Smartphones are becoming an integral part of our day to day lives; they are used for alarms, calculators, socialising, shopping, banking and much more. For ease of use, many of us keep our accounts logged in; however, by doing this you can be at risk of someone gaining access to your private details and data. With our phones now used for so much, this would be akin to them having access to your whole life. If you were to lose your phone or it is stolen, the worst-case scenario is that it leads onto theft of either money or your identity. In this blog, we take a look at the ways in which you can keep your phone safe and secure.

Use A Strong Password

It is essential that you use a strong password for your lock screen to keep your phone secure. Don’t be that person to use ‘password’ because this is incredibly popular, and your device will be far easier to hack. There are various phone locking methods nowadays, including PIN codes, facial recognition and fingerprint scanners. These are all great methods; however, with a password, there are so many different combinations that it could be, that it can make it nearly impossible for a hacker to figure out, so long as it isn’t your name (that would be very obvious).

Don’t Use Third-Party Apps

A simple way to put your device at risk is to download third-party apps. Access to your phone can be gained through malware, and you are more exposed to this if you don’t stick to the official apps. Furthermore, third-party apps may contain viruses that can harm your phone. By using official apps, you can avoid any intrusions as they are blocked.

Avoid Public Wi-Fi Networks

When in public, it is always tempting to connect to an open Wi-Fi network; you can save your mobile data and still check social media or watch a video. However, by connecting to public Wi-Fi, you are exposing your device to potential harm. Hackers can use these networks to gain access to your phone and therefore, view your personal information. For more information on why public Wi-Fi is so risky, take a look at our previous blog!

Track Your Phone

Whether you are an iPhone or Android user, there are a variety of apps that you can install which can track the whereabouts of your device. Using this service can help you to find your phone, should it get lost or stolen. For iPhone users, you want to use “Find My iPhone”, and for Android users, you want to use “Find My Device”. Both of these apps allow you to lock the device or erase its data remotely; this can be incredibly helpful if your phone is stolen as it can prevent the thief from gaining access to your information.

Log Out

It makes life easier remaining logged into your apps such as Facebook or emails, but you are making it easier for hackers to gain access. Thankfully, most mobile banking apps now require a password, fingerprint or face ID to open the app, but with other apps that store personal data, the same doesn’t apply. For example, if someone gains access to your emails, they can view all of your communications, this could include information that you wish to keep private. It may seem like an annoying task having to log out and in whenever you wish to use an app, but if you want to keep your phone safe and secure, this is definitely something to consider.

Put A Lock on Your Apps

While using a lock on your phone is useful and will work as a barrier, using a lock on your apps will only make it more difficult for people to access them. For Android users, there is “App Lock” which lets you add a PIN, password or fingerprint to access apps of your choice, such as emails and banking. Unfortunately, for iPhone users, in order to use a similar app, you would need to jailbreak your phone, and this isn’t advised for security reasons. Thankfully, as previously mentioned, more and more apps are starting to use touch ID to lock them.

Now that you know how to protect your phone from security breaches, it is time to consider how you are preventing those around you from viewing what is on your screen. Most of us, if not all of us, have experienced the moment when you are in public and you can just feel someone peering over your shoulder to have a nosey at what you are doing on your phone. Thankfully, here at Viascreens, we have a solution; a phone privacy screen! You can block those around you from seeing your display; only you will be able to view it. For more information on how these screen protectors work, take a look at our previous blog! Along with privacy screens, we also have a range of other protectors suitable for a variety of devices, including laptops and tablets. Take a look at our online store today and find the perfect protector for your device!