In this day and age, not many can do without their mobile phone, which makes it all the more important to keep it safe and secure. Here are some tips to guard your phone like Fort Knox:
Set a Screen lock
Secure your device by setting a screen lock with a PIN, password, or pattern. Each time you turn on your device or wake up the screen, you’ll be asked to unlock your device. Go to Settings > security > screen lock.
If your device is running Android 5.0 or higher, you can also choose to have your device automatically unlocked when you have it with you using Smart lock for Android. It’s important to update your pin/pattern from time to time to restrict unwanted access to your device.
keep Android Device Manager on
Ensuring that the Android Device Manager is set up on your device will be of help in case you lose your phone. Make sure to sign in with your Google account and turn on ‘remotely locate this device’ and ‘allow remote lock and erase’. You can also try the ‘find my phone’ feature so you know how it works in case you need it in the future.
Backup your data
Backups make it easier to recover your information and apps if your device is lost, stolen, or damaged. You can use Android Backup Service to back up data connected to one or more of your Google accounts. If you have to replace your device or erase its data, you can restore your data using any account that you backed up to. If you’re using a tablet with multiple users, only the tablet’s owner can see the backup and reset options.
Encrypt device
Encryption helps keep your data safe if you lose your device. Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 devices are encrypted by default. If your Android device is running Jelly Bean (Android 4.1) or higher, you can encrypt the data on your device in Settings > security > encrypt phone.
If your phone goes missing...
· Use your Android Device Manager to locate, remotely lock, or erase your device data.
· Check your Gmail account’s security.
· If you think your Gmail account has been compromised, check your account’s security or recover your account.
The writer is Director, Trust and Safety, Google India