Securing Your Smartphone
Your phone holds your email, bank, photos, work apps and the codes that protect your other accounts. A lost, stolen or compromised phone can open the door to everything. A few settings make it much harder for anyone else to use it.
- Everyone
- Workers
Photo: phone security settings showing screen lock, Find My and automatic updates turned on
Essential settings
- Screen lock: a 6-digit or longer PIN, plus fingerprint or face unlock
- Automatic updates for the phone and apps. See Software Updates
- Find My (iPhone) or Find My Device (Android) turned on, so you can locate, lock or erase a lost phone
- Backups turned on. See Backups
- Two-factor authentication for your Apple or Google account
- Lock screen notifications set to hide message contents, so codes can’t be read on a locked phone
SIM swapping
In a SIM swap, a criminal convinces your phone carrier to move your number to their SIM card. Then they receive your calls and text codes and can reset your accounts. To protect yourself:
- Set a PIN or passcode on your carrier account, and turn on any “number lock” or port-out protection your carrier offers.
- Use an authenticator app or passkeys instead of text codes for important accounts.
- If your phone suddenly loses service for no reason, call your carrier from another phone right away.
Apps
- Install apps only from the official app stores.
- Check reviews and the developer before installing.
- Review permissions: does a flashlight app really need your contacts and location?
- Delete apps you no longer use.
Everyday habits
- Be careful with links in texts. See Text Message Scams.
- Avoid public USB charging ports when possible; use your own charger and a wall outlet.
- Don’t leave your phone unlocked or unattended on the jobsite or in the truck.
If your phone is lost or stolen
- Use Find My or Find My Device from another device to locate it, play a sound, or lock it.
- If it’s not recoverable, erase it remotely.
- Call your carrier to suspend service and block the SIM.
- Change your email and banking passwords, and tell your employer if it had work email or apps.
- Report theft to police; the report helps with insurance.
Standards & references
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