A houseguest went through your phone

Someone staying with you picked up your iPhone. How to find out what you can, close the gap and make it harder next time, even if they know your code.

Change your passcode, since a guest may have watched you type it. Reset Face ID if a second appearance could have been added, and shorten Auto-Lock. iPhone keeps no record of what someone viewed, so focus on what they could have changed, then keep the phone with you or lock it away while guests are around.

A relative on the couch, a friend’s new partner, a roommate’s visitor. People who would never touch your wallet will pick up a phone left on the counter.

Right away

Change your passcode. Go to Settings, then Face ID & Passcode, and tap Change Passcode. Apple lists Custom Alphanumeric Code and Custom Numeric Code as the most secure options.
Look under Face ID & Passcode for an alternate appearance you did not set. If in doubt, tap Reset Face ID and set it up again.
Check your sent messages, Mail and recent AirDrop saves for anything that went to an address you do not recognize.

Make the phone less useful while they stay

Shorten Auto-Lock. Settings, then Display & Brightness, then Auto-Lock.
Limit the Lock Screen. Under Allow Access When Locked in Face ID & Passcode, turn off what you do not want visible, such as widgets and Today View. Apple says this stops someone holding the phone from reading personal information there, and you lose the quick access too.
Keep Require Attention on. Apple says Face ID then unlocks only when your eyes are open and looking at the screen, which protects you while you sleep.
Enter your code out of sight. Guests usually learn a passcode from a glance over your shoulder.

Say something, or not

If it was a child or a nosy aunt, a calm word usually ends it. If it is someone you will keep seeing, tell them you noticed. If you feel threatened by what they found or might do with it, take that seriously, keep any messages and talk to someone you trust.

Keep private things apart

The Hidden album protects you only until someone gets your passcode. Backroom asks for its own pattern, and it locks as soon as the app goes to the background. A guest who gets past your Lock Screen still reaches only a pattern screen.

Frequently asked questions

Can I see if someone used my phone while I was asleep?

Only indirectly. Screen Time shows app usage by time of day if it was on, and an app left open or a photo left on screen can give it away. None of this proves who did it.

Could they have taken my photos?

They could have sent pictures to themselves through Messages, Mail or AirDrop. Check your sent messages and email, though someone careful may have deleted the evidence.