Security Experts Are Sharing The 1 iPhone Setting You Need To Turn Off

Security Experts Are Sharing The 1 iPhone Setting You Need To Turn Off

Security Experts Are Sharing The 1 iPhone Setting You Need To Turn Off

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Publish Date: 2026-06-06 16:04:00

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Sat, June 6, 2026 at 7:46 PM UTC

People across the internet have been sounding the alarm about potential security risks connected to an iPhone setting that you may not have noticed. And experts in cybersecurity think it’s worth taking a look.

Smartphone displaying settings menu with options like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Accessibility visible on screen

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Earlier this year, severalsocial media userson TikTok and Instagram took to the internet to warn others about the Airplay settings on their iPhones. One viral TikTok post warned iPhone users to make sure their Airplay settings were not set to “Automatic.”

Person holding a smartphone showing multiple app icons on the home screen, some with notification badges

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This setting can be accessed on an iPhone by going to: Settings General Airplay & Continuity Automatically Airplay. Under “Automatically Airplay,” Apple offers iPhone users the option to choose between “Never,” “Ask” or “Automatic.”

Person using a smartphone, focusing on the screen and typing. The background is blurred, indicating an outdoor setting

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The viral post claimed that having “Automatic” selected makes users more vulnerable to hackers who have the ability get all of the information on their phone “in a matter of seconds” — as long as the hacker’s phone is right next to the user’s phone. Many people replied to the TikTok post expressing concerns about the setting, with some noting that their Airplay setting was unknowingly set to “Automatic.” Apple did not immediately return a request for comment.

Three people are seated at a table, each focused on their smartphones

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Kevin Tackett, CEO of security consulting company Secure Ideas, told HuffPost that as it relates to concerns about the “Automatically Airplay” setting, it’s important to note that “any ‘additional’ connectivity is a risk.”

Three people holding smartphones, engaged in conversation

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“So yes having this on when you don’t need it is a bigger issue than not having it on,” he said. But Tackett said that statements that a hacker could simply steal all of an iPhone user’s information…

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