Top security features on Android smartphones

Android devices come with powerful and practical security features that you might not know from any of the panic-including headlines.

12:22 04 January 2019

Some of these features are default and protect you even when you’re not realizing it. However, there are some that are more out of way but are equally important and deserve your attention.

Therefore, you should stop wasting your precious time worrying about the dreaded android malware monster and what security firm is operating it just to scare you into unnecessary subscriptions. Take some time and focus on the following impactful android security settings. These options start with some core elements and move into more advanced security features.

Google play protect

Google play protect is a native security feature that continuously scans your Android device for any apps that might be misbehaving, and gives a warning if something suspicious comes up. This is a first feature that should be running on your device unless you or someone else disables it. You just need to double check if it’s up and running.

Confirm if Google Play Protect is working

You can easily do this on your phone by looking in the security option on your system’s settings. Tap on the line labelled as “Google Play Protect,” and make sure the toggles are on and everything else is active.

Add an extra security layer using an Android VPN

In this century of smartphones, mobile devices have been designed with high processing power and the Net is always there to entertain you. This gives you much power, but there are risks involved. As counter-intuitive as it may sound, securing your mobile phone or any other Android device is as important as securing your PC. It is for this reason you should consider having the great VPN for Android devices.

There’s nothing like best free VPN. A free VPN is just rubbish. Well, you should be prepared to pay a few coins every month. The tools listed here have tailor-made Android Applications and none will constrict your internet bandwidth/number of server stitches.

1. NordVPN

This is an all-around tool that offers nimble speeds and great security. The subscription is affordable and allows a maximum of 6 simultaneous connections. This VPN uses bulletproof cyphers to encrypt data and gives you efficient security features. NordVPN is leak-proof and doesn’t require much logging. Therefore, your anonymity will never be compromised. The suite comes with kill switch, Onion Over VPN, and double VPN for maximum security. The VPN also comes with no data retention regulations or intelligence-sharing agreements.

Read a review here: https://vpnpro.com/vpn-reviews/nordvpn-review/

2. VyprVPN

VyprVPN is an amazing tool for Android users- It’s secure, dependable, and fast. Its technical security credentials are beyond reproach and come with a kill switch and other main protocols. Although VyprVPN has a lower server count, it offers the best connection speeds in the market.

Find my device

Whether you’ve lost your phone in the wild or just misplaced it within the house, you should always remember that any Android system has its own mechanism for finding, locking, ringing, and erasing device remotely. Just like the Play Protect, the ‘Find My Device’ option should be working by default. To confirm this, just tap on the security option on your device and go to “Find My Device.” Check if the toggle at the screen top is turned on.

Emergency Contact Information

The Find My Device is an amazing security feature. However, in some situations, you can get your missing phone back with the help another person. Give others a chance to reach you in case you lose your phone by adding an emergency contact that can be dialled in a few taps from the lock screen.

Just go to Users & Account section on your device settings and scroll down to “Emergency Information.” Tap on this option and add an emergency contact - maybe a close friend, relative, or significant other.

Smart Lock

Security is only useful if you can use it. Stemming from the additional inconvenience it adds to your life, it can be too easy to let your guards down and become lazy after some time. The Android Smart Lock has been designed to let loose that tendency by making security less annoying. This option lets you keep your phone unlocked in trusted areas, for instance, your home.

2-Factor Authentication

This is a Google account feature that isn’t unique to Android but connected to Android and the entire smartphone security feature. Go to Google Section on your device settings and tap on “Google Account,” then go to Security. Tap on 2-factor Authentication and follow the prompts to set up everything.

Safe Browsing

Chrome is the default browser on Android devices. Anytime you open a shady site or try downloading something malicious, you’ll always get a warning. “Safe Browsing” on Google Chrome is enabled by default. However, you can confirm this by clicking on the Privacy section of the browser and checking if “Safe Browsing” is on and checked.

Once you have all Android Security Settings optimized, it’s time to do an Android Security Audit. This is an overall checkup for the state of security on your Google account and any Android device. This is something worth doing at least once a year.