That's the best you can do to keep your smartphone safe.

What is the first thing you do on a smartphone to protect it? The simple answer: set up a lock screen. However, many users do not adopt this basic feature, however essential, which can minimize the risk of having stolen data, identity, loss of privacy or even a huge debt to their carrier.

Before installing an antivirus on your device, encrypting your data and messages, and other more complex security measures, the most important thing you can do when setting up a screen lock method is with a new smartphone. Yes, the answer is simple, but you would be surprised at the number of smartphone owners who do not protect their devices by blocking access to the device, and that means the home screen can be activated by simply swiping it.

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Whether you use PIN, password or pattern, an essential screen lock / AndroidPIT

What are the risks of not setting up a screen lock?

Easy access to your data

If your phone is left unattended somewhere, whether at home, at work or even at the bar table under the eyes of friends, someone can easily read your messages, access your banking app or other personal data. Having a lock screen would nullify this risk.

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Be careful not to leave your smartphone at the mercy of third party looks / AndroidPIT

Theft, Theft or Loss

If you lose your smartphone or if it is stolen, not having a screen lock or SIM card PIN is bad news. If you do not know, your SIM card has memory and stores information, it can be accessed, and even if it does not contain sensitive content, your mobile phone can be used to make calls, and even if it causes a headache on the spot. From recovering the amount spent on calls, your name can be linked to crimes such as extortion of money. The consequences of this are much worse, of course, for those who have a postpaid plan.

Fortunately, operators often act fast in these situations and help solve the problem. But better safe than sorry, right? It is never known how long it takes to be aware of the loss or theft of the device if it is stolen and robbed.

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Having the device stolen can cause a lot more headache than just financial damage / AndroidPIT

Use of your digital identity

If someone picks up your mobile phone, they can make more than just calls. Think that your social media accounts will be available and post harmful information, or worse, access your credit card and other sensitive data in emails or saved in apps. People who are victims of identity theft are often plagued by this for years, as information is continually sold and used for other illegal activities.

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Keep your privacy safe using a screen lock / AndroidPIT

Just one screen locked enough to keep criminals out of your device.

How to protect your device with a screen lock

To access screen lock options, the option tends to be located by default at Settings> Lock Screen & Security> Screen Lock. Once inside the option, you will see different screen lock methods. As you can see in the image below, we have: "None", "Swipe", "Default", "PIN" and "Password". In addition, there is the option of using the biometric sensor such as fingerprint reader and iris scanner.

  • Swipe to unlock: probably slide the most used lock screen of all – basically the default. This screen lock is not secure as anyone can unlock the device at any time by simply swiping the screen and activating the phone;
  • Default, PIN and Password: These options are exactly what they look like, meaning you create a pattern, numeric PIN, or alphanumeric password that needs to be entered whenever you need to unlock the phone. These are without a doubt the three safest screen lock options for your Android.

Other features of your Android allow you to enhance the security of your data, such as device data encryption and micro SD card. In this same screen, it is also possible to encrypt the SIM card and configure a device location technology, both from the manufacturer and from Android itself. However, locating your device in the event of theft or theft is almost impossible, even for the device's IMEI police, unfortunately.

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In the settings you can access screen lock modes … / AndroidPIT
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… besides the screen locks, there are also other security options on Android / AndroidPIT

However, only one screen is locked enough to keep criminals out of your device. So find more tips and tricks to keep your smartphone and data safe in the articles below:

Do you use a secure screen lock method?

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