Our phones are the most expensive items we carry around constantly, and they fetch a good resale price, so it’s no wonder that they’ve become such a target for theft. And even though I don’t have an ultra-coveted iPhone, I don’t want to take any chances.
That’s why I’ve enabled every new Android theft protection feature available. I’d much rather make my own device a total nightmare to steal than hope they target someone with an iPhone.
These features work alongside the Find My Phone feature that lets you track your phone when it’s connected to the network. Once enabled, your phone automatically locks after detecting a theft attempt or when it goes offline. You can even remotely lock your phone by typing your phone number.
To enable Theft Detection Lock, your phone must be running Android 10 or above. If you don’t see the option, install any pending firmware updates and try again.
Theft detection lock
Automatically locks your phone when snatched
Thieves usually snatch phones when you’re actively using them—walking down the street while texting or otherwise distracted. Since your phone is unlocked, they can immediately access your gallery, email, or private notes before you can remotely lock it.
Theft Detection Lock prevents thieves from getting into your phone by automatically locking your device if it detects a possible theft. It uses motion sensors and machine learning to detect sudden movement consistent with someone snatching your device and running. It also checks Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity to verify you’re away from trusted locations like home or your office.
To turn on Theft Detection Lock on a Samsung phone running One UI 7.0 or above:
- Go to Settings > Security and privacy > Lost device protection.
- Tap Theft protection > Theft detection lock, then tap Turn on.
Once enabled, you’ll see a toggle for the feature. Note that turning off Theft Detection Lock requires your PIN or biometric authentication.
Offline device lock
Locks your phone when it goes offline
Thieves often immediately disable your phone’s connectivity to cut off your remote access. Without an internet connection, you can’t remotely lock your device or use Find My Phone, even though the phone itself is still powered on.
Offline Device Lock automatically locks your phone when it detects that the internet is off and remains offline for an extended period. Once locked, your device prevents anyone from turning off Wi-Fi or enabling airplane mode.
You can enable Offline Device Lock from the theft protection page mentioned above. Head to Settings > Security and privacy > Lost device protection > Theft protection. Then tap Offline device lock and choose Turn on.
Now, what if Wi-Fi gets turned off accidentally and your device isn’t stolen? Just unlock your phone as usual, and you’re good to go.
Note that Offline Device Lock is limited to two automatic locks per day.
Remote lock
Remotely lock your device using your phone number
If the Theft Detection Lock fails to activate and leaves your phone unlocked, thieves can access sensitive information on your device. Remote Lock makes it easy to lock your phone using just your phone number.
Unlike Find My Phone, Remote Lock doesn’t require signing in to your Google account. You simply enter the phone number associated with your device and authenticate by answering a security question to lock your phone.
You can turn on Remote Lock from the same Theft protection settings page. Go to Settings > Security and privacy > Lost device protection > Theft protection > Remote lock. Toggle the Use Remote Lock switch to turn it on.
Next, tap Security question (optional) and set a security question and answer. Ideally, you should avoid choosing a security question that’s easy to guess. Your phone will automatically verify and display the phone number associated with your device.
When you need to remotely lock your phone, head to android.com/lock, enter your phone number, answer the security question, and lock your device.
Identity Check
Adds a security delay
Identity Check is a new anti-robbery feature. It addresses a real-world risk: what if someone who knows your password tries to change your PIN?
On Samsung phones running One UI 7.0 or above (Android 15 or newer), you can enable Identity Check. This has a few requirements: you must be signed in to your Samsung account, have biometric authentication (fingerprint) enabled, and designate a safe place like your home or office.
Once configured, if someone tries to change your PIN outside a safe location, Identity Check triggers a one-hour delay before any sensitive settings can be changed. This delay should give you enough time to lock your phone using one of the theft protection features. The delay ends if the phone enters a safe place, but you’ll still need to verify your identity using the fingerprint scanner.
Don’t wait till it’s too late
Being worried about losing my phone can’t stop me from going outside. But I take precautions when using my device in public, especially in places notorious for phone theft. More importantly, I’ve enabled every anti-theft feature available to be on the safe side.
It takes five minutes to enable all these features, and they can even help you find a lost Android phone that’s turned off. That said, if you can’t recover your phone, you can still keep your data safe by locking or erasing your device.