6 Easy Ways to Secure Your Android Device Data

Our smartphones contain a lot of our personal information. Many phones access our social media accounts, emails, bank accounts and more. By taking steps to secure these devices, you ensure that this information remains private and does not fall into the wrong hands.

Securing your device data is not as difficult as it sounds. Here are six easy ways to get your android data now to give you some peace of mind.

Make sure your operating system is up to date

Update your operating system can patch known security vulnerabilities and fix bugs. If you do not update to the latest version, you and your device will be exposed to errors that can expose personal data to malicious actors. Some people may delay updating their operating system so as not to encounter early bugs, but waiting too long can be harmful to your system. Here is what you need to know about the latest Android operating system, Android 13.

Enable two-factor authentication

Two-Factor Authentication, or 2FA, adds a second layer of security to your Android account in case your password is stolen. With 2FA, as soon as you enter your password, a second message is sent to another device asking you to verify that you are trying to log in. It will add a little more time to your login process, but the extra layer of security is well worth it. Here’s how to enable 2FA.

Use a password manager

If you have trouble remembering multiple passwords and coming up with unique passwords for each account, a password manager can help. These tools can work hand-in-hand with 2FA and can securely store passwords and auto-populate login pages. They can also protect you from phishing scams that trick you into entering your password on a fraudulent website. For more information, check out CNET’s reviews of password managers Bitwarden, LastPass and 1Password.

Encrypt your Android

Beginning in 2015, Google required manufacturers to make Android devices encryptable out of the box. Actually everything Pixel, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Nexus 6 and Nexus 9 devices are encrypted by default. When your device is encrypted, all data stored on the device is locked behind a PIN, fingerprint, pattern, or password known to the owner. Without that key, not even Google can unlock your device. If you have a device that doesn’t have encryption enabled by default, here’s how to encrypt your data.

Delete your data from Google

Android is a Google product, so unencrypted device data may be stored on a Google server. You can ask Google what data it holds about you and you can ask Google to delete that data. The process may take some time, but it’s worth it – your data can’t be stolen if it’s not in the system to begin with. Here you will find how to request Google to delete your databut keep in mind that Google does not guarantee that the request will be completed.

When all else fails, wipe your phone

If you lose your phone or it is stolen, you can wipe your phone remotely. This will delete all data from your phone, so if you have anything on it that you want to keep, you should make a habit of backing up your phone to a separate device. Here’s how to wipe your Android device.

To learn more about securing your phone, visit what you need to know about mobile VPNs, the digital privacy tips that digital security experts would like you to know and how to stop your phone from tracking you.