Inactivity reboot" effectively puts iPhones in a more secure state by locking the user's encryption keys in the iPhone's secure enclave chip.

With iOS 18, Apple introduced a feature that causes the iPhone to reboot every three days, security researchers have confirmed (via TechCrunch). In

Apple's iOS 18.1 auto-reboot feature locks iPhones after four days, blocking easy access, but at the same time, frustrating law enforcement in forensic probes.

However, the explanation is actually much simpler. Referring to the feature as an "inactivity reboot," AppleInsider says that this reboot timer isn't based on network connectivity or the phone's charge. Rather, the reboot simply occurs after a specific length of time -- around 96 hours.

404 Media reported that iPhones stored by police in evidence were rebooting themselves, and it turns out it’s all due to a new Inactivity Reboot feature shipping in iOS 18.1. First reported by security researcher Jiska Classen, this new feature reboots your iPhone if it has gone unused for at least four days.

A new iPhone security feature in iOS 18 will make it tough for forensic analysts to obtain data from a locked device

Last week, a report from 404 Media highlighted concerns from law enforcement officials about iPhones automatically rebooting themselves. While

There’s something unexpected happening with iPhones that have the latest version of iOS 18.1. Specifically, law enforcement and tech journalists have reported that iPhones, when left unattended for long enough,