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Something to look forward to: Losing your device to theft is more than just a financial hit; there’s the hassle of remote wiping it to prevent access to your private data and photos, and perhaps even canceling saved payment methods. It’s a real headache. But there’s good news for Android users: new anti-theft features are rolling out, designed to ease some of the worry from your shoulders.
Earlier this year, Google announced a trio of new theft protection features for Android, intended to help secure your device if it’s lost or stolen. After launching in beta in Brazil in August, these safeguards are now gradually being introduced to more countries, including the United States. Some users are already seeing them appear on their phones.
In a Threads post on Friday, Mishaal Rahman shared that his Xiaomi 14T Pro shows the new Theft Detection Lock and Offline Device Lock features, although Remote Lock was missing.
The highlight among the three features is undoubtedly Theft Detection Lock. It utilizes AI and machine learning models to detect “common motion associated with theft,” such as if someone forcibly grabs the phone from your hand, then bikes or drives away. When it detects these abrupt movements, it will automatically lock the device, making it useless to whoever snatched it.
Next, there’s Offline Device Lock, which, as the name implies, can lock your phone’s screen even when it’s offline and not connected to the internet. Google states this feature kicks in if “a thief tries to disconnect your phone for prolonged periods” to bypass security by cutting off network access.
The third anti-theft tool is Remote Lock. This feature is useful if you’re certain your phone is gone for good and you want to remotely lock it from anywhere. Simply go to android.com/lock, enter your number, and complete a security challenge to lock the screen remotely.
To determine if your specific Android phone has early access to these theft protection features, search “theft protection” in your settings app or navigate to Settings > Google > Personal & device safety. Currently, some users are only seeing one or two of the three locks enabled.
The rollout appears to be somewhat random at this initial stage. Reports indicate the full set of anti-theft locks is visible on Pixels in the Google Play services beta program, but not everyone is seeing it.
