If you’ve recently bought one of the best Android phons, or want to check your current device is protected as best it can be, you need to have Android’s anti-theft features enabled.
Google recently introduced a trio of anti-theft upgrades to its mobile operating system for handsets running Android 16 and newer, allowing you to better secure your device and the information on it.
I’ve used the Google Pixel 10 Pro, OnePlus 15, Samsung Galaxy A37 and Oppo Find N6 to put this article together, and to ensure the features are available across different brands.
1. Set up a pin, pattern or password
When you set up a new Android phone, you’ll be prompted to enter a lock screen pin, pattern, or password, and often there will be a biometric complement to go with it, either a fingerprint or face scan. This is your first line of defence for keeping thieves out.
Without that security, anyone can just pick up your phone and gain access. If someone steals your phone, they’ll be able to factory reset it, or worse, access all your sensitive apps, while you are powerless to stop them.
If you didn’t set up a pin, pattern or password during setup, you can do so by going to the Settings app and then Security and privacy > Device unlock.
1a. Set up biometric security (Optional)
If your Android device also offers biometric security, there will be an option to set this up as well, but you’ll need to have a pin, pattern, or password already set up. Make sure it’s something you can remember, because if you forget it, you’ll be locked out of your phone. Just follow the on-screen prompts during the setup process.
When you restart your phone, or power it off, upon restart you’ll have to enter your pin, pattern or password — biometric unlock only becomes available after a restart once you’ve entered the former security requirement.
This is just the start, though, as Android has deeper anti-theft features for you to explore
2. Set up Identity Check
There’s a dedicated Theft protection section in the Settings app, which you can access by going to Settings > Security and privacy > Device unlock > Theft protection. Samsung owners will need to look under ‘Lost device protection’ on the ‘Security and privacy’ page to find this setting.
From here, tap Identity Check and toggle on the setting. Going back to the previous screen allows you to set up different identity checks to help protect your data in the event your phone is stolen.
This includes signing into your Google account, adding a screen lock and biometrics, and setting trusted places (such as home or work) which will force biometric checks when your device is being used outside of these locations.
3. Enable auto-lock protections
Also part of Android’s anti-theft settings are auto-lock protections, which can automatically lock your phone in certain scenarios. It’s worth enabling the Theft Detection Lock setting, as this will automatically lock your phone if it detects someone has snatched it from your hand and run away.
Offline Device Lock will lock your phone if it loses a web connection — thieves will look to take a stolen device offline in an attempt to prevent tracking, and having this enabled will lock them out of your Android phone.
And if someone has gained access to your phone, having ‘Failed authentication lock’ enabled will see the device lock if repeated incorrect authentication attempts are made in apps (such as banking) or settings (such as trying to disable the screen lock).
On some Android phones, such as on OnePlus and Oppo handsets, there’s an additional SIM lock setting that locks the phone if it detects the SIM card has been removed.
4. Explore Google’s Find Hub
If it’s not already installed on your device, head to the Play Store and download Google’s Find Hub. The app works in a similar way to Apple’s ‘Find My’ service, allowing you to keep track of your devices and perform remote actions if required. That works across all Android devices, including tablets, earbuds, wearables and more.
Once set up on your Android phone, you can access Find Hub from an internet browser or via the app on another phone that’s signed into your Google account. If you’ve misplaced your phone at home, you can use Find Hub to force it to play a sound, so you can dig it out of a sofa cushion.
If you’ve genuinely lost your phone, you can mark it as lost via Find Hub, which locks the device, signs you out of your Google account and removes payment cards from Google Wallet. You’ll also receive a notification if the phone is located in the Find Hub network, so you can see where it is.
And if your phone has disappeared altogether, you can also tap the gear icon and trigger a remote factory reset of the device from Find Hub, which can wipe the entire contents of the phone when it’s online.
While these settings won’t prevent your Android phone from being stolen, they do provide greater peace of mind if the worst were to happen.
I’d recommend checking all of these settings every time you get a new phone, to ensure they’re enabled and the handset is connected to the Find Hub network, which makes it easier to lock down and track a stolen phone.
If you want to add further protection, check out these five essential security steps to take when setting up your new phone.
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