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Keep your device up to date
One of the best ways to protect your device is to keep it up to date. That means installing the latest security patches and updates as soon as they’re available.
Why you should keep your device up to date
Most people don’t think about their phone’s software until something goes wrong. But like any other piece of technology, your phone’s operating system (OS) needs regular updates to patch security holes and deliver new features.
Unfortunately, many of us don’t realize how important these updates are until it’s too late. In 2016, for example, the WannaCry ransomware attack hit more than 150 countries and downed hospitals, businesses, and transportation systems. The attack exploits a Windows vulnerability that was patched two months earlier — but only for newer versions of the OS. Older versions, like Windows XP, remained vulnerable.
That’s why it’s so important to keep your phone — and all your devices — up to date. By running the latest version of your OS, you can close security holes before hackers have a chance to exploit them. And you’ll get new features and improvements too.
How to keep your device up to date
One of the easiest ways to protect your device is to keep it up to date. Software updates patch security vulnerabilities as they are discovered, so it is important to install them as soon as they become available. Here are some tips for staying on top of updates:
-Check for updates regularly: Most devices will prompt you when an update is available, but you can also check manually. For iPhones and iPads, go to Settings > General > Software Update. For Android devices, go to Settings > About Phone/About Device > System Updates.
-Install updates promptly: Once an update is available, install it as soon as possible. If you’re prompted to reboot after an update, do so right away.
-Set up automatic updates: Many newer devices allow you to set up automatic updates, so you don’t have to remember to check and install them yourself. For iPhones and iPads, go to Settings > iTunes & App Store and toggle the ‘Updates’ switch to ‘On’. For Android devices, go to Settings > About Phone/About Device > System Updates and select ‘Auto-update’.
Use a passcode
A passcode is a great way to protect your device because it will prevent anyone from being able to access your device if they do not know the code. You can use a passcode to lock your device, so that only you can unlock it. This is a great way to protect your device from thieves or anyone who might try to access your device without your permission.
Why you should use a passcode
smartphones are personal devices that often hold sensitive information. Whether it’s banking details, work emails or embarrassing photos, there’s a lot of stuff on our phones that we wouldn’t want falling into the wrong hands.
One of the simplest and most effective ways of protecting your device is to set a passcode. That way, even if your phone falls into the wrong hands, whoever has it will need your passcode to access anything on it.
There are a few different types of passcodes you can set on your phone, but we recommend using a six-digit passcode as it’s much more difficult to guess than a four-digit one.
To set a passcode on an iPhone:
go to Settings > Touch ID & Passcode (or Face ID & Passcode if you have an iPhone X) and enter your current passcode. Then tap Change Passcode and enter a new six-digit code.
To set a passcode on an Android:
go to Settings > Security & Location > Screen Lock and select Pattern, PIN or Password. We recommend choosing a PIN or password as these are more difficult to guess than patterns.
How to set up a passcode
A passcode is a code that is used to access a device, system or application. You may be asked to enter a passcode when you turn on your device or wake it up, after you’ve used certain features, or when you make changes to your device’s settings.
You can create a passcode that is four or six digits long, or you can create a longer, more complex passcode. If you enter the wrong passcode too many times, you’ll see a message that says your device is disabled. If you can’t remember your passcode, you’ll need to erase your device and start over.
To set up a passcode:
- Go to Settings > Touch ID & Passcode (iPhone 5s and later) or Settings > Passcode (earlier iPhones).
- Tap Turn Passcode On.
- Enter a six-digit passcode.
- Re-enter the six-digit passcode to confirm it and activate Face ID or Touch ID.
Use Touch ID or Face ID
Your fingerprint or your face is the best password. It’s unique to you and it’s nearly impossible to guess. If someone does manage to guess it, they’d need your physical device to access your data. That’s why Touch ID and Face ID are the best way to protect your device.
Why you should use Touch ID or Face ID
Your phone is one of the most important things in your life. It holds all your contacts, social media, messages, and possibly even banking information. So it’s important to protect it from thieves and hackers.
One of the best ways to do this is to use a security measure like Touch ID or Face ID. Touch ID is a fingerprint scanner that is built into many iPhones and iPads. Face ID uses facial recognition to unlock your device.
There are a few reasons why you should use Touch ID or Face ID:
- It’s more secure than a passcode. A passcode can be guessed or brute forced by someone who knows what they’re doing. But Touch ID and Face ID are much more difficult to hack.
- It’s more convenient than a passcode. You don’t have to remember a long string of numbers or letters when you can just use your fingerprint or face.
- It’s faster than a passcode. When you’re in a hurry, you don’t want to have to enter a passcode every time you want to unlock your phone. With Touch ID or Face ID, it’s a quick and easy way to get into your device.
How to set up Touch ID or Face ID
There’s no one true way to protect your device, but adding an extra layer of security never hurts. One popular way to do this is by using Touch ID or Face ID. Here’s a quick guide on how to set up either system on your device:
Touch ID
To set up Touch ID, open the Settings app and tap on Touch ID & Passcode. From here, you can add a new fingerprint by following the on-screen instructions. Once you’ve added a fingerprint, you can use it to unlock your device, make purchases in iTunes and the App Store, and more.
Face ID
To set up Face ID, open the Settings app and tap on Face ID & Passcode. From here, you can follow the on-screen instructions to add a new face. Once you’ve added a face, you can use it to unlock your device and make purchases in iTunes and the App Store. You can also use Face ID to authenticate Apple Pay transactions and sign into apps that support it.
Use Find My iPhone
One of the easiest ways to protect your device is to use Find My iPhone. This is a built-in feature for iOS devices that allows you to track your device if it is lost or stolen. You can also remotely lock or wipe your device if it is lost or stolen.
Why you should use Find My iPhone
Find My iPhone is a built-in app on every iOS device that lets you find your device if it’s lost or stolen. You can also use it to remotely erase all the data on your device, preventing anyone from accessing your personal information. If you have an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, you should definitely use Find My iPhone. Here’s why:
- It’s free and easy to set up.
- It’s accurate and quick.
- It can help you remotely erase your data.
- It can help you find your device if it’s lost or stolen.
If you lose your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, simply go to iCloud.com/find or use the Find My iPhone app to find your device and take action accordingly. If it’s just misplaced, you can use the “Play Sound” feature to make it emit a loud noise so you can find it quickly and easily. If it’s been stolen, you can remotely lock the device with a passcode and send a message to the thief with your contact information (so they can return the device to you), or you can remotely erase all the data on the device so the thief won’t be able to access your personal information.
Find My iPhone is an incredibly useful tool that every iOS user should take advantage of. It’s free, easy to set up, and could potentially save you a lot of time, money, and hassle if your device is ever lost or stolen.
How to use Find My iPhone
If you lose your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch or think it might be stolen, these steps might help you find it and protect your data.
If Find My [device] is turned on, you can use it to help find your device:
Open the Find My app.
Tap the Devices tab, then choose a device.
Check the map to see where your device is located. If the location isn’t shown or needs to be updated, tap Actions > Refresh Location.
Tap the device and select one of these options:
Play Sound: If your missing device is nearby, playing a sound can help you find it. The sound plays even if your device is in Silent mode. If you have iOS 11 or later and your missing device has an A11 Bionic chip or later processor (like the iPhone 8 Plus), playing a sound uses low power mode to reduce battery usage.
Mark As Lost: This puts your missing device in Lost Mode. You can also add a phone number where people who find your device can reach you and optionally display a message on your missing device’s Lock screen. People who have found your device can visit Apple Support to learn how they can returned it to you without seeing any of your personal information on the device they found. When you mark your device as lost and enable Lost Mode, any credit or debit cards that are used with Apple Pay on that device are suspended so that they cannot be used for purchases
Use Two-Factor Authentication
One of the best ways to protect your device is to use two-factor authentication. Two-factor authentication is an extra layer of security that requires you to enter a code from your phone in addition to your password when you log in. This makes it much harder for someone to hack into your account because they would need both your password and your phone.
Why you should use Two-Factor Authentication
We’ve all been there – you lose your phone, or it gets stolen, and suddenly you’re scrambling to remember all the different accounts and passwords that were on it. In an era where we store more and more of our personal and professional lives on our phones, it’s more important than ever to make sure they are as secure as possible.
One of the best ways to do this is to enable two-factor authentication (also known as 2FA) on your accounts. 2FA adds an extra layer of security by requiring you to enter both a password and a one-time code that is generated by an app or sent to your phone in order to login. Even if somebody has your password, they won’t be able to login without also having access to your phone.
Most major websites and apps – including Google, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram – support 2FA, so there’s no excuse not to enable it on your accounts. It only takes a few minutes to set up, and it could save you a lot of headaches down the road.
How to set up Two-Factor Authentication
Setting up Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) is one of the best ways to protect your devices and accounts from being hacked. 2FA adds an extra layer of security by requiring you to confirm your identity with a second factor, such as a code from a physical security key or an authentication app.
If you’re not using 2FA, hackers can easily gain access to your accounts by stealing your password. Even if you have a strong password, hackers can use sophisticated methods to figure it out. With 2FA in place, even if hackers have your password, they won’t be able to access your accounts without the second factor.
There are two main types of 2FA: SMS-based 2FA and app-based 2FA. SMS-based 2FA is the most common type, but it’s also the least secure. Hackers can intercept the text messages that are sent to your phone, and they can also impersonate you to your carrier in order to get them to route text messages to a different phone. App-based 2FA is more secure because it sends codes through an app that’s less vulnerable to hacking.
You can set up 2FA for most of your online accounts, including Google, Facebook, Apple ID, Microsoft accounts, Twitter, and more. Many accounts also let you use a physical security key for two-factor authentication. Security keys are the most secure way to protect your accounts, but they’re not as convenient as using an app.
To set up Two-Factor Authentication:
1) Go to the Security settings for the account you want to protect. For example, here are instructions for Google Accounts and Microsoft Accounts.
2) Under “Signing in to Google,” select 2-Step Verification. If you see “2-Factor Authentication” instead of “2-Step Verification,” follow those instructions instead. If you don’t see either option under “Signing in to Google,” it’s not available for your account at this time.”
3) Select Get started and follow the prompts.”
