Google is upgrading Android’s built-in security suite with tougher protections for personal data and financial apps.
These improvements build on the foundation of Android’s anti-theft system, originally introduced in 2024 for devices running Android 10 and above. The latest changes aim to shut down common tactics used by criminals.
A major focus is hardening the lock screen against brute-force attacks. Google is extending the time a device remains locked after incorrect PIN or password entries. Additionally, phones receiving the upcoming Android 16 update will get more user control over a security function that fully seizes up the screen after multiple failed unlock tries. This feature, which debuted in Android 15, will have its own dedicated settings.
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The update also directly targets potential banking fraud. A security check, which requires biometric verification like a fingerprint, will now trigger more broadly. It will apply to any app that uses Android’s standard biometric login system, including major financial services and Google’s built-in password vault.
For users who need to act fast after a theft, the web-based tool at android.com/lock allows a device to be locked remotely. Google is now safeguarding this tool itself by adding an optional verification question, so only the owner can initiate a remote lock.
Google is also changing the default setup for phones in Brazil. Every new Android device sold and activated there will now come with two key anti-theft protections automatically enabled from the start.