Android is working arduously to improve its phone experience and keeps on rolling updates that would improve the overall services. It is said to now be rolling out a new security feature through the latest Google Play service update that will automatically restart your phone if it is locked for three full days. All that would be needed after that would be your password to get back in, and the biometrics would not work until then. This feature is aimed at protecting user data, especially if the phone has been sitting idle for a long time.
Android is bringing up its security game by introducing a feature that will auto-reboot after three days of inactivity
If you have been in a situation previously where you lost your phone, or it was stolen and the constant worry about your data had you weary, Android has you covered. Its new security feature is meant to offer the added layer of security users are looking for when it comes to protecting their data. The feature is part of the Google Play service update via 9to5Google and would force a restart on your phone if it has been locked for three days. Users would need a Passcode to access it, making it even tougher for others to break in.
The way this new security upgrade works is that if the phone or tablet is found to be not touched or unlocked consecutively for three days, it will automatically enter a secure mode known as "Before First Unlock" (BFU). This way, the data on the devices remains fully encrypted since it cannot be unlocked with a biometric option such as face or fingerprint. It will not let the user in until the right PIN, password, or pattern is entered.
The update is expected to roll out for both Android phones and tablets but is not applicable to devices like wearables, Android Auto, or TVs. Remember that the feature is not the same as a factory reset since the data stays but cannot be accessed without the Passcode. Apple introduced a similar feature in its iOS 18.1 update, which was referred to as the "Inactivity Reboot" and has the same pattern of being automatically restarted in case of inactivity for four days.
It seems that both Apple and Android are focused on introducing more stringent measures to protect user data and have stronger security features in place, making it harder for data to fall into the wrong hands. Once Google is able to confirm the rollout window and supported devices, it will give a better idea, but for now, the feature is great in terms of added security.
