7 tips to lock your smartphone to protect against phone theft

Protecting your phone from online attacks is important, but the same measures won't work if your phone is stolen. If you really want to protect your phone, it's time to start locking it down to prevent theft as well as protecting it from hacks and scams.

1. Turn on anti-theft protection

The first step to protecting your phone from theft is to enable the anti-theft features built into the operating system. Start by enabling Find Hub and Find My tracking on Android and iOS devices.

Android 16 (coming in 2025) has a comprehensive Advanced Protection feature set with multiple layers of security to protect your phone in case of theft. This also includes Theft Detection Lock , which automatically locks if it detects that your phone has been snatched from your hands.

You also have Offline Device Lock , which automatically locks your phone when it's offline. Finally, Inactivity reboot will reboot your phone if it's been locked for three days in a row, and re-lock it if a thief gets past the lock screen.

iOS has Stolen Device Protection , which strengthens security measures and adds a one-hour security delay when sensitive system settings are changed. This gives you more time to remotely lock your phone in case of theft.

2. Start using eSIM

While using an eSIM doesn’t necessarily protect your device from theft, it does make it harder for thieves to exploit or sell your device. An eSIM can’t be swapped out as easily as a traditional SIM card, meaning a thief can’t start using your phone on a different network. It also makes your phone easier to track through mobile triangulation.

eSIMs are vulnerable to hacking, but require complex technical knowledge to pull off such an exploit. This greatly reduces the incentive for phone thieves because they can be remotely locked and rendered unusable at any time.

3. Enable biometric lock on sensitive apps

Locking sensitive apps with biometrics will prevent thieves from accessing your data, even if they can bypass the lock screen. iOS provides a built-in way to lock apps with Face ID or Touch ID , and almost all sensitive apps on Android, such as those used by banks, require you to use biometric locks by default.

You can lock apps on iOS by long-pressing the app icon on your home screen, app library, or Spotlight search and selecting Require Face ID . Android doesn’t offer a built-in way to lock any device with a biometric lock, but you can lock any app in Android’s Private space to force biometric verification before accessing the app. These apps are also hidden by default from your regular app drawer, so thieves will have a hard time finding sensitive apps in the first place.

4. Turn on any tracking features

Apple's Find My network is extensive, with millions of devices around the world pinging each other's locations on a map. You can also mark a lost iPhone in iCloud to help locate it through Apple's Find My network.

These features lock your phone, so even if a thief knows the passcode, they'll still be locked out of your device, as it requires Face ID or Touch ID to work. You can even find your iPhone if it's offline in some cases.

Google is also working on improving its own tracking network, and the Find My app is getting a lot better with upcoming versions of Android. According to How-To Geek, Moto Tag, the Android version of AirTag, will gain ultra-wideband support for more accurate tracking in 2025. This feature is expected to be introduced in more Android trackers in the future.

More advanced tracking features require certain hardware, and if you’re using a budget or mid-range Android phone, you probably won’t have access to them. However, Find Hub (formerly Find My Device) still works even when the phone is turned off, so there’s a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.

5. Enable factory reset protection

Android has factory reset protection that makes your phone virtually unusable if it's stolen. When a factory reset is initiated through the recovery menu or through Find Hub, Android automatically activates these protections. This requires you to enter your most recent PIN, password, pattern, or sign in to the last Google account associated with the phone to verify ownership.

Without this data, the phone will fail to get past the initial setup phase, rendering it useless. Google is working to improve this further in Android 16 by forcing the phone to go through another factory reset, and restricting all functionality if a factory reset is performed without permission.

6. Always keep your phone updated

This may seem obvious, but the best way to make sure you have all the latest privacy and security protections is to keep your phone up to date. Both Google and Apple are constantly releasing features to protect your phone from online attacks and theft. Updating your phone as soon as those updates are released will ensure you have the latest features.

7. Use a phone strap

This might be the oldest trick in the book, but if you don't want something stolen, attaching it to your body with a phone strap can be a pretty effective way to prevent phone snatching.

Many people don’t like this method. Leaving your phone hanging around while you’re out and about may protect it from snatching and theft, but it also means you’re more likely to bump it into random objects. Risking a broken screen to protect your phone from theft isn’t the protection many people are looking for.

However, this method is the strongest defense you can have against phone theft. If you are in a crowded area, thieves and pickpockets can sneak away with your phone. Having your phone attached to your body gives you a better chance of catching the thief in the act.