Help keep your Android device safe
You can help keep your Android device secure by using a screen lock, 2-step verification, and other Android security features. In case your phone gets lost, you can be prepared with Find My Device.
Tip: For online safety tips and tools, visit our Safety Center.
Note: Not all Android devices have settings in the same place or with the same names. For your specific device's settings, see your manufacturer's support site.
Help protect your device & data
Set a PIN, password, or pattern
You can help secure your device by setting a screen lock with a PIN, password, or pattern. When you turn on your device or wake up its screen, you’ll need to enter your PIN, pattern, or password to unlock it. On most Android devices, tap Settings 
Learn more about screen locks.
Set automatic unlock
If your device is running Android 5.0 and up, you can have your device automatically unlock in certain situations, like when you're in a specific place. In other situations, you'd use your PIN, pattern, or password to unlock your device.
Be ready to find a lost Android device
If your lost phone is signed in to a Google Account, turned on, and connected to the Internet, you can remotely find, lock, and erase it with Find My Device.
Learn how to check that Find My Device can find your phone.
Tip: You can also link your phone to Google so you can find or ring it by searching for find my phone on www.google.com.
Put contact information on your lock screen
You can put contact information (like an email address or phone number that you don’t mind sharing) on your device's lock screen. This can help someone return your missing device. On most Android devices, tap Settings
Encryption can help keep your data safe. Many up-to-date phones are encrypted by default.
If your Android device isn't encrypted by default, and is running Android 4.1 and up, you can choose to encrypt the data on your device. On most Android devices, tap Settings
Help stay safe online & with apps
Some apps can harm your device. To avoid harmful apps, you can download from trusted sources, like Google Play. Before an app gets published to Google Play, the app is reviewed to make sure it's not harmful.
If you have the Play Store app installed, and you download apps from other sources, Play Protect scans those apps before and after you install them. If you see a warning from Play Protect, we recommend not installing that app.
Learn more about protecting your device against harmful apps.
Turn on 2-Step Verification
You can use 2-Step Verification to help protect your Google Account with both a password and a code from your phone. In case someone gets your password, you'll have another layer of protection.
Learn more about 2-Step Verification.
Make a Security Checkup
To help protect your Google Account, you can update how you sign in, your recovery options, and how we should contact you if we notice something suspicious.
Although most ads are safe, you can potentially affect your device by opening some banner ads or ads that open in new windows ("pop-ups").
Beware of anything that claims that your phone is infected or asks for your password or personal information. You could accidentally download unwanted or potentially harmful software or give someone access to your account.
Chrome is built with security in mind and has frequent updates to help keep you safe. If you don’t have Chrome on your device, we recommend that you download and install it.
If you think you've installed an unsafe app:
- Uninstall the app. Learn how to uninstall apps.
- Make sure that Play Protect is on. Learn how to keep Play Protect on.
If you're not sure which app is causing the issue, use safe mode to try to pinpoint it. Learn how to find problem apps with safe mode.
Tip: Safe mode works on many Android devices, like Huawei, LG, HTC, Sony, Motorola, Nexus, and Pixel. For help with other devices, check with your device manufacturer. See a list of manufacturer support links.
Amy is an Android expert and author of this help page. Leave her feedback below about the page.