Android devices come equipped with a plethora of features designed to enhance security and privacy, making it essential for users to explore these options thoroughly.
According to a 2025 study by the Pew Research Center, nearly 75% of Americans have encountered some form of online scam. The sophistication of these scams has escalated, particularly with the advent of advanced AI tools that have diversified and intensified online threats. For example, vishing scams now utilize AI-generated deepfakes to impersonate the voices of victims’ loved ones, making them increasingly difficult to detect. Additionally, malware attacks have evolved to become more adaptive and perilous, while many popular applications pose significant privacy risks.
Fortunately, Android provides a robust suite of tools to mitigate these security and privacy concerns, ranging from AI-driven scam detection to advanced theft protection measures.
Update your software
One of the simplest yet most effective ways to safeguard your device is by keeping your Android phone updated. Regular updates ensure that you receive the latest bug fixes and security enhancements. To check your current version, navigate to the Settings app and select About Phone. There, you will find information regarding your operating system, security settings, Google Play system status, and build number.
Android will notify you when an OS update is available. Simply tap the notification and follow the prompts to update. If you miss the notification or wish to update later, go to Settings > System > Software Updates. A checkmark indicates that your phone is fully updated, while a yellow arrow signifies that an update is pending. To install any available updates, tap System Update.
For app updates, open the Google Play store, tap your profile picture in the top-right corner, and navigate to Settings > Network preferences > Auto-update apps. Here, you can choose your preferred update method, whether over Wi-Fi or mobile data, depending on your data plan. To manually check for app updates, tap your profile picture again and select Manage apps and device. Under Updates available, you can either update all apps at once or review each app individually.
Enable Android’s basic protections
Securing your Google account is crucial, as it serves as the gateway to numerous services on your device. Enabling two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security. To do this, visit your Google Account management page, select Security & sign-in, and then click on 2-Step Verification to follow the setup steps.
Another fundamental protection is to enable your phone’s automatic backup feature. Go to Settings, tap Google, and select Backup. If this is your first time, follow the prompts to initiate the backup. If you have previously set it up, navigate to Manage backup to adjust your data settings and enable automatic backups. This ensures that you won’t lose critical information if your device is lost or stolen.
One of Android’s standout security features is the Find Hub app, which allows you to track your device’s last known location, ring it, erase personal information, and even share your location with trusted contacts. While Find Hub is automatically enabled, ensuring your device can be located requires a few steps. Make sure location permissions are activated by visiting Settings > Location > Use location. Then, navigate to Settings > Security > Find Hub and confirm that Allow device to be located is enabled. You can locate your Android device by visiting Google’s Find Hub website from any browser.
Turn on anti-scam features
Android offers various scam detection tools designed to alert users about potentially malicious calls or texts. One such tool, known as Scam Detection, employs Gemini’s AI models to identify subtle conversational patterns often used in scams. When enabled, users will receive alerts and notifications when a potential scam is detected.
This feature is disabled by default due to the sensitive nature of many calls. To activate it, open the Phone app, tap the Menu icon in the top-left corner, and select Settings. Locate Scam Detection and toggle it on. Currently available for Google Pixel phones, Google plans to extend this feature to other devices, starting with the Samsung Galaxy S26.
Android also provides a similar tool for text messages, alerting users to potential scams when suspicious messages are detected. Users can choose to dismiss the alerts, report the scammer, or block the number. Importantly, the AI processes occur entirely on-device, ensuring that no content is uploaded to external databases.
Manage your privacy settings
Securing your Android device also involves managing how applications interact with your personal data. To customize these settings, open the Settings app, select Apps, find the desired application, and choose Permissions to adjust privacy settings. For certain permissions, such as camera, location, and microphone, Android may offer more granular customization options.
The permission manager also allows users to view permissions based on type rather than per app. To access this view, navigate to Security & Privacy in the Settings app, select Privacy, and then choose Permission manager. Here, you can review and modify which apps have access to specific permissions, including calendar, call logs, photo library, and more.
Another useful setting is to pause access for unused apps, preventing dormant applications from consuming your data. To enable this feature, go to Settings > Apps > See all apps, select the app you wish to pause, and enable Pause app activity if unused.
Customize your advertisement settings
Many users may be unaware that their phone usage data is shared with advertising partners. Android allows you to opt out of this data sharing by navigating to Settings > Google > All services > Privacy & security > Ads > Ads privacy. Here, you can manage several ad-related settings.
The first option, Ad topics, allows Android to share topics of interest with advertisers. You can disable this feature or remove specific topics if you prefer. Additionally, you can block apps from suggesting ads to other apps within the same menu.
Furthermore, you can prevent Android from using your personal data to measure the effectiveness of advertisements. In the Ad measurement section, you can enable or disable this feature. For a more comprehensive approach, consider opting out of targeted advertising entirely using the Opt out of Ads Personalization option.
Protect against harmful apps
While most applications on the Play Store are safe, it’s crucial to remain vigilant about what you download. Malicious actors can disguise malware within seemingly harmless apps, occasionally bypassing Google’s security measures. That’s where the Google Play Protect feature comes into play, safeguarding users from harmful applications.
Enabled by default, Play Protect scans apps for malware and harmful data sharing during the download process. It also conducts periodic scans of your device to identify any harmful activity, as malicious apps can remain dormant for extended periods. If a problematic app is detected, Android will either remove it, disable it, or notify you.
To ensure your phone is protected, open the Google Play Store, tap your profile icon, and navigate to Play Protect > Settings > About. You can disable this functionality, but Google strongly recommends keeping Google Play Protect enabled to avoid exposure to dangerous apps. If you sideload apps from outside the Play Store, consider enabling Improve harmful app detection to send non-Play Store applications to Google for review, or explore using an Android antivirus app for added security.
Turn on theft protection
Experiencing a stolen phone can be distressing, but Android’s suite of theft protection features can alleviate some of that anxiety. To activate theft protection, navigate to Settings > Google > All services, then proceed to the Personal & device safety section and tap on Theft protection.
Among the features available is Theft Detection Lock, which utilizes your phone’s Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and motion sensors to detect if someone forcibly takes your device. To enable this, simply toggle on Theft Detection Lock in the settings. Another useful feature, Offline Device Lock, automatically locks your screen if your device goes offline, preventing tracking through Find Hub.
The Failed Authentication Lock protects against unauthorized attempts to guess your PIN, while Identity Check requires biometric verification to change critical security features like passwords or recovery options.
Additionally, Android offers a Remote Lock feature, allowing you to lock your device from a verified phone number. To enable this, your phone must have an active SIM card, a verified phone number, and Find Hub activated. Once set up, you can remotely lock your stolen phone when it reconnects to the internet by visiting android.com/lock and following the prompts. You can also add a security question to further restrict access to this feature.
