Your phone stores so much of your everyday life, from photos and contacts to important dates, events, emails you might need years from now, and the entertainment that gets you through the week. With so much personal information in one place, it’s important to know how to keep your data safe and protected.
Your Screen Lock
Your phone’s screen lock is the first line of defence between someone, and the information stored on your device. Using a strong PIN that isn’t linked to personal information, such as your birthday or an easily guessed code, is an important first step in keeping your phone secure and preventing unauthorised access.
Turn on two factor authentication
Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of protection to the data stored on your phone. This means that even if someone gets hold of your password, they’ll still need to complete an additional verification step before they can access your account or personal information. Two-factor authentication can help protect:
- Apple Account
- Google Account
- Social media
- Cloud storage
Back up your photos
Protecting your photos isn’t just about stopping other people from seeing them; it’s also about making sure you don’t lose them. Regularly backing up your photos means you can recover them if your phone is lost, stolen or damaged, giving you peace of mind that your important memories are safely stored.
Protect sensitive photos
If you have photos or videos that you’d prefer to keep private, both Android and Apple devices offer built-in features to help. Android provides a Locked Folder, while Apple allows you to hide selected photos and videos from your main photo library, giving you an extra layer of privacy and control over your personal content.
Check which apps have access to your photos
Apps may request access to:
- Photos
- Camera
- Microphone
- Contacts
- Location
- Bluetooth
It’s important to ask yourself whether an app really needs access to your photos, or whether you’re giving it unnecessary access to your personal data. Before allowing an app to access your photos, consider whether it’s essential and review your privacy settings regularly to make sure you’re only sharing what’s necessary.
Key takeaway
Your phone doesn’t need to be impossible to hack, but having multiple layers of protection can help keep your personal information secure. Regularly updating your phone, using a strong PIN and passwords, and limiting the access apps have to your data can all add an extra layer of security and help keep your information protected.