Our phones hold everything from family photos to banking apps. So what happens if TSA wants a closer look at yours while you’re going through security?
Airport security screenings can involve everything from bag searches to explosive-residue swabs. But when it comes to the information stored on your phone, TSA and border officials have different levels of authority. The rules become much different once travelers encounter customs officials at the U.S. border.
Here’s what to know.
Can TSA search your phone?
During routine airport security screenings, TSA agents generally do not have authority to search the contents of your phone, including messages, photos and apps, according to NJ.com.
Instead, TSA’s role is focused on screening the physical device itself for potential security threats. “TSA does not request access to passengers’ electronic devices,” a TSA spokesperson told Afar, and searching data on phones is not part of their official screening procedures.
What TSA can do with your phone
TSA can require travelers to place phones in bins for X-rays or have them swabbed for explosive residue because those screenings examine the device itself, not the information stored on it, according to the agency.
If an X-ray image raises questions, TSA officers may ask you to power on the device or open apps to demonstrate that it is a functioning phone, Avast reports, but that doesn’t mean agents are scrolling through your photos and text messages.
Border agents operate under different rules
U.S. Customs and Border Protection operates differently and may inspect electronic devices at the border. However, these types of searches are rare, affecting fewer than 0.01% of arriving international travelers in fiscal 2025, according to CBP.
As part of border inspections, CBP can search electronic devices when travelers enter the U.S. “On rare occasions, CBP officers may search a traveler’s mobile phone, computer, camera, or other electronic devices during the inspection process,” the agency states.
CBP adds that a traveler who declines to unlock a device may face additional inspection steps. According to the agency, a device could be detained or subject to other action if officers are unable to complete an inspection because of a passcode, encryption or another security feature.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Can TSA search your phone? Probably not, but there’s a catch
Reporting by Alex Perry, USA TODAY NETWORK / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Alex Perry, USA TODAY NETWORK | USA TODAY Network
