- Google has announced a variety of theft protection improvements for Android devices.
- This includes a toggle for Failed Authentication Lock, a more comprehensive Identity Check feature, and a more secure Remote Lock tool.
- Google is also enabling Remote Lock and Theft Detection Lock by default in Brazil.
Google introduced some notable theft protection features to Android in 2024, and it’s continued to build on that foundation since then. Now, the company has announced a slew of upgrades that are now rolling out to Android phones.
For starters, Android 16 devices are gaining two screen lock improvements. The first is a dedicated toggle for Failed Authentication Lock. This feature originally launched on Android 15 and automatically locks the device’s display after multiple failed authentication attempts in your settings or apps. The feature didn’t have a toggle at the time, although we spotted evidence for one in July, so the company is now giving you more control. Google is also increasing the lockout time after multiple failed unlock attempts in a bid to make life tougher for thieves. However, the company says identical incorrect guesses won’t count as a retry.
