Five Google settings that protect your data if your phone is stolen or lost

If a phone is stolen or lost, the biggest fear is that the photos, UPI account, banking details and other important information on it could fall into the wrong hands. Keeping this worry of users in view, several companies now provide security features in smartphones. These add to the user's protection even if the phone is stolen or goes missing.

There is one condition for using these features: a screen lock must be set on the phone. Without it, the features will not work.

The first feature is Theft Protection. Open the phone's Settings and go to Google. Tap All services. In the Personal & device safety section, the Theft Protection option will appear. Turn it on.

The second feature is Theft Detection Lock. When a phone is stolen, the motion sensor, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth give out certain signals. These help identify theft-like movement, and the phone's screen can then lock automatically. To enable it, go to Google in Settings and turn on Theft Detection Lock under All services.

The third feature is Offline Device Lock. Thieves often switch off a phone's internet so that it cannot be tracked. This feature helps in such a case. If the phone is cut off from the internet, it can lock the screen within a short time. Go to Google in Settings, click Theft Protection under All services and switch on the Offline Device Lock option.

The fourth feature is Remote Lock. If the phone is stolen or lost, you can send a request to lock the screen from another phone or a computer. For this, first go to the Theft Protection settings, turn on Remote Lock and verify your phone number. After the phone is stolen, open android.com/lock in the browser of another device. You will have to complete some verification steps. After that, you can send a request to lock the stolen phone. For this, the phone must have a screen lock, an active SIM, a verified phone number and the Find Hub facility.

The fifth feature is Identity Check. This is an extra security feature. Outside a specified area, it asks for biometric verification before sensitive settings are changed or account-related actions are carried out. This means an unknown person will not be able to change the phone's security settings or keep track of account activity. To turn it on, go to Google in Settings, open All services and Theft Protection, then select Identity Check and follow the on-screen instructions. The feature needs both a biometric option such as fingerprint or face unlock, and a screen lock.