How to Keep Your Android Devices Secure

We all know better than to leave our smartphones and tablets just sitting around in public places where anyone could steal them. But what about the data stored on those devices? Oftentimes, the new user or non-tech savant adopts some bad practices that can leave their device open to malware, hacking, or other frustrating and harmful consequences. But don't worry: there are a few easy tricks you can use to keep your information a whole lot safer. Here are some ideas: 

Set a Screen Lock

Whether it's a PIN, pattern, or password, your device should have something on it that means that someone can't just pick up your device and access all your information. This may seem pretty basic, but you'd be surprised how many people opt not to do this—sure, every time you want to access something on your device it's going to take an extra couple seconds, but really, with the number of passwords, phone numbers, or whatever else (I know people who have saved their social security number on their devices, even!), you want to make sure things are safe. Generally, you'll want to steer clear of pattern locks for the best results: pattern locks leave smudges on your screen that make it easy for others to figure out what your lock code is!

Turn on Encryption

Even if you've got a screen lock set up on your phone, though, it's pretty easy for someone to get access to your information if you lose your device: all they have to do is plug it into a computer. However, if you go into your security settings, you should see something like 'Encrypt Tablet' or 'Encrypt Phone'.

This will ensure that when you're not actively logged in to your device using your PIN or password, the information on your device will be scrambled. Just make sure you leave yourself adequate time for the initial encryption process, which could take half an hour or an hour depending on how much information is on your phone. You'll want to make sure your phone is charged or charging during this process as well, since if your phone dies midway through, you'll have to restart the whole process.

Be Mindful of Apps

When you're downloading apps, make sure you're only getting them from trusted sources—otherwise, as with computer applications, they could include viruses that will infect your Android device or could include bugs that will share your personal information with an untrustworthy third party. Check out other people's reviews and ratings of apps prior to downloading, plus make sure you know what information is going to be shared with each new app that you install. And whenever there's an app update, make sure you install it too: a lot of times, updates fix security issues that existed in older versions of the app.

Be Wary of Using Public Wi-Fi

It's not that you should never use public Wi-Fi networks, but you should be aware of the risks that come with public Wi-Fi. Although it may be a bit more convenient than having to manually choose a network to connect to, you should never set your device to automatically connect to open networks. You should also be using a VPN to make sure that you have the most secure network connection possible and aren't leaking information left and right to anyone else who is connected to the same network.

Back Up Your Data

Think about it: if you lost your device, what data would you be losing? Pictures? Passwords? Documents? Even if you aren't losing something irreplaceable, having a backup of your data means it's a lot easier for you to get a replacement device and get all your apps and everything back to the way you are accustomed to having them, without having to go through and redo all your settings. Of course, this won't make your device less likely to be lost or stolen, but it's always good to be prepared for that possibility.

In this day and age, identity theft, hacking, and other hazards of using the internet are unfortunately common, but that doesn't mean you're totally a sitting duck. Keep your head about you and make sure you've done everything in your power to keep your personal information safe and you won't have to worry so much about encountering problems!