5 Android safety features you probably aren’t using (and how to turn them on)

Android continues to be the dominant smartphone OS in international smartphone gross sales, and through the years, Google has doubled down on well being and security options throughout all Android units. From apps like Private Security to options equivalent to unknown tracker alerts, there’s a wealth of security options quietly working within the background. The issue is that not all of those options are enabled by default, as some require extra setup in an effort to work.

When you’ve lately switched to a brand new Android cellphone or have been utilizing one for years, it’s doable that you just’ve neglected a few of these essential and extremely helpful options. It’s a good suggestion to take a second to set these up instantly in your personal well-being.

Listed below are 5 security settings you actually need to arrange in your Android smartphone right now.

Security Examine is a helpful function that helps preserve your family members alerted to your private security and also can take motion in your behalf in an emergency. It really works by forcing you to test in on the app after a set time has elapsed. When you fail to test in, your emergency contacts shall be notified of your final recognized location.

Some situations the place this may be genuinely helpful embody while you or a member of the family has to commute alone late at evening or is touring to an unfamiliar space. Security Examine may also help mitigate a number of the stress and nervousness of ready if everybody is aware of the exercise time upfront.

To set this up, download the Personal Safety app from the Play Retailer should you don’t have already got it. As soon as it’s put in, open the app, go to the Options tab on the backside, and faucet the Arrange button within the Security Examine bubble. When you’ve completed the setup, you can begin a Security Examine by selecting the exercise you’re doing, how lengthy it is going to take, and who you want to preserve notified. You may at all times add extra time to Security Examine as soon as it’s began in case your exercise wants extra time.

When there’s a minute remaining on the timer, the app will immediate you to substantiate that you just’re okay. The emergency sharing choices can be personalized to ship alerts to your emergency contacts when your battery is beneath 15%. I simply want there have been a widget for the Security app on the house display to rapidly leap to this function.

When you’re in a bind and have to ship out an emergency alert discreetly, Emergency SOS generally is a lifesaver. It’s a function that’s been round on Android telephones for over a decade, in varied varieties, nevertheless it’s now a part of Google’s Private Security app on Android 13 and later. To allow it, open the Security app and faucet Arrange underneath the Emergency SOS bubble. Merely comply with the information and customise the belongings you want to share accordingly.

Along with alerting your emergency contacts and native companies while you quickly press the ability button 5 occasions or extra, you can too set it to routinely begin recording a video clip. This clip will get backed as much as the cloud and shared along with your emergency contacts.

Heads Up is a function I’d lengthy forgotten existed on Android, however after enabling it, I can’t think about utilizing any cellphone with out it. If, like me, you’ve a nasty behavior of scrolling by means of your social feed or getting engrossed in random issues in your cellphone whereas strolling exterior, Heads Up will remind you to cease and take note of your environment. It’s not at all an answer to actively paying consideration when strolling exterior — one thing that you should do always — nevertheless it’s a terrific reminder to get into that behavior.

To make use of Heads Up, head to the Settings app, Digital Wellbeing, and scroll down till you discover Heads Up. Throughout setup, Bodily exercise and Notifications shall be enabled by default, however you need to additionally allow Location for out of doors exercise detection. When you want stronger alerts, you possibly can allow sound and vibration suggestions for Heads Up. Merely long-press the Digital Wellbeing app > App data > Notifications >  Heads Up. From right here, you possibly can allow extra alerts and even override Do Not Disturb mode.

My solely gripe with Heads Up is that it’s wildly inconsistent. There are occasions when it really works, however more often than not it merely doesn’t notify me. I’ve had the same expertise on a number of telephones, together with the Pixel 10 Pro XL and the CMF Phone 2 Pro. I consider this function has nice potential, and Google wants to repair it. Nonetheless, even on this buggy state, I feel it’s value utilizing.

Automobile Crash Detection is a Pixel-exclusive function, now out there on the Pixel 4a and above. This doesn’t require any setup apart from enabling a toggle swap. You’ll discover this function within the Security app too. Fortunately, I’ve by no means had to make use of it, nor do I hope to ever want it, nevertheless it’s good to have this additional layer of security within the worst-case state of affairs.

The app allows you to attempt a demo of what to anticipate within the occasion the function prompts. Just like Security Examine, you principally affirm that you just’re okay when the alarm goes off, however right here, you are able to do so with a voice command as nicely.

Whereas bodily security is essential, Android additionally presents efficient instruments to make sure your psychological security and well-being. From the suite of choices out there within the Digital Wellbeing app, I’ve discovered display time reminders to be the very best non-invasive solution to remind me to place the cellphone down and take a break.

To allow it, merely open the Digital Wellbeing app and choose the final choice underneath the Methods to disconnect menu. On the next web page, allow the Use reminders toggle. By default, this is applicable to all present and future apps in your cellphone, however you possibly can uncheck those that you just wish to exclude.

Now, you’ll obtain disappearing pop-up bubbles close to the highest of the app should you’re utilizing it for roughly 15 to twenty minutes at a stretch. I prefer it as a result of these mild reminders work nicely for me, as I are inclined to both shut the app out of guilt or all of the sudden bear in mind what I’d picked up the cellphone for within the first place. There are stricter methods you can try should you want to create extra friction in your unintended app use.

Have a security function you merely can’t reside with out in your Android cellphone? Let me know what it’s within the feedback.