GoKawiil
Tech News
The TSA can ask passengers, particularly those arriving from international flights, to turn on their phones and other electronics at security checkpoints to prove the devices actually function. The policy dates back to 2014 and applies to laptops, tablets and phones that already must be placed in separate bins for X-ray screening. Devices that fail to power on can trigger additional screening.
TSA regulations require that devices with lithium-ion batteries, including handhelds like the Switch 2 or Steam Deck and most game controllers, be packed in carry-on luggage rather than checked bags due to fire risk from thermal runaway. Home consoles such as the PlayStation 5 are permitted in checked luggage, though TSA data shows about 63.5 percent of consumer claims filed between 2002 and 2025 involved lost property. Whether devices must be removed from bags at security checkpoints varies by airport, depending on whether CT or older X-ray scanners are in use.
Despite warnings from the TSA, FBI and FCC about plugging phones into public USB charging ports, security researchers note there are no confirmed real-world cases of such 'juice-jacking' attacks. The FCC had issued and later withdrew its own warning after experts challenged how serious the risk actually is, and a 2019 Los Angeles County DA warning was similarly unsupported by actual cases.
TSA guidance highlights that portable power banks and devices with built-in batteries, such as laptops, cameras and smartwatches, must travel in carry-on luggage rather than checked bags. The limit for lithium-ion batteries is 100 watt-hours, calculated via mAh times voltage divided by 1,000, though batteries up to 160Wh may fly with airline approval and a two-item cap. Non-rechargeable lithium metal batteries, like AA cells, are allowed up to 2 grams of lithium content per battery.
Lithium-ion batteries can suffer thermal runaway, an uncontrolled overheating reaction that can cause smoke, fire or shrapnel, and the FAA has logged over 700 such incidents since 2006, nearly 40% involving portable chargers. The TSA requires devices with lithium metal or lithium-ion batteries to be carried in cabin baggage rather than checked, and several airlines and regulators have added their own stricter rules on power banks specifically.
A travel tip piece recommends against placing phones directly into TSA security bins, citing concerns that the bins are rarely cleaned despite heavy daily use by travelers. Instead, it suggests tucking phones into carry-on bags or jacket pockets placed in bins, and applying the same approach to wallets and keys, followed by hand sanitizing after security.
Throughout 2026, Google added several new features to Google Wallet beyond payment cards, including a full interface redesign. New additions include package order tracking (requiring Gmail tracking to be enabled) and a June partnership with the TSA making Wallet the first digital wallet compatible with PreCheck Touchless ID at 65 US airports. Android Authority has reported the app may also come to iOS soon.
The Transportation Security Administration has launched a program allowing certain people without boarding passes to clear security checkpoints so they can accompany or meet passengers at the departure gate. This practice was common before the September 11, 2001 attacks but was eliminated afterward as airport security tightened nationwide. The new initiative marks a limited return of that pre-9/11 gate access for specific individuals.
Users running the iOS 27 beta have reported that Apple's Digital ID passport feature in the Wallet app suddenly disappears, disrupting airport check-in plans. The issue appears to be a software bug limited to the beta build, and affected users can fix it by re-adding their passport to the Wallet app.
Apple has activated Apple Wallet driver's license support for Oklahoma residents, letting them add their ID to iPhone and Apple Watch by scanning both sides of the physical license and verifying their identity. The rollout follows Virginia's launch just a week earlier and brings the total number of participating states to 16.
Apple and the state of Virginia have launched digital driver's license support in Apple Wallet, letting residents add their license to iPhone and Apple Watch. Users can add it by scanning both sides of their physical license and completing an identity verification process in the Wallet app. Virginia joins 14 other states already offering the feature since Apple first introduced it in 2021.