Your Android phone's latest security upgrade makes it more thief-proof - here's how

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Google is rolling retired immoderate changes that should marque your telephone little charismatic to thieves.

Several years ago, Android introduced Factory Reset Protection, a information diagnostic that prevents an unauthorized idiosyncratic from accessing your telephone by requiring a Google login oregon PIN aft a mill reset. If idiosyncratic fails these logins, they can't implicit setup (meaning they past can't merchantability your phone).

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Further hardening

As portion of a caller upgrade that introduced a fig of security-focused features, Google says it's "further hardening" Factory Reset protections. The institution didn't elaborate connected what that meant, but an included screenshot did connection immoderate insight. "This instrumentality was reset by authentication failed during setup," the screenshot reads. "To usage this device, reset again and participate the device's erstwhile fastener surface oregon Google relationship credentials."

Google

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As it stands, determination are immoderate workarounds to the existent Factory Reset protection, similar bypassing the setup wizard (which bypasses that login check), oregon turning disconnected the Factory Reset Protection diagnostic from a hidden Developer Options menu. These aren't tricks that mean users know, but knowledgeable thieves do. It seems similar Google volition beryllium closing those workarounds soon, and forcing a login adjacent if idiosyncratic bypasses setup.

Essentially, if a telephone is mill reset, immoderate functionality is locked until ownership is confirmed.

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This is connected apical of an anti-theft upgrade that debuted past fall, which uses your phone's gyroscope and accelerometer to observe if idiosyncratic snatches your telephone from your hand, and an individuality cheque feature from earlier this twelvemonth that tin fastener down your telephone adjacent if idiosyncratic has your PIN.

Rolling retired aboriginal this year

Unfortunately, you mightiness person to hold a little. Google said the enhancements would rotation retired "later this year." Given that Android 16 is conscionable a fewer months away, it sounds similar these enhancements won't beryllium portion of that rollout but volition beryllium included successful a aboriginal update.

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