Android 16’s new security feature could save your phone from thieves

Securing your Android phone is often more complicated than it should be. You dig through menus, flip on settings, and hope everything that matters is actually enabled. But with Android 16, Google is introducing a new Advanced Protection mode that removes the guesswork. Google announced this feature at its recent Android Show: I/O Edition event.

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Launching later this year, this feature will allow users to activate the strongest layer of security with a single tap. No more navigating dozens of settings or realising too late that a crucial one – like offline device lock – was never turned on.

One setting, full defense

Launching later this year, Advanced Protection introduces a single toggle that activates all major security features, both new and existing, across Android and Google’s first-party apps. This includes protections such as theft detection, offline device lock, and phishing and spam detection in apps like Google Messages and Phone by Google.

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Also new to the mix is intrusion logging, which captures critical device logs and restricts access to the user only. According to Google, these logs allow forensic-level insights in the event of a suspected compromise, providing a valuable tool for security investigations.

What sets this feature apart is its comprehensiveness. Rather than requiring manual activation across separate settings and apps, Advanced Protection ensures maximum device security from the moment it is turned on. This means users no longer have to worry about missing a crucial step, like failing to enable offline lock, which is essential for protecting a device after it’s disconnected from the internet.

Why it matters

The rollout of Advanced Protection comes at a time when device theft is on the rise, and many users are caught off guard by the limitations of partial security configurations. While Android has long offered tools for device protection, they’ve been scattered and sometimes difficult to discover.

Advanced Protection addresses this by consolidating security under one, easy-to-access control. It’s designed not just for tech-savvy users, but also for everyday Android owners who want the strongest protection without having to become cybersecurity experts.

Google has confirmed that intrusion logging will arrive later this year, further enhancing the feature set and offering users more visibility into potential tampering attempts.

With the addition of Advanced Protection in Android 16, Google is making it far easier to secure devices, whether in day-to-day use or in emergencies. For anyone concerned about data breaches, unauthorised access, or phone theft, this update is a vital upgrade.