#Apple USB restricted mode

Apple announced iOS 12 last month but, before it starts to roll out, the company made an update to iOS 11 which includes a new security feature -- USB Restricted Mode. The USB Restricted Mode is a part of iOS 12's initial loadout, however, Apple decided to bring the feature to iOS 11.1.4 without revealing it in the patch notes. By default, the USB Restricted Mode is disabled which means that if a user's device is locked for at least an hour, it will restrict any access via lightning port immediately. USB Restricted Mode can be found under Settings -> Touch ID & Passcode section. At WWDC 2026, the company confirmed it partnered with Google, using the technologies behind Gemini, to create the next generation of Apple Foundation Models. These models to run on-device and on Apple's Private Cloud Compute servers, meaning the processing happens either on your device or on servers that Apple says do not store or share your data. For the most capable Apple Silicon devices, Apple also built a second, more powerful on-device model. Read more in our articles including "Apple iOS 11.4.1 update includes USB Restricted Mode" and "Apple Puts a Siri Camera Mode on iPhone, Visual Intelligence Across All Platforms".