, and today the general public can finally see what all of the fuss is about.

I've been putting the Touch ID sensor, which rests inside of the iPhone 5s' redesigned Home button, through its paces all morning. I've come away extremely impressed — not only with its ease of setup, but with its uncompromising accuracy.

After using it for a while, it's readily apparent that this is not something that Apple hastily put into the iPhone 5s. This isn't your father's fingerprint sensor. Touch ID is a feature that Apple has meticulously meshed into the iPhone to make one transparent and cohesive experience. And it just works.

‘AutoOK’ makes complex passcodes work like normal passcodes

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

In theory, "complex" word-based passcodes are more secure than the standard 4-digit passcodes that the majority of us tend to use, but they do come with a caveat. It might not sound like a big deal, but with complex passcodes, you have to tap the 'OK' button after entering the passcode in order to unlock your device. With standard passcodes, simply entering in all four digits is enough to prompt the device to unlock.

AutoOK is a new jailbreak tweak that serves as a workaround for this problem. It will automatically submit your complex passcode and unlock your device without needing to tap the OK button. Have a look at our video walkthrough inside to see how it works.

‘CodeScrambler’ adds more security to the stock iPhone passcode

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Looking to add some additional security to your iPhone? Worried about someone spying out your Lock screen passcode? If you answered affirmatively to those questions, then perhaps you'd benefit from CodeScrambler.

CodeScrambler is a brand new jailbreak tweak that scrambles the Lock screen passcode in a different order each time you attempt to unlock your iPhone. This makes it more difficult for would-be passcode thieves to memorize your passcode based on the location of your taps on the screen.

Have a look inside, as we showcase how CodeScrambler works on video...

iPhone passcode security prompts law enforcement requests

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 11, 2018

Apparently, the law enforcement community needs to hire a few 13-year-olds able to crack the passcode on Apple's iPhone. There is such demand to help unlocking iPhones that one federal agency had to wait nearly two months for Apple, which even manages a waiting list, to unlock the smartphone. One "flaw" in Apple's otherwise tight mobile security could worry privacy advocates: the company reportedly does not inform iPhone owners when it bypasses the device's security measures...

Upcoming tweak lets you unlock iPhone by playing the piano

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

I know, sounds crazy right? But we have the video evidence that shows an in-progress tweak that allows you to do just that. The tweak is called Piano passcode, and just as its name suggests, it allows you to play a tune on a set of piano keys that reside on your lock screen. Playing the right tune unlocks the device.