How to Enable a Complex Passcode on Your iOS Device
The iPhone gives you the option of entering a six-digit passcode instead of the familiar four-digit passcode for better protection. You can also enter a custom alphanumeric passcode or a longer custom numeric passcode. To configure a stronger passcode through the Settings app:
Considerations
For maximum security, in the Face ID & Passcode settings screen, set the Require Password option to Immediately unless you want a longer period of time before it is required. This option helps you to balance security versus usability. You can either:
Create a longer passcode and set a longer amount of time before it’s required so you won’t constantly need to enter it.Create a shorter passcode and require it immediately.
Either choice has its pros and cons; it depends on what level of security versus convenience you are willing to accept. If the device supports it, enroll either a fingerprint or your face in the Touch ID or the Face ID system. Those tools, which are considered secure, can be used in addition to a passcode.
Why Complex Passcodes Matter
While creating a complex password is recommended, most people don’t want to make things complicated. Changing from a simple passcode to the iPhone complex passcode option boosts security because enabling the alphanumeric characters increases the combinations that a thief or hacker would have to try to break into a phone. The simple four-digit numeric password has 10,000 possible combinations: 104 = 10,000. That may seem high, but a determined hacker or thief may guess it in a few hours, and an automated scanner can guess it in less than a second. Turning on the iOS complex passcode option increases the possible combinations. The total number of possible combinations for the complex passcode option is huge; each character in the code expands from 10 to 77 potential values. In a passcode of 12 alphanumeric characters, the number of potential combinations grows to 7712, or approximately 43,439,888,520,000,000,000,000. Adding a few more characters presents a huge roadblock for a hacker trying to guess all the possible combinations.
