TSA Implementing New Screening Procedures for All Electronics 'Larger Than a Cell Phone'

The United States Transportation Security Administration today announced stronger screening procedures for carry-on electronics, and will require all devices larger than a cell phone to be placed in bins for X-ray screening when going through standard screening lanes.

The TSA already requires laptops to be removed from carry-on bags and placed in a separate bin with nothing above or below, and it appears this will now expand to devices like iPads and portable gaming consoles.

tsascreeningline
According to the TSA, extensive testing and successful pilot programs have been going on at 10 airports, which has led the administration to expand the measure to all U.S. airports "during the weeks and months ahead."

"Whether you're flying to, from, or within the United States, TSA is committed to raising the baseline for aviation security by strengthening the overall security of our commercial aviation network to keep flying as a safe option for everyone," said TSA Acting Administrator Huban A. Gowadia.

"It is critical for TSA to constantly enhance and adjust security screening procedures to stay ahead of evolving threats and keep passengers safe. By separating personal electronic items such as laptops, tablets, e-readers and handheld game consoles for screening, TSA officers can more closely focus on resolving alarms and stopping terror threats," said Gowadia.

The TSA has found ways to "improve screening measures" by using "quicker and more targeted measures to clear the bags," but requiring more bins is bound to slow down screening procedures.

The new rules are already in place in the following airports: Boise (BOI), Colorado Springs (COS), Detroit Metropolitan (DTW), Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL), Logan International (BOS), Los Angeles International (LAX), Lubbock Preston Smith International (LBB), Luis Muñoz Marín International (SJU), McCarran International (LAS) and Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX).

There's one way to get around the rules -- a TSA Pre membership. Customers who are enrolled in TSA Pre and using TSA Pre lanes will not need to remove their laptops or other electronic devices.

Tag: TSA

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro and Air Feature

Two iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air Colors Appear to Scratch More Easily

Friday September 19, 2025 10:02 am PDT by
As reported by Bloomberg today, some of the new iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air models on display at Apple Stores today are already scratched and scuffed. French blog Consomac also reported on this topic. The scratches appear to be most prominent on models with darker finishes, including the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max in Deep Blue, and the iPhone Air in Space Black. Images Credit: Consoma ...
iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.1 Beta 1

Monday September 22, 2025 12:44 pm PDT by
Apple released the first beta of iOS 26.1 today, just a week after launching iOS 26. iOS 26.1 mainly adds new languages to Apple Intelligence, but there are a few other features that are worth knowing about. New Apple Intelligence Languages Apple Intelligence is now available in Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. AirPo...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone Like 'Two Titanium iPhone Airs' Joined at the Hinge

Monday September 22, 2025 2:16 am PDT by
Next year's rumored foldable iPhone will showcase an ultra-thin design resembling "two titanium iPhone Airs side-by-side," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in the Q&A section of his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says Apple's first foldable device will be "super thin and a design achievement," combining Apple's thinnest iPhone form factor with cutting-edge folding...
Apple Intelligence General Feature 2

iOS 26.1 Adds New Apple Intelligence Languages and Expands AirPods Live Translation

Monday September 22, 2025 11:15 am PDT by
With iOS 26.1, Apple Intelligence is gaining support for additional languages, including Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. Apple announced plans to expand the languages that can be used with Apple Intelligence last year, and now the added language support is here. Apple Intelligence is now available in the following...
iPhone 17 Pro and Air N1 Feature

Some iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone Air Users Experiencing Intermittent Wi-Fi Issue

Monday September 22, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple's latest iPhone models launched on Friday, and some early adopters of the devices are experiencing intermittent Wi-Fi issues. Affected customers say Wi-Fi connectivity periodically cuts out on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air, with hundreds of comments about the issue posted across the MacRumors Forums, Reddit, and the Apple Support Community over the...
iOS 26

iOS 26.0.1 Coming Soon, Likely With iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Fix

Thursday September 18, 2025 9:17 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. The update will have a build number of 23A350, or similar, the account said. It is likely that iOS 26.0.1 will fix a camera-related bug on the new iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models. In his iPhone Air review, CNN Underscored's Henry T. ...

Top Rated Comments

miniyou64 Avatar
107 months ago
Illusion of safety. Illusion of freedom. Take your pick, government doesn't care about safety and really doesn't protect against anything.
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
826317 Avatar
107 months ago
Why is TSA still a thing? Weren't they proven to be useless at catching weapons etc.? like 95% of weapons were never detected during a study carried out some time ago. Why the hell are they adding extra screening procedures when there hasn't been any attacks carried out by terrorists **** knows how long.
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CarlJ Avatar
107 months ago
Because it's a government jobs program.
Security Theater.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
639051 Avatar
107 months ago
This whole pre check thing just seems like a "we had to find a way to make extra cash". What is to prevent you from becoming an extremist after the fact? Perhaps it's just my ignorance of the process, but it simply seems like a way to generate money without any real security effort.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JohnApples Avatar
107 months ago
Seeing as how my girlfriend forgot her pocket knife in her purse and was able to board 3 out of our 4 flights without being pulled aside, I already do not trust the TSA to "protect" me. All these "safety measures" seemingly just make my experience flying more inconvenient.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
winston1236 Avatar
107 months ago
Why is TSA still a thing? Weren't they proven to be useless at catching weapons etc.? like 95% of weapons were never detected during a study carried out some time ago. Why the hell are they adding extra screening procedures when there hasn't been any attacks carried out by terrorists **** knows how long.
Because it's a government jobs program.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)