We keep a lot of sensitive information on our phones – from conversations with loved ones to apps that show our full bank account histories – so there will be a lot of concern if you have your phone stolen.
Of course, these devices have long had protections to stop suspicious prying (including lock screen authentication), but new theft detection barriers have now been added to Android.
As the name suggests, these theft detection features are designed to automatically determine that your phone has been swiped and then do something about it. Most are available now on Android 10 or later, but you’ll need Android 15 or later to access them all.
Triple lock phone protection
There are three types of locks under the theft protection umbrella on Android, all built into phones running Android 10 or later. The first is the theft detection lock, which Google chooses to secure your lock screen).
How does this detect when your phone is stolen? Google does not give details, But mention “Common movement associated with theft,” then thieves who will usually try to “run, cycle, or get away.” It seems that the AI is watching for a sudden commotion and then your phone moving at high speed. Of course, if the algorithm makes a mistake, you can simply unlock your phone.
Second, we have offline device locking. This is another automatic locking protocol, and this one kicks in when your handset has been offline for an extended period of time: Often, thieves will try and disconnect a phone from the grid to stop you remotely wiping or locking it, and this protects against that. Google says it could also activate if too many failed authentication attempts are made.
Third and finally, there is remote locking, which works as part of the Find My Device service. You’ve long been able to lock your device over the Internet if it’s lost or stolen, but remote locking works even if your phone can’t be detected on the map: just enter your phone number and respond to a Security Question. The handset then locks to prevent further access.
Behind the scenes improvements
There are now additional theft protection features in Android that are a little less visible, and they’re part of Android 15 (and later). For starters, most major security features on Android require authentication (with a fingerprint, face, pin, or pattern): an example would be disconnecting a phone from the search network, which thieves will often try to do .
On top of that, when you try to perform certain key tasks outside of trusted locations, such as changing your pin, accessing the theft detection features we talk about here, or getting your Passkeys account – you will need biometric authentication, and the phone’s pin won’t be enough. This guards against a thief watching you enter your pin, stealing your handset, and then using the pin to make changes to the settings.
Then there is a change in the factory reset process. This is now only possible for a user who can log in to the Google account associated with the phone – with a password and an authenticator app, for example. This means that anyone who wipes it and tries to reset it won’t be able to make it harder to sell and less attractive to steal.
There’s also a new feature called Private Spaces, which lets you lock certain apps behind a second pin number, different from the one used to unlock your phone – so you can put banking and health-related apps here, for example. example. To get started with private spaces, choose Security and Privacy SO Private space from the settings.
How to access theft detection features
You can see in the descriptions that most of these theft detection features work automatically, and several of them are enabled automatically as Android is updated. However, you must turn on the three specific locks. From Settings in Android, choose Security & Privacy > Device Unlock > Theft Protection.
At the top of the list, enable Theft detection lock and type To light up on the confirmation screen (which explains how the feature works). Just below is the Locking Offline Devices flip the switch, and again you can read how it works before typing To light up to confirm your choice and activate it.
Select Remote lockand you get a dedicated screen for this feature: Enable Use the remote lock to turn it on. You may be asked to verify your phone number – which will be needed to remotely lock your handset in the future – and you also get instructions for what to do if your phone is snatched. You can also remotely lock other devices from this screen.
It should also be noted on the Theft protection The screen is Identity checkwhich applies some of the other changes mentioned above, including biometric authentication for key setting changes. You will be asked to confirm your identity and specify trusted locations, such as your home and office – and outside of these locations, additional protections will be activated.
