<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t Good luck accessing anything on my phone<\/p>\n And when they work, they don\u2019t go far enough<\/p>\n Theft Detection Lock, launched in March 2025, uses your phone\u2019s accelerometer, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi to detect theft. When activated, it locks your phone.<\/p>\n The way Theft Detection Lock is meant to work is if you\u2019re in a public space (identified by whether you\u2019re connected to public Wi-Fi or only data), it will trigger if it detects a sudden increase in speed as if someone had grabbed your phone and taken off.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve had this feature enabled since launch, but as no thieves were considerate enough to give it a real-world test, I finally decided to try it myself.<\/p>\n The first experiment I did was to sprint from a standing start with my phone unlocked in my hand. Not once did Theft Detection Lock trigger.<\/p>\n The next experiment was to chuck my phone as hard as I could. Again, Theft Detection Lock did not trigger.<\/p>\n Next, I tried picking up my phone while sprinting. Again, nothing.<\/p>\n Out of breath, sweaty, and frustrated, I shelved the project until I met with a friend later that day.<\/p>\n After multiple attempts, he only managed to trigger Theft Detection Lock once, and neither of us was entirely sure that he hadn\u2019t just hit the power button by accident.<\/p>\n Eventually, we managed to trigger the feature manually, but only with the most exaggerated snatch, then sprinting while waving the phone back and forth.<\/p>\n At this point, I wondered if the accelerometer in my Google Pixel 10 Pro was broken, but after testing it with my Pixel 8, I had to admit that it was the feature itself that wasn\u2019t working.<\/p>\n I\u2019m unclear about the purpose of Theft Detection Lock<\/p>\n It locked your phone. Now what?<\/p>\n The idea is that you can then remotely wipe your phone<\/a> to prevent thieves from accessing your personal data. <\/p>\n The problem is that factory resetting your phone through Google\u2019s Find Hub also prevents you from tracking your location.<\/p>\n When triggered, all Theft Detection Lock does is lock your phone. There are no additional security measures or verification steps, just whatever lock screen you\u2019ve set up.<\/p>\n If my phone is stolen, the last thing I want to do is remove any chance of finding it again.<\/p>\n Besides, a clever thief would instantly turn off the device after grabbing it anyway. They\u2019re also probably not interested in your personal data, but in the value of the hardware.<\/p>\n Remotely resetting your phone would save the thief time and drastically reduce the chances of you finding it again.<\/p>\n Rather than relying on these features, it\u2019s best to use simple theft-protection methods.<\/p>\n Use common sense to protect your phone<\/p>\n Think of your phone like your wallet<\/p>\n First, check that you have all security measures enabled to prevent someone from unlocking your phone. At the bare minimum, use biometric authentication<\/a> to ensure that someone can\u2019t steal your phone without you. <\/p>\n Second, enable regular backups to prevent data loss in the event of theft.<\/p>\n Third, and most important, make it as hard as possible for someone to grab your phone.<\/p>\n Wrap your fingers around your phone for a secure grip, and hold it close to your body when in use. Face away from the street, and if you\u2019re unsure, hold it with both hands.<\/p>\n Thieves look for loosely held phones they can grab in motion. Holding your phone securely and staying aware of your surroundings will do more to protect your phone than any Android feature.<\/p>\n Can Apple do a better job?<\/p>\n Theft Detection Lock was on my mind as Apple is reportedly working on a similar feature.<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\tHow I bulletproof my Android phone against theft
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\n Credit:\u00a0Google<\/p>\n![\"Why](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/why-the-pixel-10-pro-xl-will-wow-you-6-49-screenshot.png\"){kind=tracking}
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