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We keep a lot of sensitive information on our phones – from conversations with loved ones to apps that display our entire bank account history – so it is understandable that there are many worries when your phone is stolen.
Of course, these devices have long been protected against suspicious sniffing (including authentication on the lock screen), but new barriers for theft detection have now been added to Android.
As the name suggests, these theft detection functions have been designed to automatically find out that your phone has been stolen, and then do something about it. Most are now available on Android 10 or higher, but you need Android 15 or higher to be able to use them all.
Telephone security with triple locking
There are three types of ditches under the theft protection paraplu on Android, all built into telephones with Android 10 or higher. The first is Theft Detection Lock, of which Google says it uses AI to detect when your phone is included, and then automatically lock your phone, so that it is not accessible without a face, fingerprint, pin code or pattern (anywhere you have). chosen to secure your locking screen).
How does it detect when your phone is stolen? Google gives no details, but mentions ‘Ordinary action associated with theft’, and then thieves who usually try to ‘run away, cycle or drive away’. It sounds like the AI pay attention for sudden commotion and then for your phone that moves at high speed. If the algorithm makes a mistake, you can of course easily unlock your phone.
Secondly, we have offline device lock. This is another automatic locking protocol, and this comes into effect when your handset has been offline for a longer period of time: often thieves try to disconnect a phone from the electricity grid to prevent you from knowing or locking it, and this protects against that . Google says it can also be activated if too many failed authentication attempts are made.
Third and finally there is Remote Lock, which works as part of the Find My Device service. You can lock your device for a long time via the internet if it loses or is stolen, but Remote Lock works even if your phone cannot be detected on the card: you only have to enter your telephone number and answer a security question. The handset then locks itself to prevent further access.
Improvements behind the scenes
There are now some extra theft protection functions in Android that are slightly less striking, and these are part of Android 15 (and higher). To begin with, more of the most important security functions on Android authentication (with a fingerprint, face, pin code or pattern) require: an example of this is to disconnect a phone from the Find My Device network, something that thieves will often try to do.
Moreover, you need biometric authentication if you try to perform certain important tasks outside of familiar locations, such as changing your pin code, gaining access to the theft detection functions that we are talking about here, or gaining the access codes of your account. And the pin code of the phone is not enough. This protects against a thief who watches how to enter your pin code, steal your handset from you and then use the PIN code to make changes to the settings.
Then there is a change in the factory reset process. This is now only possible for a user who can log in to the Google account that is linked to the phone, for example with a password and an authenticator app. That means that everyone who knew it and tries to reset it cannot, making it more difficult to sell it and stealing it becomes less attractive.
There is also a new function called Private Spaces, with which you can lock certain apps behind a second pin code, other than the one who is used to unlock your phone, so that you can, for example, place apps that have to do with banking and health. Choose to get started with private spaces Security and privacy Than Private space From institutions.
How you get access to the functions for theft detection
The descriptions show that most of these theft detection functions work automatically, and that some of them are automatically switched on when Android is updated. You do need to switch on the three specific locks. Choose from Settings in Android Security and Privacy> Unlock Device> Theft protection.
Switch on the list at the top Theft detection lock and tap Switch on On the mounting screen (which explains how the function works). Just below is the Offline device lock tumbler switch, and again you can read how it works before tapping it Switch on To confirm and activate your choice.
Select LockingAnd you get a special screen for this function: switch on Use external locking To turn it on. You may be asked to verify your telephone number (this is necessary to lock your handset remotely in the future) and you will also receive instructions about what you should do if your phone is taken away. You can also lock other remote devices from this screen.
Also remarkable on the Protection against theft screen Identity controlsome of the other changes mentioned above are applied, including biometric authentication for changes to key institutions. You will be asked to confirm your identity and to specify trusted places, such as your home and office. The additional protections are switched on outside of these places.
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