Mobile phones are no longer what they used to be, when they were used almost exclusively for sending and receiving messages and calls. Today, they are more than just means of communication. They can be used not only to browse the Internet and the different social networks, or to play games, edit photos and a thousand other things. They also contain our most personal and sensitive data, such as bank details, emails, access to applications, services and payment and street addresses, and everything else you can imagine. In other words, they are a bank of information. In other words, If someone gets hold of your smartphone, they can discover many things about your most intimate life. That's why it's important to protect everything in it and prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. And luckily, this can be done in many ways.
There are little tricks to safeguard your privacy on your smartphone that you will surely be grateful to have known. These will help you protect your personal data and the most valuable files you have on thisand, preventing any sensitive information from being leaked about your life and that of your closest friends, family and colleagues. Let's see what they are.
Snooping on a phone is a very tempting thing for some people. And, unfortunately, it is not a very difficult thing to do. With just access to the unlock code and a few other things, you can see everything on it, from files, images and videos to passwords, notifications, addresses, payment data, bank and card information, phone numbers, access to accounts of all kinds (social networks, banks…), GPS locations and more. It is not for nothing that many people see their security compromised by not protecting them properly. And that is why there are many cases of information theft and hacking. But this can be avoided. You just have to apply these little tricks to safeguard your privacy on your smartphone…
Create long and secure passwords
We start with the simplest thing, which is create a strong security password. This is the most basic advice of all, but unfortunately, not everyone follows it. Some people create very simple passwords like “1234” or “1111,” which are very easy to guess, especially for those with malicious intentions. Others use their birthday or that of a close friend as their password. This should be avoided at all costs.
A phone's unlock password can be four or more digits or characters long. The longer it is, the better. It should also be as complicated as possible, but not so complicated that you can forget it overnight. You can also write it down and store it somewhere safe so that if you forget it, you can easily retrieve it. Try to make passwords that use numbers and letters. If your phone only allows you to use numbers or letters for passwords, not both simultaneously, avoid having these characters repeated in a row or made too predictable. It must also be a unique password, not one you've used anywhere else.
To create or change a mobile phone's security password, go to the settings and enter the security section. In the case of Android, you can create written or pattern passwords; we recommend that they be written. On iPhones, only numeric passwords can be created.
And the same applies to passwords for apps and accounts. Make passwords long and free of personal information. The more characters they have, the better, as they are more secure. Don't use the same password for different things. Make sure each service, app, and account has its own password. Remember that these will help protect your personal information.
Avoid connecting to public Wi-Fi networks without a VPN
Public Wi-Fi networks are very dangerous There may be hackers and people with malicious intentions connected to these, waiting for an average user to connect to access their information through it. Examples include airports, shopping malls and squares. These are usually full of hackers, and you don't know when someone will try to steal your information and violate your personal data. Therefore, they should be avoided.
In case you need to connect to one, do it with a VPN. You can download it for free from the Play Store or App Store; there are many. These will serve as a shield against hackers as they hide your true identity on the networks and encrypt your browsing so that it is difficult to filter, helping you to safeguard your privacy on your smartphone.
Keep your smartphone software up to date
We continue with more tricks to safeguard your privacy on your smartphone… This is one of the simplest, but also one that can save you a lot of headaches, and it is related to your mobile's software.
Security starts with strong software equipped with the latest protection against the latest threats. That's why it must be kept up to date at all times. And to do this, you must have the latest version of the OS, which usually contains the most recent security patch that the manufacturer has released.
To do this, go to your smartphone settings and enter the section About of the phone (Steps may vary depending on the model and brand of your device.) Now look for the operating system section and enter it. There you will find the option to download the latest software update (if one is available).
On iPhone, you just have to go to Settings>> General>> Software Update. Then you must choose between Update Now o Update tonight.
Block the apps
If you already have a security password set on your phone to unlock it, well done. You can bet it is now more protected. However, this may not be enough since, if someone takes it unlocked, they can snoop around in your smartphone since they will have access to all your applications. That is why It is also recommended to block apps so that when you open them, they require a password and not just anyone can use them.
To activate the app lock, you just have to go to your phone's settings. Then, go to the section for passwords, security and privacy restrictions. And finally, look for the option that allows you to set a security password for your applications. The steps may vary slightly, depending on the phone, its brand and its customization layer.
Finally, be sure to follow the tips on long, strong passwords we talked about earlier.
Use the hide files feature
You can also easily hide files on your smartphone, in order to safeguard your privacy and protect your personal information. There are many ways to do this, and these will depend on the mobile you have, as well as the Android version of it, the customization layer and the manufacturer of the device. It will also depend on the applications you use, as there are some that allow you to hide files such as images and videos, unlike some others, which do not.
Some mobiles have a native function called “Secure Folder” or “Hidden Folder”. Of course, the name of the app may change, but they serve the same function, which is to hide files and protect them with a password. To find it, you have to access the privacy and security settings, or enter the feature through the application drawer.
If your phone doesn't have this feature to hide files, you can download an app from the Play Store. Apps like Photos and Files, both from Google, make it easy to hide images and files.
