f you’re like most people, your phone contains so much personal data that it might be shocking to sit and truly think about how much of your life is on your device. And that means, of course: the last thing you want is for your data to fall into strange hands. In order to keep your phone as safe as possible, you may want to start by adjusting these three settings, which can leave you less vulnerable to data breaches.
Disable Location Services for Unused Apps
Location Services allow apps to access your device’s GPS and use location-related features, according to Vladislav Bilay, a Cloud Solution engineer and Tech Lead. “However, having Location Services enabled for all apps, including those you rarely use, can drain battery power unnecessarily,” he says. “By reviewing and disabling Location Services for apps that don’t require it, you prevent those apps from continually tracking your location, reducing battery consumption and improving overall battery life.”
Keeping your phone from tracking your location also helps preserve your privacy.
Login Security Settings
Make it impossible for anyone who picks up your phone to gain access to it by creating extraordinarily complex log-in passwords. Starting with your passcode, which is a four to six digit number, come up with something random that few people will be able to guess (in other words, birthdays and anniversaries are out of the question). Then, every time you create a new password, either use a password manager service to come up with complex codes for you or make sure you’re using a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters with numbers and symbols. And try not to re-use the same password for different sites.
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Enable Two-Factor Authentication
Creating complex passwords is step one in securing your phone and protecting your data, but there’s an important step two: enabling two-factor authentication. With 2FA, a website will not only accept your password, but will then send a code to your phone that you’ll have to enter before gaining access to your accounts on the websites you frequent. This gives you an added layer of protection — and helps keep prying eyes out.
To enable two-factor authentication: go to Settings > Password & Security > turn on Two-Factor Authentication. Tap “Continue” and enter the phone number where you’d like to receive your codes. Verify the phone number and you’re all done.
It IS possible to make your phone more secure — start with a few quick and easy adjustments to your settings.
