Smartphone Security Settings Most People Never Touch

Every app you install requests access to parts of your phone — your camera, microphone, location, contacts, or storage. Many people tap "Allow" out of habit and forget about it. Over time, you may have dozens of apps with permissions they don't actually need to function.

On both iPhone and Android, you can view a full list of permissions by category. Go to Settings > Privacy (iPhone) or Settings > Privacy > Permission Manager (Android) and work through each category. Ask yourself: does this app genuinely need access to my microphone? If not, revoke it. You can always re-grant access later if the app needs it for a specific feature.

Two-factor authentication (2FA) means that logging into an account requires two things: your password, and a second verification step — usually a code sent to your phone or generated by an authenticator app. Even if someone learns your password, they can't get in without that second factor.

Most major apps — email, banking, social media — offer 2FA. Look for it under each app's account security settings, not your phone's settings. Authenticator apps (which generate time-sensitive codes) are generally more secure than receiving codes via text message, though either is far better than no 2FA at all.

By default, many phones show full notification previews on the lock screen — meaning anyone who picks up your phone can read your texts, email subjects, or banking alerts without unlocking it. This is a small but real privacy exposure.

You can set notifications to show only the app name (no content), or nothing at all, until the phone is unlocked. On iPhone: Settings > Notifications > Show Previews. On Android, this varies by manufacturer but is typically found under Settings > Notifications > Lock Screen. This is especially worth configuring if you travel frequently — see our guide to keeping devices safe while abroad for more context.

Face ID and fingerprint unlock are convenient — but they're not foolproof. Biometric data can be bypassed in certain circumstances, and the true foundation of your phone's security is the backup PIN or passcode that activates when biometrics fail.

A six-digit PIN is the minimum. A longer numeric code or an alphanumeric passphrase is meaningfully harder to guess. Avoid obvious patterns like 123456, your birth year, or repeating digits. On iPhone, find this under Settings > Face ID & Passcode; Android users can check Settings > Security > Screen Lock.

Software updates often sound like minor housekeeping, but many include security patches — fixes for known vulnerabilities that attackers can otherwise exploit. Delaying updates leaves those openings in place longer than necessary.

Both iPhone and Android support automatic updates. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates. On Android, the path varies slightly by manufacturer but is typically under Settings > System > System Update. Enabling automatic updates is one of the lowest-effort, highest-impact security habits available. This principle applies broadly to all your connected devices — it's a theme covered in depth in our complete guide to smartphone ownership.

If your phone is lost or stolen, a remote wipe feature lets you erase all data on it from another device — preventing whoever has it from accessing your accounts, photos, and files. Both platforms offer this built in.

iPhone users can enable this through Settings > [your name] > Find My > Find My iPhone and toggle on "Send Last Location." Android users should check that Find My Device is on under Settings > Security. Neither feature requires a subscription and both work as long as the phone has an internet connection. It's worth confirming these are active before you need them — not after.