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Magnet Forensics, maker of the GrayKey phone-access tool, says it has developed a device and software feature intended to keep seized iPhones from automatically rebooting after 72 hours without an unlock. The capability is described in a video obtained by 404 Media; its technical operation, availability and effectiveness have not been independently established in the supplied reporting.
Magnet Forensics, the company behind the GrayKey phone-access system, says it has developed tools intended to keep seized iPhones from entering Apple’s automatic reboot state after 72 hours without an unlock. A video obtained by 404 Media describes a standalone device called GrayKey Preserve and an Evidence Preservation Mode for regular GrayKey units, though the report does not independently verify how they work or how widely they are available.
Apple’s inactivity reboot is designed to restart an iPhone that has not been unlocked for 72 hours. According to 404 Media’s account, the restart returns the device to a state that can make it harder for forensic tools to access and extract data. The feature matters when police cannot begin an attempt to access a seized phone immediately, including while waiting for court authorization or because of an investigative backlog.
In the video obtained by 404 Media, Magnet describes GrayKey Preserve as a new device and Evidence Preservation Mode as a feature for its existing GrayKey units. The reported purpose is to preserve the iPhone in a condition more useful to investigators and prevent the automatic inactivity reboot from interrupting the process. The supplied report does not explain the products’ technical method, and it does not establish that they can unlock every device or retrieve all of its contents.
GrayKey is a tool sold to law enforcement agencies for accessing data on iPhones and Android phones. The claims about the new preservation capability come from the company presentation described by 404 Media. The report identifies no independent testing, Apple response or court finding concerning this specific technology.
Why the 72-Hour Window Matters
Apple’s reboot feature addresses a practical vulnerability in the timing of phone seizures: investigators may have custody of a device but not be ready or legally permitted to examine it before the 72-hour period expires. A tool that can preserve a phone before that point could give investigators more time to pursue access, according to the product description reported by 404 Media.
For phone owners, the development highlights the ongoing contest between device security features and commercial forensic tools used by police. The reported capability does not by itself show that GrayKey can defeat an iPhone’s passcode or encryption. But if the preservation claims work as described, the reboot safeguard may offer less protection against forensic access when investigators can use compatible equipment in time. The practical effect depends on details the report does not confirm, including device compatibility and the conditions required for preservation.
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Apple’s Inactivity Reboot
In November 2024, 404 Media reported that Apple had quietly added an automatic reboot for iPhones that had not been unlocked for 72 hours. The feature was intended to make forensic access more difficult by restarting the phone into a state that, according to the report, complicates data extraction.
Law enforcement agents raised concerns about the change because seized phones are not always examined immediately. Investigators may need to wait for a court authorization or work through a queue of devices. Magnet’s newly described preservation products address that delay, rather than representing a reported change to Apple’s software. The source material does not say whether Apple has altered the feature since its introduction.
“The company presented GrayKey Preserve and Evidence Preservation Mode as tools for preserving iPhones against the inactivity reboot.”
— Magnet Forensics, as described in a video obtained by 404 Media
iPhone forensic data preservation device
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What the Product Claims Establish
The account relies on a video obtained by 404 Media and does not describe independent testing. It remains unclear how GrayKey Preserve or Evidence Preservation Mode operates, which iPhone models and software versions they support, whether the products are available to customers, and how long they can maintain a phone’s state.
The supplied material also does not establish that preservation guarantees access to a locked phone or that it bypasses passcodes or encryption. It does not include a response from Apple or details about safeguards, legal oversight, or restrictions on the tools’ use. Those questions matter to understanding both the capability and its consequences.
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Availability and Testing to Watch
The next useful information would be a fuller technical explanation from Magnet Forensics, confirmation of product availability, and independent testing across supported iPhone models and software versions. Any further reporting would also need to clarify whether the tools prevent the reboot outright or preserve a device through another process, and what investigators must do before the 72-hour deadline.
Apple’s response, if any, and additional details about the capability’s use by law enforcement could help establish its real-world reach. Until such evidence is available, the development is best understood as a company-described attempt to address Apple’s inactivity reboot, not proof that all locked iPhones can be accessed.
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Key Questions
What is Apple’s iPhone inactivity reboot?
As reported by 404 Media in November 2024, an iPhone that has not been unlocked for 72 hours automatically reboots. The feature is intended to put the phone into a state that is harder for forensic tools to access.
What does Magnet Forensics say it has developed?
A video obtained by 404 Media describes GrayKey Preserve, a separate device, and Evidence Preservation Mode for regular GrayKey units. The company presents them as tools to preserve phones against the inactivity reboot.
Does the report show that GrayKey can unlock every iPhone?
No. The report describes a preservation claim, not proof that the tool can unlock every model or defeat every passcode or encryption protection. Independent testing details were not provided in the source material.
Why would investigators need to preserve a phone?
Police may not be ready to examine a seized device within 72 hours. According to 404 Media, possible delays include waiting for court authorization and working through a backlog of devices.
What is still unknown about the new tools?
Their technical operation, supported devices, availability, effectiveness and effect on data access remain unclear. The supplied report also does not include an Apple response or independent evaluation.
Source: hn
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