Android users now have a new tool to protect their devices with the Android Theft Protection feature. This security enhancement offers a suite of methods aimed at safeguarding your mobile and personal data if your device is stolen.
It’s a security feature that you can activate in your mobile settings, although it’s a little hidden. The core functionality of this feature lies in its ability to protect your phone the moment it’s snatched. Let’s say you’re phone is stolen, you can make several things happen. For example, the phone can be locked instantly so that whoever stole it can’t access your data.
Even if the thief attempts to disable remote tracking by enabling airplane mode, the phone can still automatically lock. To regain access after such a lock, users will need to enter a PIN or use their fingerprint. It’s not that the PIN is infallible, but this can make things very difficult for thieves, especially because then you can remotely erase the data.
The anti-theft protection is essentially a set of individual protections that you can enable, giving you control over the level and manner of security you want. These protections are available for devices running Android 10 and later.
The available options for the Android Theft Protection include:
- Identity Verification: Requires identity verification via biometrics or security credentials to make changes affecting device security.
- Anti-Theft Lock: Uses the phone’s sensors to detect theft, locking the screen when it senses someone running away with the device.
- Offline Device Lock: Automatically locks the screen if the phone loses internet connectivity, securing the data.
- Remote Lock: Enables users to lock their phone’s screen remotely using their phone number via android.com/lock.
- Find and Erase Device Data: Allows users to locate their device or remotely erase data and reset the phone through the “Encontrar mi dispositivo” (Find My Device) feature.
To activate Android Theft Protection, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap on Google Services, which may appear as Google or Google Serrvice Preferences on some devices.
- In the Google Services menu, select All Services.
- Scroll down to Personal and device security and tap on Theft Protection.
- On this screen, activate the desired protection options, configuring specific settings where necessary.
In the end, it’s about several types of protections that you can activate individually. This way, you decide to what extent you want to protect it and in what way you want to do it.
