Android privacy and security settings

Android has the right protections built in. Most people have simply never opened the screens where they are set.

The paths below are for Android 13, 14 and 15 as found on Google Pixel and phones close to plain Android. Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, Realme and OnePlus rename some menus. If you cannot find one, type its name into the search box at the top of Settings.

1. Screen lock

Settings › Security & privacy › Device unlock › Screen lock. Use a PIN of six digits or more, or a password, with fingerprint or face for convenience. Avoid patterns, which are easy to watch, and obvious PINs such as a birth year. Every other protection depends on this.

2. Hide sensitive notifications on the lock screen

Settings › Notifications › Notifications on lock screen, and turn off Sensitive notifications. OTPs and message previews then stay hidden until the phone is unlocked.

3. Review app permissions

Settings › Security & privacy › Privacy › Permission manager. Go through SMS, Contacts, Location, Camera, Microphone, Call logs and Files. For each, ask whether the app needs it for its job. A torch app does not need contacts; a loan app does not need your gallery. Prefer Allow only while using the app for location, camera and microphone.

Privacy dashboard, on the same screen, shows which apps used the camera, microphone and location in the last 24 hours. A green dot at the top of the screen means the camera or microphone is in use right now.

4. Check the powerful permissions

These let an app do far more than normal and are the ones spyware asks for.

• Settings › Accessibility: only services you turned on yourself should be listed as on.
• Settings › Apps › Special app access: look at Device admin apps, Display over other apps, Notification access (Device & app notifications) and Install unknown apps.
• Install unknown apps should say "Not allowed" for every app, including WhatsApp, your browser and your file manager. This one setting blocks most APK file scams.

5. Keep Play Protect on

Play Store › your profile picture › Play Protect › settings (gear icon): keep "Scan apps with Play Protect" on. Tap Scan to check now. Install apps only from the Play Store, and before installing look at the developer's name, the number of downloads and the recent reviews.

6. Updates

Settings › System › Software update for the system, and Settings › Security & privacy › System & updates for the security update and the Google Play system update. Install them when offered; they close holes that are being used in real attacks. A phone that no longer receives security updates should not be your banking phone.

7. Find My Device

Settings › Security & privacy › Device finders › Find My Device: on. If the phone is lost you can ring, lock or erase it from another device at android.com/find. Also look for Theft protection in the same area on Android 15 and recent updates, which can lock the screen when the phone is snatched. See lost or stolen phone.

8. SIM lock

Settings › Security & privacy › More security & privacy › SIM lock. A SIM PIN stops your SIM being used in another phone to receive your OTPs. Find your operator's default PIN on its official help pages first; three wrong attempts lock the SIM. See SIM swap.

9. Advertising ID and Google activity

Settings › Security & privacy › Privacy › Ads › Delete advertising ID removes the identifier apps use to build an advertising profile. Settings › Google › Manage your Google Account › Data & privacy holds the switches for Web & App Activity, Timeline (location history) and YouTube history. See Google account security.

10. When lending or selling the phone

• App pinning (Settings › Security & privacy › More security & privacy › App pinning) keeps a borrower inside one app.
• Before selling or giving away: back up, remove your Google account, then Settings › System › Reset options › Erase all data (factory reset).