How can I improve my iPhone security?

Yes it’s possible

I never said that it wasn't.

If your phone really was hacked......then you are making a huge mistake by not contacting forensic experts. We can't help you here, so no point in continuing this discussion.

Good luck

The FBI has a really hard time trying to hack a phone. I really doubt that your phone was hacked, but one or more of your accounts may have been compromised.

A new phone won't help in that case.

If your phone really was hacked, then this support site cannot begin to help you. You need help from professional forensics experts.

Bholid wrote:

I merely asked for anyone’s input on how one can be safer in iPhone. What settings they use or security.

Yes good, we are on same page. It is certainly possible. Unfortunately.

Safer? Not happening. It’s fundamentally not possible for forum posters to help someone such as yourself to be safer, having drawn the interest of and having been targeted by an immensely well-funded adversary, with multiple millions of dollars of exploit tooling.

You really need direct forensics assistance, and detailed discussions of and reviews of your risks and exposures, and how much damage has already been done to your security.

You may well be best served by getting rid of this gear too, because no one here can guarantee your gear is not compromised by exploits with persistence. That’s unlikely, but you’ve already told us you’re an immensely valuable target.

I mean, maybe you’re misunderstanding or misrepresenting what has happened here, or maybe something else completely different is happening. But you’re telling us that’s clearly not the case, so your efforts to secure yourself against your immensely well-funded adversary means explicit and detailed and direct security support.

Related: About Apple threat notifications and protecting against mercenary spyware - Apple Support

One more reference for your consideration:

Use the built-in privacy and security protections of iPhone - Apple Support (IS)

Enable 2FA on you Apple Account if it's not already there.

Run a safety check:

Safety Check for an iPhone with iOS 16 or later - Apple Support

If you are convinced your are the victim of state-level hacking, consider Lockdown Mode:

About Lockdown Mode - Apple Support

Note that this will significantly restrict features on your phone.

Apple hardware is incredibly difficult to hack. Especially iPhones and iPads. But, getting a new phone won't kick anyone out of your account.

The weak link is always the user. Poor passwords being the number one reason accounts get hacked.

Someone knows, or guessed both your Apple ID and password. Once in your account, they can see everything you've synced to iCloud as if they were you.

Tap on Settings, then your user account name at the top. Scroll to the bottom. Do you see any devices listed that don't belong to you?

but it did in fact get hacked

It didn't. You just explained what I said next:

that’s very creepy seeing other unknown devices in accounts

So, as I said, someone else (or multiple people) have access to your account. Not the phone itself.

Directly accessing an iOS device requires state level created tools. They cost a bare minimum of $100,000 to attempt access of ONE phone. Unless you have information that is only on your phone, and is worth that much money to attempt access, you are not a target.

And your last two posts are utter nonsense. I don't know who you're talking to, but stop it.

The vast majority of these people “think” they are hacked but this isn’t so.

2A?