iOS 10 lock screen makes it easy for anyone to read text messages – how to stop them

It’s never been easier for people to send messages on your behalf

The jet black iPhone 7 on a stand at Apple's launch event (Reuters)

Apple’s iOS 10 might be the most helpful update it’s ever put out. But it’s also good at helping people who want to wind you up.

The new update makes it easier than ever to discuss things, opening up notifications so that they are actually little versions of the app. And that’s mostly useful – it means that you don’t ever have to open the Messages app to reply, for instance, but can instead do everything from the lock screen notification.

But that’s also dangerous, if you’re around the wrong people. Those notifications can be accessed by anyone – since they come up on the lock screen, there’s no authentication needed to start sending messages to people in replies.

Apple has offered interactive notifications for years, allowing people to reply to messages just from the pop-up. But this year those notifications have got far deeper – the Messages app can bring up a whole conversation, for instance, rather than just letting you send off one message.

That means that it’s easier than ever to use it as a way of winding up friends or sending malicious messages. But there’s a way of turning it off.

To do so, just head to the TouchID settings and scroll down to the setting for what to show while the phone is locked (or search at the top of the Settings app for “Messages”). Untick the option to show messages when the phone is locked.

This will make the notifications far less useful. But you might want to do it if you’re worried about someone commandeering your screen.

The new widget screen, found by swiping to the left, can also be a way of someone getting hold of information about you. Most of the private information is kept hidden until the phone is unlocked using a fingerprint – but some information can be visible.

If you’ve got the Calendar widget in that view, for instance, people will be able to see your next appointment. And the Phone widget will show your favourite contacts and allow people to call them.

In most cases, those things aren’t likely to be a problem, since Apple has been careful to keep everything important hidden. But if you’re particularly worried, then it’s worth having a look at every widget in the unlocked view and removing any that you’re worried about.

And if you’re really worried then you can turn off the entire Today view when the phone is unlocked, that’s done from the same Settings screen.

And on that same page you can find the option to turn off other things like Siri, which can also be used to send messages without your permission, or Home Control, which might allow people to control your house. Again, those things might mostly be useful – but if you’re especially worried or at risk of people trying to mess with your phone, it might be worth turning them off.