Guaranteeing Android phone security is a complicated process. As well as modifying settings on your phone and installing Android security software, you also need to consider your own behavior. The measures you take could be the difference between a secure phone and a hacked one. Here, we’ll inspect everything you need to do to preserve your phone locked up tight.

10 ways to guarantee your android phone security

Stop downloading from unknown sources

Although Android users usually download apps from Play Store, they can also simply download apps from anywhere on the internet as APK (Android Package) files and install them on their phones. Users will get an alert from their phones about installing apps from unreliable sources, but they’re given the chance to deactivate that feature. That’s pretty different from iPhones, where users have to modify iOS to install apps from anywhere other than the App Store. 

The freedom to install apps from anywhere can be a great strong point for professional users, but it’s also a potential security danger. So it’s a reasonable idea not to install apps from anywhere other than Play Store or reliable third-party stores like those run by phone developers and Amazon.

Keep Android OS up to date

Although Google makes updates for Android, it’s often up to your phone’s developer or your network provider whether they issue them. Wherever they come from, updates often contain Android phone security patches too, so it’s imperative to examine to see if your phone has any.

Keep your apps up to date

Along with Android itself, it is necessary to keep your apps up to date as well. Again, this is because manufacturers often distribute security patches in their updates. Considering you get your apps from the Play store, it’s a good idea to establish automatic updates, so there is no need to manually go through your apps and update them one by one. 

Lock your Android phone properly

Consider all the data you have on your phone. The significant websites you see and log into. If your phone has NFC, you might even employ it to make contactless payments. It’s vital, therefore, to lock your phone correctly. Don’t just count upon slide-to-unlock. Use a password, a PIN, identity verification, or your fingerprint, if your phone supports that feature. 

Establish your phone’s Wi-Fi network security

Gratefully, most mobile networks offer users a vast amount of data every month for web browsing. But if you’re downloading a lot, or streaming video or music, it can simply exhaust its data. And then it might be engaging to connect to an open Wi-Fi network while you’re out and about. The problem with that is you can’t assure the cybersecurity of that network. In some cases, you could be connecting to a rogue Wi-Fi network, set up to rob data from laptops, phones, and other devices. 

Enable purchases with biometric verification

If your phone was lost or stolen, could someone employ it to purchase items from your account? Could they purchase apps from the Play Store or items from Amazon? Could they make transfers out of your PayPal account? That could definitely occur if they’re able to open your apps, but you can save yourself using your fingerprint. If you’ve already established a fingerprint option to guarantee your Android phone security, you’ll find many apps that will provide you the choice to adopt your saved fingerprints to verify purchases. It’s a good idea to establish this wherever possible. 

Run a Play Protect scan

If run, Google Play Protect will automatically inspect apps for malware, guaranteeing your Android phone security 24/7. If it finds anything, you’ll get an alert, allowing you to know. But you don’t just have to trust automatic scans: you can also start a scan manually. 

Enable Play Protect

Play Protect should already be activated on your Android phone. Once activated, it’ll automatically examine the apps on your phone to ensure they’re free from malware. 

Manage your app permissions

One of the most helpful Android phone security and privacy traits is the ability to manage permissions. If an app wants to alter your phone, access its camera, see your location or do anything else potentially dangerous, it has to ask you first. You can check what permissions apps need in Google Play, and you’ll get prompted to let them when you install new apps. You can also change these settings later, to cancel or allow permissions. 

Use Google’s Find My Device feature

Fortunately, you won’t ever lose your phone and no one will steal it. But it can and does occur. Gratefully, Google facilities it to locate your device with Find My Device. Just type ‘find my device’ into Google, and supposing you’re logged into the same Google account as you use on your Android phone, it should load up. You’ll be able to see a map, and Google will try to locate your phone using its GPS, cellular data, and local Wi-Fi connections. You can also select to make your phone ring, even if the volume is turned down. That’s helpful if you’ve put it down.