Why secure your smartphone?
Modern smartphones hold extremely sensitive information: personal photos, private messages, banking details, location history, work email and much more. A leak of this data can seriously harm your privacy and your safety.
Essential security measures
Always turn on a PIN, password or biometric lock. Keep your operating system and apps up to date to get the latest security fixes. Avoid connecting your phone to unsecured public Wi-Fi, or use a VPN if you must.
Managing app permissions
Review the permissions you have granted to your apps regularly. Many ask for more access than they need. Limit access to location, contacts, camera and microphone to the apps that really need them to work.
Encryption and backups
Turn on full-disk encryption on your smartphone. On iOS it is on by default. On Android, check your security settings. Back up your data regularly, but make sure the backups are encrypted too.
Your smartphone is probably the most personal device you own. Treat its security as seriously as it deserves.