Google strengthens anti-theft 'shield' for Android phones

Google has just announced a series of important security improvements on the Android operating system, with the aim of improving anti-theft capabilities and enhancing protection of personal data for users.

In the latest update, the company not only refines and expands existing anti-theft features, but also adds many new smart tools that apply artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

Notably, these updates are designed to work on a much wider range than before, including most devices running Android 10 and above.

This means that the vast majority of Android phones and tablets on the market today, from entry-level to high-end models, will benefit from this extra layer of protection.

Not only limited to Google's Pixel devices, the new features also support many major brands such as Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo, OnePlus...

Theft Detection Lock: AI “Guards” Your Phone 24/7

One of the notable improvements is the Theft Detection Lock feature. Based on AI and machine learning technology integrated directly on the device, the system can analyze unusual motion signals, such as phone snatching actions, to identify the risk of theft.

If a theft is suspected, the device will automatically lock the screen immediately to prevent unauthorized access. This feature is now rolling out globally to devices running Android 10 or higher, which covers the majority of phones and tablets in operation today.

Lock the device offline: Beware of the “disconnect” trick

Bad guys often intentionally disconnect the device immediately after stealing it to avoid being tracked or remotely wipe the data.

That's why Google introduced Offline Device Lock, which automatically activates when a device is unlocked but has been offline for too long.

This helps protect users even when the phone is no longer online, eliminating the “safe zone” that thieves once exploited.

Lock your phone remotely without remembering the password

The next improvement is the Remote Lock feature, part of the Find My Device security ecosystem.

This is a tool that helps users remotely lock their devices using just a verified phone number, even if they don't remember their Google account or login password.

This is especially useful in panic situations where you lose your phone and can't access your accounts in time.

The feature will also soon be adding custom security questions, adding an extra layer of verification to prevent unauthorized unlocking attempts.

Protection when restoring factory settings

To prevent the common practice of wiping devices and reselling them, Android continues to enhance Factory Reset Protection, a layer of protection that prevents thieves from performing factory resets without proper permission from the owner.

On newer versions of Android, this mechanism works more tightly, significantly limiting the ability to “refresh” a stolen device, while also making it worthless for resale.

Use biometrics to protect sensitive settings

With Android 15 on the Pixel line and One UI 7 on Samsung Galaxy devices, users can now experience the Biometric feature that protects sensitive settings (Identity Check).

This additional layer of security requires biometric verification (such as fingerprint or facial recognition) when performing sensitive actions, such as changing a PIN or password, disabling anti-theft protections, or accessing a passcode lock on a device.

This feature only activates when the device is outside of trusted locations (like home), to ensure that the user is actually the owner of the device. Identity Check is expected to be expanded to more manufacturers in the upcoming Android 16 version.

While Google will roll out these features in stages and it may take some time for them to reach all users, the strong investment in Android security is a welcome sign.

These are no longer just standalone tools, but have become a comprehensive coordinated defense system, turning Android phones into effective anti-theft "digital safes".