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Magnet Forensics says its GrayKey Preserve device and Evidence Preservation Mode can keep an iPhone from entering the state triggered by Apple’s 72-hour inactivity reboot. The claim comes from a video obtained by 404 Media; the supplied report does not independently establish how the tools work or which devices they affect.
Magnet Forensics, the maker of the GrayKey phone-access system, says it has developed tools intended to keep seized iPhones in a state that makes data access easier for law enforcement, despite Apple’s 72-hour inactivity reboot. A video obtained by 404 Media describes a new device called GrayKey Preserve and a feature called Evidence Preservation Mode for existing GrayKey devices, though the report does not independently verify their effectiveness.
Apple introduced the inactivity reboot feature in iOS in 2024, according to 404 Media’s earlier reporting. If an iPhone remains locked and has not been unlocked for 72 hours, it automatically restarts. The reboot moves the phone into a state that can make forensic access more difficult, the report said.
In the video obtained by 404 Media, Magnet describes GrayKey Preserve and Evidence Preservation Mode as ways to address that obstacle. GrayKey is a tool sold to law enforcement that is used to unlock and access data on iPhones and Android phones. The source material does not provide technical details about how the new device or mode works, or establish that it can bypass the reboot on every iPhone.
The feature is relevant to investigations in which officers cannot attempt access immediately after seizing a phone. 404 Media reported that law enforcement agencies have cited delays such as waiting for court authorization or having a backlog of devices. The available account does not specify the tool’s release date, pricing, or which agencies have obtained it.
How the Tool Could Affect Seized Phones
Apple’s reboot creates a time limit for investigators who want to preserve a phone in a state considered more favorable for forensic access. A device designed to prevent that change could give police more time to seek authorization or work through a queue of seized phones. The practical consequence would depend on whether Magnet’s claims hold up across different devices and software versions.
The development also illustrates the continuing tension between device security and law enforcement access. Apple introduced the reboot to make a locked phone harder to examine after it has remained inactive; a commercial tool aimed at preserving access would counter that protection in at least some circumstances. The report does not establish how widely the capability will be deployed or what limits apply to its use.
Because GrayKey is marketed to law enforcement, the consequences extend beyond a single investigation. Any tool that can preserve access to a seized phone may affect the privacy of people whose devices are collected, including people who are not charged with a crime. The supplied report does not describe the legal safeguards, oversight arrangements, or geographic availability associated with GrayKey Preserve.
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Apple’s 72-Hour Inactivity Reboot
404 Media reported in November 2024 that Apple had quietly added an automatic reboot to iOS. Under the feature as described in that report, a phone that has not been unlocked for 72 hours restarts. Apple’s stated purpose was not included in the supplied material; the report described the security effect as moving the device into a state that is harder for forensic tools to access.
Police agencies raised concerns about the change, according to 404 Media, because seized phones may sit untouched while investigators obtain court authorization or wait for available forensic capacity. Magnet Forensics, the company behind GrayKey, has now presented tools aimed at that timing problem. The current report describes the company’s claims rather than a publicly documented independent test.
“The company describes a device called GrayKey Preserve and an Evidence Preservation Mode for regular GrayKey devices.”
— Magnet Forensics, in a video obtained by 404 Media
Evidence Preservation Mode for iPhone
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Effectiveness and Availability Remain Unverified
The supplied report does not explain the technical method behind GrayKey Preserve or Evidence Preservation Mode. It also does not provide independent test results confirming that either can prevent an iPhone’s inactivity reboot, identify supported iPhone models or iOS versions, or state whether the feature is already available to customers.
It is also unclear how the tools would operate in practice, what safeguards or legal requirements govern their use, and whether Apple could respond with software changes. The report’s description is based on a video obtained by 404 Media; the material provided here contains no response from Apple and no statement from Magnet beyond the product description in that video.
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Questions for Magnet and Apple
The next useful information would include Magnet’s technical explanation, supported-device list, launch timeline, and evidence from independent testing. Those details would help establish whether the products can reliably preserve an iPhone’s state and how broadly the capability applies.
Further reporting may also clarify whether Apple has commented or plans changes to iOS, and whether law enforcement agencies have begun using the tools. Until those details are available, the confirmed development is that Magnet has described products intended to address the 72-hour reboot—not that the capability has been independently shown to work in every case.
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Key Questions
What is Apple’s iPhone inactivity reboot?
According to 404 Media’s reporting, an iPhone that has not been unlocked for 72 hours automatically restarts. The reboot puts the phone into a state that the report says is harder for forensic tools to access.
What has Magnet Forensics announced?
A video obtained by 404 Media describes GrayKey Preserve, a new device, and Evidence Preservation Mode, a feature for regular GrayKey devices. Magnet presents them as ways to preserve access to seized phones around the inactivity reboot.
Has the bypass been independently confirmed?
No independent verification is included in the supplied report. The account is based on a video describing Magnet’s products, and technical details and test results are not provided.
Why might investigators want to stop the reboot?
Police may not be ready to examine a seized phone immediately. 404 Media reported that investigators can be waiting for court authorization or dealing with a backlog, while the reboot is triggered after 72 hours without an unlock.
Which phones and iOS versions are supported?
The supplied material does not identify supported iPhone models or software versions, nor does it state whether GrayKey Preserve or Evidence Preservation Mode is currently available to law enforcement customers.
Source: hn
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