Smartphones are certainly the most stolen electronic devices ever, but when you suffer a theft Type, the risk is not only to lose an object of value but also to expose our personal data and the sensitive information saved on the device, between photos, videos, contacts and banking information.
Just to run for cover if such an event occurs, Google has conceived a series of features capable of allowing smartphones equipped with Android To protect themselves autonomously: thanks to them the device “understands” that they have been removed and armored its content. The protection made available by the OS, introduced in October 2024 as an update of the Google Play Services, is a suite of safety options based on artificial intelligence that is divided into three main features, or “Block for theft”, “Remote block” and “Offline device block”, to which the additional protection “verification of identity” is added.
First of all, let’s start by saying that the system is available to Google users only on devices equipped at least of Android 10, however certain functions are accessible exclusively starting from version 15 onwards, but not on Android Go devices, tablet and wearable: to activate the three features, a fundamental thing, it is necessary that a block screen is set on the device. The activation of theft protection can be reached via the Settings path – Google – All services – Protection from theft.
Block for theft
This first function uses artificial intelligence, movement sensors, wi-fi and cell bluetooth to detect if someone unexpectedly takes the electronic device and run: Once the alarm has been detected, the screen is blocked, and therefore access to our sensitive data.
As explained by Google, the function is not active when the phone screen is blocked, and, with the aim of limiting excessive interruptions during normal use, it may not be activated in the presence of a stable Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection or if repeated blocks have occurred in a short period of time.
To activate the option, you must simply follow the Settings path – Google – All services – Protection from theft and then click on “Activate Block for theft”: if it were not available, this means that the device does not support this functionality.
Remote lock
This option allows you to block the mobile phone remote simply using the verified phone numberbut in order to exploit it, some fundamental requirements must be met:
- a screen lock;
- an active SIM card;
- a device with a verified phone number;
- the “find my device” activated service;
- The online device.
If the smartphone is offlinewhen a lock screen request is sent via “remote block”, the screen stops only from the moment it returns to be online. Once the screen is blocked, for a maximum of twice in 24 hours, the function can be deactivated locally only with your screen lock.
The function can be activated through the settings path – Google – All services – Protection from theft and remote blockage. To complete the activation, an verified phone number is obviously necessary: just click on verification number and activate automatically check the telephone numbers. In the event that the device is lost or a theft is suspected, you must visit the Android.com/lock site, enter the verified phone number, complete the Recapetcha verification on the screen and request the blocking of the device. In doing so, the device screen will block a few moments later.
Offline device block
This option automatically blocks the smartphone screen if a thief tries to disconnect it from the Internet for a prolonged period, which prevents anyone from accessing data when you are offline. Besides this, Android is able to identify other signs of a possible theft, such as too many attempts to unlock failed, and consequently arrest access to the screen. The function can be activated through settings – Google – All services – Protection from theft and offline device block.
Verification of identity
Further function of protecting the smartphone is verification of identity, which requires the use of the biometry and other defense measures to make changes to the Google account or to perform the following sensitive actions on the device, as indicated by Google:
- access passwords and passkey saved with the Google password manager;
- automatically fill in passwords in the apps by Google’s password manager, except in Chrome;
- Change the screen lock, for example pin, sequence and password;
- Change biometry, such as unlocking with the imprint or unlocking with the face;
- follow a restoration of the factory data;
- deactivate my device;
- deactivate the protection features from theft;
- view reliable places;
- deactivate the identity verification;
- configure a new device with the current device;
- Add or remove a Google account;
- access developer options.
Using verification of the identity for the Google account, biometry will be required to change the password from the account settings or via “forgotten password” and to add or modify the recovery factors on the device. To underline the fact that with the insertion of the option it is possible to continue to use “Pin, sequences or passwords for private space, multi -power mode, automatic compilation of payments in the apps and automatic compilation of passwords and chrome payments”.
You can select the function via the Settings path – Google – All services – Protection from theft and verification of identity.
To activate it it is necessary
- access a Google account.
- Add a screen lock, if you haven’t done it yet.
- Add biometry, such as unlocking with the imprint or unlocking with the face.
- Add your reliable places, for example home or work.
To recover theGoogle account You can opt for verification via the phone number, but it is an optional option: at the end of the operations, simply click on the end.