How to Turn Your iPhone Into a Cold Wallet

Taking an iPhone offline does not remove the risks of physical access, so the text sets a minimum of an iPhone 17 or newer running iOS 27 or later, replaced every one to two years, for holding substantial crypto. U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported 55,318 electronic-device searches in fiscal 2025, and its policy limits examinations to information stored on the device, with network connectivity disabled. Seed phrases saved in Photos or Notes remain readable once someone gains access to the phone. Apple's Class C file protection keeps some data keys available after the screen locks.