Why US airport security may ask you to turn on your phone

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at US airport checkpoints can ask passengers to turn on their smartphones. This is not a new practice: the requirement has been in place since 2014 and applies to travelers arriving from overseas. If a device has no power and will not turn on, the traveler may face additional screening.

Why it is required

The reasoning is safety. Phones can be used as detonators, jamming devices or to hold bomb components. Powering one on shows it is a genuine, working phone and has not been altered for another purpose. If it turns on, that is normally all the TSA officer needs, and the passenger can proceed. Larger electronics, such as laptops and tablets, already have to go into a separate bin for scanning.

Border agents play by different rules

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has separate powers. It can ask international travelers to hand over phones for review under the so-called border search exception. The Fourth Circuit appeals court has ruled that manual searches are routine and reasonable under the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures without a warrant.

CBP may hold a phone for a "brief, reasonable time" for a routine inspection. Without a warrant or reasonable suspicion, it is limited to a basic check of items such as text messages and app activity. With reasonable suspicion, a thorough inspection is possible, which involves copying the contents to another device.

A proposal from late 2025 would also let CBP request five years of social media history from travelers arriving from certain regions. It remains a proposal and is not law.

What travelers should do

Engadget advises making sure a phone is charged before traveling. If asked, power it on or light up and unlock the screen to show it works. Most travelers will never be asked.