4 security features I always set up on every new Android phone

Whenever I set up a new Android phone, I do the usual stuff first — installing my favorite apps, signing into my accounts, removing bloatware, and customizing the look and feel of the device. But that’s not where I stop. I also spend a few minutes reviewing key security settings for extra peace of mind.

Android phones come with plenty of built-in protections, and some of the most important ones come pre-enabled. Still, there are a few critical security settings that need manual setup or a quick check to ensure they’re configured properly.

Honestly, I have very little hope of recovering my phone if I ever lose it in a crowded place. But if I ever forget it in a cab or even at a friend’s house, Find Hub can save me a lot of headaches. And that’s exactly why it’s one of the first security features I set up on any new phone. When I say “set up,” though, it’s less about enabling the feature and more about ensuring everything actually works as expected.

Android’s Find Hub feature is automatically enabled once you sign in with your Google account. What makes it so useful is that it doesn’t rely just on your phone’s internet connectivity or GPS. If your phone ever goes offline, Find Hub can still use Google’s crowdsourced network of Android devices to locate it. And when the worst happens, you can use Find Hub to view your phone’s location on a map, make it ring, lock it remotely, or erase it entirely. Again, you don’t need to enable it manually, but it’s best to make sure it’s working while you actually have your phone.

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 turn on its optional features — most notably Send last location, which automatically uploads the phone’s last known location every time the battery is about to die.

Theft protection is another important security feature I hope I never have to rely on. It kicks in automatically when someone snatches your phone out of your hand and tries to run off with it. Yes, your phone can detect this using a combination of on-device sensors, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and AI. Like Find Hub, Theft Detection Lock also comes pre-enabled, but I like to turn on a few related features.

The first one is Identity Check. This makes it harder for someone to take over the Google account that’s linked to my phone. It basically 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 if it’s disconnected from the internet for an extended period. That’s handy because one of the first things a thief is likely to do is turn on airplane mode, so you can’t track the device using Find Hub.

Finally, there’s the 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 some extra time to locate or erase your phone through Find Hub. All three of these features are optional, but I’d much rather have them enabled than disabled. You can find them on your phone under Settings > Google > All services > Theft protection.

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

Unlike most security features, Advanced Protection doesn’t do one specific thing — it combines several protections to make your phone more secure. One of its features is Inactivity Reboot, which automatically restarts the phone if it’s been locked for three days straight. This makes it much harder for someone to access the phone through advanced attacking methods. Another thing it does is block 2G networks on your phone, which are generally less secure compared to 3G, 4G, and 5G networks. To enable Advanced Protection on your phone, head to Settings > Security and privacy > Advanced Protection and turn on Device Protection.

Advanced Protection also strengthens security across Google’s apps. For instance, it enables safe browsing in Chrome, spam protection in Google Phone, and blocks unsafe links in Google Messages. And speaking of harmful links, Advanced Protection also turns on 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 apps. So yes, the protection goes beyond Google’s own apps and services.

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

A SIM lock isn’t technically an Android feature, but I’d say it’s just as important as any of the security features I’ve mentioned so far. It adds an extra layer of protection to your phone number by requiring a PIN whenever the SIM card is inserted into a new phone or the phone is restarted. Yes, it’s a bit old-fashioned, but if someone steals my phone, I don’t want them moving my SIM to a different phone and receiving calls and OTPs meant for me. To set up a SIM lock, head to Settings > Security & privacy > More security settings > SIM card lock.

I also make sure to use two-factor authentication on all my important accounts, especially my Google account. After all, if someone has access to that, they could potentially track or even remotely erase my phone. I prefer using Google Authenticator because it’s generally more secure, but honestly, any form of 2FA is better than none. If you prefer authentication prompts or SMS verification, use that to keep your important accounts safe.

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