Having my iPhone stolen is one of my worst nightmares, but I’m prepared to deal with the problem. I’ve enabled all the anti-theft protections Apple has for the handset, including the Stolen Device Protection feature that Apple rolled out last year. I have data backups as well, so restoring all my data to a new iPhone will be very simple.
I’d want to be just as careful with an Android device, which is why I’m thrilled to see Google release a feature that mirrors Apple’s Stolen Device Protection functionality.
Google on Thursday announced Identity Check, an Android 15 feature that uses biometrics to secure key regions of the phone in case someone accesses it outside of trusted places. That way, your data is protected even if your phone is stolen, and the thieves know the PIN that locks your screen.
Google detailed Identity Check in a blog post, saying that Pixel phones and Samsung devices running One UI 7 (Android 15) will be the first to get it. Since One UI 7 will be available only on the new Galaxy S25 phones initially, you’ll have to wait a while to enable it on any other devices.
Google will make Identity Check available to other Android phones later this year.
Identity Check will be optional, so you’ll need to turn it on in the Theft protection menu on your Android 15 phone. Once you enable it, the phone will require biometric authentication to “access certain sensitive resources when you’re outside of trusted locations.”
Google says Identity Check will enable enhanced protection for device settings and the Google Accounts you might use on supported devices. It’ll also bring “additional security” for Samsung Accounts. An attacker would have a more difficult time taking over those accounts, which could safeguard all sorts of data.
Identity Check will require biometric authentication when you (or someone else) try to access those accounts or settings from an unknown location. However, you can designate trusted locations in the app, so biometrics will not be needed at home, work, and other places where you spend considerable time.
Once enabled, Identity Check will make it impossible for thieves to do things like change the phone’s PIN, disable biometrics, and disable theft protection. In addition to Google and Samsung accounts, Passkeys will also be protected.
Google also announced that Theft Detection Lock, which uses on-device AI algorithms to determine whether a phone may have been forcibly taken, now works on more devices. You need Android 10 or later to enable the feature.
