How to protect your Android device, and minimize the impact if it’s lost or stolen.

Introduction

Smartphones are personal, portable, and often contain sensitive information. Protecting your Android device against theft is essential to keep your data secure.

This tutorial covers various steps to safeguard your device, how to track it if lost or stolen, and how to control it remotely to lock it down or erase sensitive data.

Let’s begin;

1. Setting Up Screen Lock and Strong Authentication

The first line of defence against theft is securing access to your device. Here’s how to set up a secure screen lock:

Go to Settings > Security > Screen lock.
Choose a lock type, such as Pattern, PIN, or Password.
Set a secure Pattern, PIN, or Password (make sure it’s hard to guess, but do NOT write it down!).
Optionally, enable Fingerprint or Face recognition if your device supports it for added security.

Tip: Use a combination of a screen lock and biometric authentication (fingerprint/face recognition) to increase security, if you have the option.

2. Enable Find My Device

Android has a built-in feature called Find My Device that helps you track and control your device remotely if it’s lost or stolen.

Steps to Enable Find My Device:

Go to Settings > Google > Find My Device.
Toggle the switch to enable Find My Device.
Make sure Location and Internet (Wi-Fi or mobile data) are turned on, as these are required for tracking.

Once enabled, Find My Device lets you track your phone on a map, lock it remotely, and even erase data if needed.

3. Track Your Device Using Find My Device

If your device is lost or stolen, you can use the “Find My Device” feature to track, lock, or erase it. It can also display your device’s location and make it play a sound at full volume, overriding any preset volume settings, including mute

Steps to Track Your Device:

On a computer or another phone, visit find my device.
Log in with the Google account associated with the lost phone.
Your device will appear on the map. You can take the following actions:
- Play sound: This will make your device ring, even if it’s set to silent, for up to 5 minutes.
- Secure device: Lock your phone and sign out of your Google account to prevent unauthorized access.
- Erase device: Wipe all data from the device to protect your privacy (this can’t be undone).

4. Lock Your Device Remotely

If you can’t retrieve your phone immediately, it’s critical to lock it to prevent unauthorized access to your data.

Steps to Remotely Lock Your Device:

Go to Find My Device on a web browser or use the Find My Device app on another Android phone.
Click on Secure Device.
You will be prompted to enter a message or phone number to display on the lock screen. This can be helpful if someone finds your phone and wants to return it.
Your phone will be locked, and the screen will display your message. It will also sign out of your Google account to prevent unauthorized access.

Note: You can also enable the option to display a contact number on the lock screen, which can help a kind person who finds your device contact you.

5. Erase Your Device Remotely (If Necessary)

If your device is lost or stolen, and you believe you won’t be able to recover it, erasing your data remotely can prevent identity theft and keep your personal information safe.

Steps to Erase Your Device Remotely:

On Find My Device, select the option to Erase Device.
Confirm your decision. This will wipe all personal data on the device, including photos, messages, and apps.
After erasing, your device will return to its factory settings, and you won’t be able to track it anymore using Find My Device.

6. Enable Google Play Protect

Google Play Protect helps protect your device from malicious apps. It scans apps for suspicious behaviour and helps secure your device against threats.

Steps to Enable Google Play Protect:

Open the Google Play Store.
Tap on the menu (three horizontal lines) in the upper-left corner.
Go to Play Protect > Settings.
Ensure that “scan apps with Play Protect is turned on.

Tip: Regularly updating apps from trusted sources like the Google Play Store reduces the risk of installing harmful apps.

7. Keep Your Device Software Up to Date

Device security can be compromised if your system or apps aren’t updated regularly. Make sure your Android OS is always up to date for the latest security patches.

Steps to Update Your Android Device:

Go to Settings > Software update.
Tap Download and Install to update your device if a new update is available.
Turn on automatic updates for both apps and system updates to stay protected.

8. Use Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Securing your Google account with 2FA adds another layer of protection against unauthorized access.

Steps to enable 2FA on Google:

Go to Google Account > Security.
Scroll down to 2-Step Verification and click Get Started.
Follow the steps to set up 2FA with either an authentication app or SMS codes.

9. Use Anti-Theft Apps

There are several third-party apps available that provide additional features, such as taking photos of the thief if they try to unlock your phone, or sending alerts when your device is connected to a new Wi-Fi network.

Some popular apps include:

Prey Anti Theft
Cerberus
Lookout Mobile Security

These apps provide extra tools for tracking, locking, and wiping your device remotely. But make sure that you always check the quality of the product by reading reviews, and make sure that you download them from trusted sources.

In conclusion…

While no security measure is foolproof, taking the steps outlined in this tutorial will significantly improve the chances of protecting your Android device from theft and keeping your personal information safe. Always be proactive in securing your device, and use the available tools to track or lock it if necessary.

Stay vigilant and secure your Android device today to ensure peace of mind!