4 security features I always install on every new Android phone

When I set up a new Android phoneI do the usual stuff first — install my favorite apps, sign in to my accounts, remove bloatware, and customize the look and feel of the device. But that’s not where I stand. I also spend a few minutes going over the basic security settings for added convenience.

Android phones come with many built-in protections and some of the most important ones are pre-activated. Still, there are a few critical security settings that require manual setup or a quick check to make sure they’re configured correctly.

Honestly, if I ever lose my phone in a crowded place, I have very little hope of recovering it. But if I ever forget it in a taxi or at a friend’s house, Find a hub it can save me a lot of headaches. That’s why it’s one of the first security features I install on any new phone. When I say “install” it’s less about enabling a feature and more about making things actually work as expected.

Once you sign in with your Google account, Android’s Find Hub feature is automatically enabled. What makes it so useful is that it doesn’t just rely on your phone’s internet connection or GPS. If your phone ever goes offline, Find Hub can still use Google’s crowded network of Android devices to find it. If the worst happens, you can use Find Hub to locate your phone on a map, ring it, remotely lock it, or wipe it completely. Again, you don’t need to activate it manually, but it’s better to make sure it’s working when you actually have your phone in your hand.

my Galaxy S26 also includes Samsung’s own device tracking service called Find My Mobile. Like Find Hub, it’s enabled by default, but I like to enable its extra features – most importantly Send the last locationit automatically downloads the phone’s last known location whenever the battery is about to die.

Protection against theft is another important security feature that I hope I never have to rely on. It automatically kicks in when someone grabs your phone and tries to run away with it. Yes, your phone can detect this using a combination of in-device sensors, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and AI. Like Find Hub, Anti-Theft Lock comes pre-activated, but I like to enable a few related features.

The first is identity verification. This makes it difficult for someone to take over the Google account linked to my phone. This mainly requires biometric authentication for things like using the ‘Forgot Password’ option or changing account recovery methods.

I also enable Offline Device Lock. It automatically locks the phone when you leave the Internet for a long time. This is very convenient because one of the first things a thief will do is turn on airplane mode, so you can’t track the device using Find Hub.

Finally, there’s Failed Authentication Lock, which does exactly what the name suggests. It locks the phone’s screen and sensitive apps when authentication attempts fail repeatedly. This simply buys you extra time to locate or erase your phone through Find Hub. All three of these features are optional, but I prefer to turn them on rather than off. You can find them below on your phone Settings > Google > All services > Anti-theft.

Advanced Protection It’s one of the newer security features introduced with Android 16. It is disabled by default, which makes sense as it can be a bit restrictive. Still, I think the extra security is worth the trade-off.

Unlike most security features, Advanced Protection doesn’t do anything special – it combines several protections to make your phone more secure. One of its features is an inactivity restart that automatically restarts the phone if it is locked for three days in a row. This makes it much more difficult for someone to access the phone through advanced attack techniques. Another thing it does is block 2G networks on your phone, which are generally less secure than 3G, 4G and 5G networks. Go here to enable Advanced Protection on your phone Settings > Security & privacy > Advanced Protection and turn it on Device protection.

Advanced Protection also strengthens security in Google apps. For example, it enables safe browsing in Chrome, spam protection in Google Phone, and blocks dangerous links in Google Messages. Speaking of malicious links, Advanced Protection also enables live threat detection, which is part of the Android Safe Browsing feature. It can identify and block phishing links and web pages in supported third-party applications. So yes, the protection extends beyond Google’s own apps and services.

The only catch, at least for me, is that Advanced Defense blocks sideloading. since I rely on a few apps that aren’t on the Play StoreI have to temporarily disable the feature when I want to install or update them. It’s definitely an inconvenience, but one I’m happy to put up with for all the protection it offers.

SIM lock isn’t technically an Android feature, but I’d say it’s as important as any security feature I’ve mentioned so far. It adds an extra layer of protection to your phone number by requiring a PIN when the SIM card is inserted into a new phone or the phone is restarted. Yes, this is a bit old, but if someone steals my phone, I don’t want them to transfer the SIM to another phone and receive calls and OTPs meant for me. Go here to install SIM lock Settings > Security & privacy > More security settings > SIM card lock.

I make sure I use two-factor authentication on all my important accounts, especially my Google account. After all, if someone has access to it, they can potentially track my phone or even wipe it remotely. I prefer to use Google Authenticator because it’s generally more secure, but honestly, any form of 2FA is better than nothing. If you prefer authentication prompts or SMS verification, use it to keep your important accounts safe.

So here’s my security checklist for setting up a new Android phone. If there’s another security setting you always check or change, share it in the comments below.