Built-In Phone Privacy Tools: iPhone Safety Check and Android Security Settings
Before installing anything, use the privacy tools your phone already has. Apple and Google have each built a central place to see who and what can access your location, photos, camera, and accounts, plus protections that make a stolen phone much less useful to a thief. They are free, and they take about 10 minutes to review.
This review is part of our Privacy Toolkit. It is based on Apple’s and Google’s own support guides, checked October 6, 2026. Menu names can differ slightly by phone model and software version.
At a glance
- Best for: Everyone with a smartphone, and especially anyone who has shared a phone or account with an ex-partner, or who is setting up a parent’s phone.
- Price: Free and already installed.
- Works on: Safety Check on iPhone with iOS 16 or later; Security and privacy settings on Android 13 or later; theft protection features on Android 10 or later, with some needing Android 15.
- Our verdict: Top pick. Do this before anything else in the toolkit.
iPhone: Safety Check
Find it in Settings, Privacy & Security, Safety Check. It needs an Apple Account with two-factor authentication turned on. It offers two paths:
- Manage Sharing & Access walks you through who you share location, photos, notes, and other information with, and which apps can use your location, camera, microphone, and contacts. You can stop sharing person by person or app by app.
- Emergency Reset immediately stops sharing with all people and apps, and helps you review your emergency contacts, devices signed in to your account, and account security. It is designed for someone whose personal safety may be at risk.
A Quick Exit button closes Settings instantly if someone walks in. Safety Check can’t change sharing inside social media or non-Apple accounts.
iPhone: Stolen Device Protection
In Settings, Face ID & Passcode, turn on Stolen Device Protection. When your iPhone is away from familiar places like home or work, it requires Face ID or Touch ID, not just your passcode, for sensitive actions such as viewing saved passwords or changing your Apple Account password, and adds a security delay for some changes. That stops a thief who watched you type your passcode.
Android: Security and privacy
On Android 13 and later, open Settings, then Security and privacy. You’ll see a status summary that says “Looks good” or lists risks, plus:
- App security warnings from Google Play Protect.
- Device lock and fingerprint settings.
- Account security warnings for your Google Account.
- System updates status.
- Privacy controls, including the privacy dashboard that shows which apps used your location, camera, or microphone recently, and the permission manager.
Android: Theft protection
- Theft Detection Lock uses the phone’s sensors to lock the screen if it detects the phone being snatched.
- Offline Device Lock locks the screen if a thief takes the phone offline to stop tracking.
- Remote Lock lets you lock your phone from android.com/lock using your phone number.
- Identity Check (Android 15 and later on supported phones) requires your fingerprint or face for sensitive changes when you are away from trusted places.
Where these tools fall short
- They only cover the phone and the Apple or Google account. Sharing inside apps like Snapchat or Life360 must be changed in those apps. See Family Location Sharing.
- Older phones may lack some features. If your phone can’t update to a recent version, consider that a reason to replace it.
- Parental controls can limit them. On a child’s phone managed by Screen Time or Family Link, some settings are restricted.
A 10-minute phone privacy checkup
- Update the phone to the latest software.
- Run the checkup. iPhone: Safety Check, Manage Sharing & Access. Android: Security and privacy, and fix anything flagged.
- Review who sees your location. Remove anyone who shouldn’t.
- Turn on theft protection. iPhone: Stolen Device Protection. Android: Theft Detection Lock and Offline Device Lock.
- Trim app permissions. Set location to “While using” or “Never” for apps that don’t need it, and remove camera, microphone, and contacts access from apps you don’t trust.
- Check signed-in devices on your Apple or Google account and remove any you don’t recognize.
Tips for families and older adults
- Do this checkup together when you set up a parent’s new phone, and again once a year.
- If you are leaving an abusive relationship, Safety Check’s Emergency Reset can cut off sharing quickly, but changes can be noticed. Consider talking with an advocate first; the National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233.
- For children’s phones, see iPhone Screen Time and Google Family Link.
Our recommendation
Do the 10-minute checkup today, before installing any privacy app. Turn on Stolen Device Protection or Android Theft protection, cut location sharing to the people who need it, and remove permissions you don’t recognize.
FAQ
Will Safety Check tell people I stopped sharing with them?
Apple says the people won’t receive a notification, but they may notice that sharing stopped.
Do I need a security app on my phone?
For most people, no. Keeping the phone updated, installing apps only from the official store, and using these built-in settings covers the basics.
Where is the setting on my Samsung phone?
Samsung uses its own menus. Search Settings for “Security and privacy” or “Theft protection.”
Sources
- Apple, “How Safety Check works on iPhone,” Personal Safety User Guide, support.apple.com, accessed October 6, 2026.
- Google, “Protect your personal data against theft,” support.google.com/android/answer/15146908, accessed October 6, 2026.
- Google, “Android security and privacy settings,” support.google.com/android/answer/13985942, accessed October 6, 2026.
Photo: SHVETS production via Pexels. Pexels License.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Features vary by phone model, carrier, and software version.
