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Make Your Android Auto-Wipe Your Data When Stolen

Sep 19, 2014 11:50 PM
Person placing a smartphone in their back pocket.

Losing your phone is a much bigger ordeal today than it was just 10 years ago. Our smartphones carry with them lots of sensitive data that, in the wrong hands, is capable of being used for identity theft and fraud.

One of the smartest things you can do to help avoid such a disastrous scenario is to set up lock screen security. With this feature enabled on an Android device, a password or PIN must be entered before the phone can be fully accessed.

But this security method is not without its flaws—a would-be thief gets 5 attempts to crack your passcode before being locked out. Sounds great on the surface, sure, but the lockout only last 30 seconds before 5 more attempts are given, then 5 more after that, and so on.

Developer Zygote Labs created an app to help shore up this particular security risk. Locker, as it's called, will automatically wipe all of the sensitive data from your device after a preset number of failed unlock attempts. While you should have no problem typing in your password or PIN within the allotted attempts, a potential identity thief no longer gets unlimited shots at cracking your security code.

Enable Lock Screen Security

Before you get started, make sure that your device has lock screen security enabled. Head to Settings, then Security, and tap Screen Lock. From here, select either Pattern, PIN, or Password, then follow the prompts to enable lock screen security.

Settings menu of a smartphone showing various options such as Sound, Display, and Storage.
Make Your Android Auto-Wipe Your Data When Stolen
Settings menu of a smartphone showing various options such as Sound, Display, and Storage.
Make Your Android Auto-Wipe Your Data When Stolen

Install Locker

The app that will enable automatic data wiping is available for free on the Google Play Store. Search Locker to get it installed, or head to this link to jump straight to the install page.

Locker app interface with options to uninstall or open, developed by Zygote Labs.

Configure Locker

From Locker's main screen, tick the box next to the Admin Enabled entry to begin setup, then press Activate on the message that appears next.

Locker app screen with settings to enable screen lock protection.
Device administrator settings screen with options to erase all data and monitor screen unlock attempts.
Locker app screen with settings to enable screen lock protection.
Device administrator settings screen with options to erase all data and monitor screen unlock attempts.

After that, use the slider to set up your Allowed Unlock Attempts. This number represents the amount of times that an incorrect password or PIN can be entered before the device will automatically wipe its data.

Make Your Android Auto-Wipe Your Data When Stolen
Make Your Android Auto-Wipe Your Data When Stolen
Make Your Android Auto-Wipe Your Data When Stolen
Make Your Android Auto-Wipe Your Data When Stolen

Next, tap the Enable button, then press Yes on the pop-up to enable the Locker service. The status message at the top of the screen should read Protected at this point.

Make Your Android Auto-Wipe Your Data When Stolen
Lock screen protection warning message on a mobile device.
Admin settings screen for a locker app with options for screen lock protection and attempts.
Make Your Android Auto-Wipe Your Data When Stolen
Lock screen protection warning message on a mobile device.
Admin settings screen for a locker app with options for screen lock protection and attempts.

With that taken care of, you can rest easy knowing that your data is more secure. If someone attempting to unlock your device with the wrong code exceeds your Allowed Unlock Attempts setting, the phone will automatically shut down, then enter recovery and wipe all data.

Smartphone display showing the time and a powering down screen.
Make Your Android Auto-Wipe Your Data When Stolen
Smartphone display showing the time and a powering down screen.
Make Your Android Auto-Wipe Your Data When Stolen

The automatic wipe function is compatible with Android's stock recovery, as well as any custom recovery that supports Open Recovery Scripts. And if you are using a custom recovery, having an up-to-date nandroid backup will allow you to easily restore your device, should you retrieve it. And don't worry, even if the thief knows how to restore a backup, they will still be met with your secure lock screen upon restoration.

Do you feel like your device is more secure now that sensitive data will be deleted automatically? Let us know in the comments section below, as well as on Facebook and Twitter.

The next big software update for iPhone is coming sometime in April and will include a Food section in Apple News+, an easy-to-miss new Ambient Music app, Priority Notifications thanks to Apple Intelligence, and updates to apps like Mail, Photos, Podcasts, and Safari. See what else is coming to your iPhone with the iOS 18.4 update.

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