Following a incident involving Janine Roberta Ferreira in São Paulo, who, while commuting home, encountered a thief seizing her phone from her unlocked car, our attention was drawn to the urgency of addressing the prevalent issue of phone theft globally. The statistics are alarming – every hour in Brazil alone, 97 phones are snatched or taken. Reports from the GSM Association indicate millions of device thefts annually, with the numbers steadily rising.

Given the increasing significance of our phones in storing sensitive information like banking and personal data, losing a device can be extremely unsettling. Hence, in response, we have developed and rigorously tested in beta a comprehensive set of features aimed at securing you and your data comprehensively – before, during, and after a device theft incident.

These advanced theft protection capabilities are now accessible to users worldwide through Android 15 and a Google Play Services update (compatible with Android 10+ devices).

Smart device protection upon theft with AI integration

Theft Detection Lock deploys robust AI capabilities to proactively safeguard you during a theft attempt. Through on-device machine learning, this tool analyzes diverse device signals to detect potential theft scenarios. Upon identification of a possible theft attempt on your unlocked device, the algorithm promptly locks your screen to thwart any unauthorized access.

For safeguarding your crucial data in case of theft, Theft Detection Lock utilizes device sensors to detect theft efforts. We are committed to expanding the reach of this feature to as many devices as possible. The rollout process is gradual to ensure compatibility with a variety of devices, starting today with Android devices covering 90% of active users globally. Periodically check your theft protection settings page to ascertain current device support.

In addition to Theft Detection Lock, Offline Device Lock provides protection in scenarios where a thief attempts to disconnect your device from the network to extract data or bypass a remote wipe via Android’s Find My Device. If an unlocked device remains offline for extended periods, this feature locks the screen to prevent usage by unauthorized individuals.

In instances where your Android device goes missing or is stolen, Remote Lock can promptly assist you in securing it. Even if you cannot recall your Google account details at the moment of theft, you can use any device to visit Android.com/lock and lock your phone by confirming a verified phone number. Remote Lock secures your device while you regain access through Android’s Find My Device – enabling you to secure, locate, or remotely wipe the device. As a security precaution, we advise regularly backing up your device to ensure remote wiping is stress-free.

These functionalities are now accessible on a majority of Android 10+ devices¹ through a Google Play Services update and must be activated in settings.

Enhanced security to deter theft proactively

Android 15 brings forth new security enhancements to deter theft by adding layers of protection to hinder thieves from accessing sensitive settings, applications, or resetting your device for resale:

• To make changes to sensitive settings like Find My Device, you now need to provide your PIN, password, or biometric verification.
• Multiple unsuccessful login attempts, indicative of password guessing attempts by a thief, will lock down your device, preventing unauthorized entry.
• Furthermore, improved factory reset protection makes it more challenging for thieves to reset your device without your Google account credentials, thereby reducing its resale value significantly and safeguarding your data.

Later this year, we will introduce Identity Check, a voluntary feature that adds an extra layer of security by demanding biometric validation when accessing critical Google account and device settings, such as altering your PIN, disabling theft protection, or accessing Passkeys from an untrusted location. This adds an extra layer of security even if your device PIN gets compromised.

Effective protection for billions of Android users across real-world scenarios

By integrating advanced technologies like AI and biometric authentication, we are making Android devices less attractive targets for thieves to offer you increased peace of mind. These anti-theft features are just one example of our efforts to deliver tangible protection for all. We are committed to collaborating with partners globally to continuously enhance Android security and ensure the safety of you and your data.

To activate the new Android theft prevention features, simply click here on a compatible Android device. For more details on our theft protection features, visit our help center.

Notes