The Live Data Leak
By default, iOS supports “Live Activities,” a feature that allows third-party applications to place highly interactive, constantly updating widgets directly on the iPhone Lock Screen. While useful for tracking a food delivery or checking a sports score, these activities remain fully visible and actively update their data even when the device is completely locked and secured with Face ID. This means anyone looking at your phone sitting on a desk can monitor your exact Uber route, read your active timer labels, or track your flight status without knowing your passcode. To ensure a strictly opaque security boundary, you must completely disable Live Activities on the Lock Screen.
How to Disable Live Activities on the Lock Screen
You can permanently secure your display via the Face ID & Passcode settings.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode).
- Enter your strict device passcode to authenticate.
- Scroll down to the section labeled “Allow Access When Locked.”
- Locate the toggle switch labeled Live Activities.
- Toggle this switch to the Off position (the green background will disappear).
A Hardened Visual Perimeter
The change takes effect instantly. The iPhone will completely sever the bridge connecting the background Live Activities API to the Lock Screen UI renderer while the screen is locked. You can now track an incoming ride or monitor a sports game and leave your phone unattended; if a malicious actor wakes the screen, the operating system will absolutely refuse to display the live tracking widget. To view this active data, you are now strictly required to unlock the phone with Face ID first, guaranteeing absolute privacy for your real-time activities.