Your phone and tablet: updates, locks and finding a lost one
Turn on automatic updates, set a real passcode, make sure a lost phone can be found and erased, and check which apps and people can see what.
- Start here: the essentials
- 1. Updates: install what is waiting, then let them install themselves
- 2. How long a phone gets updates
- 3. The screen lock: six or more digits and a short auto-lock
- 4. Finding a lost phone, and theft protection
- 5. Apps, permissions and who else has access
- 6. See it
- 7. Practice
- 8. Your setup
- 9. Check your work
- 10. Knowledge check and scenario
Start here Essentials
At minimum, take one phone or tablet through four settings and write what you find on the device list. Everything marked Go deeper can wait.
- Install any waiting update and turn on automatic updates (updates).
- Set a passcode of six or more digits and an auto-lock time (the screen lock).
- Check that Find My or Find Hub is on (finding a lost phone).
- Turn on Stolen Device Protection or theft protection if your phone offers it (theft protection).
- Write each one on the device list, with when the phone stops getting updates (how long a phone gets updates).
Minimum time: about 30 minutes, plus however long a waiting update takes to install. Done when: the device list shows the phone with automatic updates on, a passcode of six or more digits, and find-and-erase on.
1. Updates: install what is waiting, then let them install themselves Understand
A phone runs on system software: iOS on an iPhone, iPadOS on an iPad, Android on most other phones and tablets. A software update is a new version of that system software from the maker. Many updates carry security fixes, which close weaknesses that someone could use to get into the phone or its data. Apple calls keeping software up to date "one of the most important things you can do" for security (Apple, Update your iPhone or iPad). The Federal Trade Commission's phone page puts automatic updates first among its steps, and says to keep apps updated too (FTC, How To Protect Your Phone From Hackers, July 2022). Convention
The steps below do two things: install any update that is already waiting, then turn on the setting that installs future ones by itself. If you have not opened these settings before, do one step, then the next.
On an iPhone or iPad
Apple lists three things to do before an update: back up, plug the phone into power, and connect to Wi-Fi. Backups shows where to see the date of your last backup. Product-specific
- Plug the iPhone or iPad into its charger.
- Check that it is connected to Wi-Fi.
- On the Home Screen, tap Settings.
- In Settings, tap General.
- In General, tap Software Update.
- If an update is listed, tap Download and Install (some versions say Update Now), and follow what the screen asks.
- When the update has finished, go back to Settings, then General, then Software Update.
- Tap Automatic Updates.
- Turn on Automatically Install. If you see Automatically Download as a separate switch, turn that on too.
In short: Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates.
With Automatically Install on, Apple says the update downloads and installs overnight while the phone is charging and on Wi-Fi, and that you are told before it installs. With only Automatically Download on, the update waits for you to install it. Product-specific
On an Android phone or tablet (Pixel shown)
Google says to connect to Wi-Fi and charge to at least 75 percent before you update, and that most system updates and security patches install automatically. On a Pixel, a downloaded update installs in the background and takes effect at the next restart. So there is no switch to turn on; you check that nothing is waiting, and restart when the phone asks (Google, Check & update your Android version). Other makers' menus differ. Product-specific
- Connect the phone to Wi-Fi.
- Plug it in, or check that the battery is at 75 percent or more.
- Open the Settings app.
- In Settings, tap System.
- In System, tap Software updates (some versions say Software update).
- Read the update status. If an update is offered, follow the steps on the screen.
- If the phone asks you to restart, tap Restart now, or restart it yourself when you are done using it.
In short: Settings > System > Software updates.
Google says Pixel updates roll out gradually and can take a few weeks to reach a given phone (Google, When you'll get software updates on Pixel phones). Product-specific
On a Samsung Galaxy phone or tablet
Samsung's path has a switch for automatic downloads. Samsung warns that while an update installs, the phone can't be used, including for calls to emergency services, so start it at a time you will not need the phone. Some carriers require Wi-Fi to update, and the process may need repeating (Samsung, How to update your Galaxy phone or tablet). Product-specific
- Connect the phone to Wi-Fi and plug it in.
- Open the Settings app.
- In Settings, tap Software update (some models say System updates).
- Tap Download and install. Depending on the carrier, it may say Check for software updates or Check for system updates instead.
- If an update downloads, follow the steps on the screen to install it.
- Back on the Software update screen, turn on Auto download over Wi-Fi.
In short: Settings > Software update > Download and install, then Auto download over Wi-Fi.
Read which version you have
The device list and the next section both need the version. Each device shows it on an About screen.
- iPhone or iPad: in Settings, tap General, then tap About. It shows the "iOS software version" ("iPadOS" on an iPad) and the Model Name, such as iPhone 13 (Apple, iPhone User Guide: Get information about your iPhone; the iPad User Guide page gives the same path). In short:
Settings > General > About. - Android (Pixel shown): in Settings, tap About phone (About tablet on a tablet), then tap Android version. It shows the Android version and the Android security update date, the date of the newest security fixes on the phone. In short:
Settings > About phone > Android version. - Samsung Galaxy: in Settings, tap About phone (or About tablet), then tap Software information. In short:
Settings > About phone > Software information.
Write the version on the device list in the "system and version" column, and tick "updates automatic" once the switch is on. On Android, note the security update date too: if it is many months old and the phone says it is up to date, the next section explains what that can mean. Junk call and text settings are covered in Recognizing scams.
2. How long a phone gets updates
Every phone stops getting updates at some point. Software in that state is called end of life: it no longer gets updates from the maker. The phone keeps working, but problems found after that date stay unfixed. CISA, the federal agency for cybersecurity, says using end-of-life software "poses consequential risk," and its rule is short: "Do not use unsupported EOL software" (CISA, Understanding Patches and Software Updates). Convention
So the device list has a column for "gets updates until." Makers state their rules in different ways. The How long devices get updates table has the rows by model; this section explains how to read your own.
iPhone and iPad: Apple publishes no end date
Apple does not publish a number of years, or an end date, for software updates on any iPhone or iPad. It says only the newest major version gets every fix: its deployment guide says "not all known security issues are addressed in previous versions," and that older devices may not be able to upgrade if they lack the hardware a new version needs (Apple Platform Deployment, About software updates). Product-specific
The one place Apple shows which devices still get fixes is its security releases page, which lists each update and the devices it covers, after the fact. On 2026-10-19 the page listed iOS 27 for iPhone 11 and later, and an August 17, 2026 update to iOS 18 for iPhone XS, XS Max and XR and the 7th-generation iPad. So an iPhone XR was still getting some fixes in August 2026, on an older major version.
You will see "Apple supports iPhones for seven years" in articles. That is not what Apple says. Apple's vintage and obsolete products page promises parts and repair service for at least 5 years after it last sold a product, and up to 7 years when parts allow. That is a repair window, not a software update period. Product-specific
For an iPhone or iPad, write "not published." The device list fills that in for Apple devices on its own.
Google Pixel: a stated number of years
Google states a period for each Pixel, counted from the month the phone first went on sale on the Google Store in the US, not from the day you bought it. Pixel 8 and later get 7 years of Android and security updates. Pixel 6, 6a, 6 Pro, 7, 7a, 7 Pro and the Pixel Fold get 5 years. Pixel 5a and earlier no longer get Android version or security updates (Google, When you'll get software updates on Pixel phones). Google lists the start month for each model on a separate page (Google, Find when your Pixel device became available). The start month plus the number of years gives the end month. Product-specific
Samsung Galaxy: "up to 7 years," by model
Samsung says that as of January 2024 it extended security update support for Galaxy devices "by up to 7 years." Its security site lists which models get monthly, quarterly or twice-yearly updates; many Galaxy A, M and Tab models are on the quarterly list. It gives no end date per model, and says the lists change as support periods end and that timing varies by carrier and model (Samsung Mobile Security, Security Updates Scope). So for a Galaxy, the check is whether your model is on a list today. Product-specific
Other Android makers
Google says update schedules "vary by device, manufacturer, and mobile carrier," and tells owners of other Android devices to ask the maker or the carrier. Ask the maker or carrier
Two Android phones, two kinds of answer. Denise Okafor has a Pixel 8. Google lists the Pixel 8's start as October 2023 and gives Pixel 8 and later 7 years, so Denise writes "about October 2030" on her row. Walt Harmon has a Samsung Galaxy A-series phone. Samsung's page gives no date. Walt opens Settings > About phone to read his model name, then looks for it on Samsung's monthly and quarterly lists. Whether it is on a list is the open fact; the list settles it, and Walt writes what he finds with the date he checked. People, phones and results are fictional.
This manual cannot tell you when an iPhone or iPad will stop getting updates, because Apple does not publish it. The security releases page shows it only after the fact. A Pixel or Samsung date is the maker's statement on the day we read it; makers change these, and a date is not a promise that every update arrives until then. Passing a date does not mean the phone stops working that day. Whether and when to replace a phone is your decision; the date on the device list is there so you can plan it.
Reading Apple's security releases page
The page is a table: the update, the devices it is "available for," and the release date, newest first. Find your model name in the middle column of the top rows. Four rows from 2026-10-19:
| Update | Available for (as Apple lists it, shortened) | Released |
|---|---|---|
| iOS 27.0.1 and iPadOS 27.0.1 | iPhone 11 and later; iPad 9th generation and later; iPad Air 4th generation and later; iPad mini 6th generation and later; some iPad Pro models | September 28, 2026 |
| iOS 26.7.1 and iPadOS 26.7.1 | iPhone 11 and later; iPad 8th generation and later; iPad Air 3rd generation and later; iPad mini 5th generation and later; some iPad Pro models | September 28, 2026 |
| iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 | The same devices as iOS 27.0.1 | September 14, 2026 |
| iOS 18.7.10 and iPadOS 18.7.10 | iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, iPad 7th generation | August 17, 2026 |
A device on the newest major version is on the version Apple says gets every fix. A device listed only on an older major version, such as iOS 18, gets some fixes for a time, not every one. A device on no recent row has likely stopped getting updates, though Apple does not announce that day. Product-specific
3. The screen lock: six or more digits and a short auto-lock
A screen lock is what the phone asks for before it opens: a passcode (Apple's word for the number or code), a PIN (Android's word for a number), a pattern or a password. Auto-lock is the setting that locks the screen by itself after the phone sits unused for a set time.
Why six or more digits
The sources agree. The FTC says to use "at least a 6-digit passcode." Google says a PIN can be 4 or more numbers, "but a 6 digit PIN is recommended," and that longer PINs tend to be more secure (Google, Set screen lock on an Android device). Google's theft protection page says to use a PIN of six or more digits. Apple's default is six digits, and its guide calls a custom numeric or custom alphanumeric (letters and numbers) code the most secure (Apple, iPhone User Guide: Set a passcode). So the default here is six digits or more; letters and numbers are stronger if you will remember them. Convention
The lock does more than keep a stranger off the Home Screen. Apple says a passcode turns on data protection, which encrypts the iPhone's data. Google says a PIN, pattern or password encrypts the phone's backups. The Find Hub network, Stolen Device Protection and Android's theft protection each need a screen lock, and Google says "None" and "Swipe" give no protection. Product-specific
Pick a passcode you can remember and nobody could guess from your life: not a birthday, an address or the last digits of your phone number. Never write the passcode itself on the device list or any sheet in this manual. Its "screen lock" column records the kind of lock, not the code. Our convention
On an iPhone or iPad
- Open Settings.
- Tap Face ID & Passcode. On a model with a Home button it says Touch ID & Passcode; on a device with neither, it says Passcode.
- If the phone already has a passcode, enter it.
- Tap Turn Passcode On, or tap Change Passcode if one is set.
- To see the other choices, tap Passcode Options. The choices are a 4-digit code, a custom numeric code and a custom alphanumeric code; the default is 6 digits.
- Enter the new passcode, then enter it again to confirm.
In short: Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Turn Passcode On (or Change Passcode) (Apple, Use a passcode with your iPhone or iPad).
When you change a passcode on iOS 17 or later, Apple says the old one keeps working for 72 hours unless you end it. If you are changing the passcode because someone else knows the old one, tap Expire Previous Passcode Now on the same screen. Product-specific
On an Android phone or tablet (Pixel shown)
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Security. If you do not see Security, Google says to check your phone maker's support site for the name it uses.
- Tap Screen lock.
- If a lock is already set, enter it.
- Tap PIN and enter six or more digits, or tap Password for letters and numbers.
- Enter it again to confirm, and follow the rest of the steps on the screen.
In short: Settings > Security > Screen lock. Other makers' menus differ; on a Samsung Galaxy, use Samsung's own help for the exact names.
Face, fingerprint and the passcode behind them
Most phones also unlock with a face or a fingerprint. The FTC lists these as available options. They do not replace the passcode. Apple says an iPhone asks for the passcode after it restarts, after 48 hours without being unlocked, and after five failed Face ID or Touch ID tries, among other cases. The passcode is the lock; the face or fingerprint is a faster way through it. That is why the passcode itself still needs six or more digits. Product-specific
Auto-lock
The FTC says to set the phone to lock when it is not in use. No source we read names a number of minutes. Our convention is the shortest time that does not get in your way. Our convention
- iPhone: in Settings, tap Display & Brightness, tap Auto-Lock, then tap a time. In short:
Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock. We did not find an iPad page from Apple to check the same path against, so on an iPad, look for Auto-Lock under Display & Brightness and write on the device list what you find. - Android (Pixel shown): in Settings, tap Display & touch, tap Screen timeout, then tap a time. In short:
Settings > Display & touch > Screen timeout. Google says other makers put it under Settings > Display (Google, Change display settings on Pixel).
Two lock settings to know about before you turn them on
Erase Data (iPhone and iPad). Apple offers a switch that erases the device after ten failed passcode attempts. It stops guessing, and it also erases the phone after ten wrong tries by anyone, so it suits only a phone with a backup you have tested (Backups). Preference
Auto-confirm unlock (Android). Some Android phones can unlock as soon as the last digit is typed, without the Enter key. Google says it needs a PIN of at least 6 digits and that turning it on "may decrease the security" of the device. Product-specific
4. Finding a lost phone, and theft protection
Every phone in this manual has a built-in way to find it on a map, lock it and erase it from another device. This manual calls that find and erase; on Apple devices it is Find My, on Android it is Find Hub (formerly Find My Device), and Samsung adds its own. The setting has to be on before the phone goes missing. Apple's page says that if Find My was not on before the loss, the device will not appear and you can't mark it as lost or erase it (Apple, How to find your lost iPhone or iPad). That is why this check comes now, while the phone is in your hand. Product-specific
Find My on an iPhone or iPad
- Open Settings.
- Tap your name at the top.
- Tap Find My.
- Tap Find My iPhone (Find My iPad on an iPad) and turn it on.
- On the same screen, turn on Find My network, which helps find the device when it is offline.
- Turn on Send Last Location, which sends its location when the battery is nearly flat.
In short: Settings > [your name] > Find My > Find My iPhone (Apple, How to turn on Find My).
If the phone is lost, Apple says to use icloud.com/find on any computer or phone, another Apple device, or a Family Sharing member's device. Signing in at icloud.com/find needs no verification code, so it works even when the lost phone is the one that would get the code. Marking it as lost (Lost Mode) locks it with your passcode and suspends the cards in Apple Pay. Product-specific
Find Hub on an Android phone or tablet
Google says Find Hub turns on by itself when a Google Account is added to the phone. To use the wider Find Hub network, which can find a phone that is offline, the phone needs a PIN, pattern or password. For Find Hub to reach the phone, it must be on, connected to mobile data or Wi-Fi, signed in to the Google Account, and visible on Google Play (Google, Find, secure, or erase a lost Android device). Since there is no switch to turn on, the check is a test from another device. Test it
- On a computer, a tablet or another phone, open a web browser.
- Type android.com/find in the address bar and go to it.
- Sign in with the Google Account that is on your phone.
- Check that your phone is listed and shows a location.
- Sign out of the browser if it is not your own device.
In short: android.com/find, or the Find Hub app on another Android device. From there, Google says, you can ring the phone, mark it as lost, or erase it for good. Product-specific
Lost device protection on a Samsung Galaxy
Samsung's US pages name two services, SmartThings Find and Samsung Find, which turn on by default when a Samsung account is added. Google's Find Hub works on a Galaxy too (Samsung, How to locate your lost Galaxy phone or tablet).
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Security and privacy.
- Tap Lost device protection.
- Turn on Allow this phone to be found (Allow this tablet to be found on a tablet).
- Turn on Send last location.
- Turn on Offline finding.
In short: Settings > Security and privacy > Lost device protection. Samsung says screens may vary by carrier, software version and model. Product-specific
If a phone goes missing
The steps for the day it happens are in the quick start, and When something goes wrong covers the rest. Two points belong here, because they shape what you set up now. First, Apple and Samsung both say not to go after a stolen phone yourself; tell the police and the carrier instead (Apple, If your iPhone or iPad was stolen). Second, Apple says it "will never contact you" to say a lost iPhone or iPad has been found. So a text or call that says Apple found your phone, with a link to sign in, did not come from Apple. Open icloud.com/find or android.com/find yourself instead. Product-specific
Theft protection
Theft protection is a newer group of settings for a harder case: someone takes the phone after watching you type the passcode, and could use it to change your account password. Some of these settings lock the screen when the phone seems to be snatched or goes offline. Others make the most damaging changes need your face or fingerprint, or a wait, away from places the phone knows. Apple calls its version Stolen Device Protection; Google and Samsung call theirs Theft protection.
Stolen Device Protection on an iPhone
Apple says that away from familiar places such as home or work, Stolen Device Protection requires Face ID or Touch ID, with no passcode alternative, to use saved passwords or cards or to erase the phone. Changing the Apple Account password and some other settings also gets a Security Delay: Face ID or Touch ID, a one-hour wait, then Face ID or Touch ID again. It needs iOS 17.3 or later, two-factor authentication, a passcode, Face ID or Touch ID, Significant Locations and Find My, and must be on before a theft; Apple says it might already be on (Apple, About Stolen Device Protection for iPhone). We did not find it offered on iPad. Product-specific
- Open Settings.
- Tap Face ID & Passcode (Touch ID & Passcode on a phone with a Home button).
- Enter your passcode.
- Tap Stolen Device Protection.
- Turn on Stolen Device Protection.
In short: Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Stolen Device Protection. If two-factor authentication is not on yet, Two-step sign-in and passkeys turns it on.
Theft protection on an Android phone (Pixel shown)
Google's theft protection groups several locks: Theft Detection Lock (if the phone is snatched), Offline Device Lock (soon after it goes offline), Failed Authentication Lock (after repeated wrong tries) and Remote Lock (from any browser at android.com/lock, with your phone number). On some phones, Identity Check also requires a fingerprint or face for sensitive changes outside trusted places. Google says these need a screen lock, are not offered on Android Go devices, tablets or wearables, and vary by model (Google, Protect your personal data against theft). Product-specific
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Google.
- Tap All services.
- Under Personal & device safety, tap Theft protection.
- Turn on Theft Detection Lock, Offline Device Lock and Failed Authentication Lock. A gray switch means the phone does not support that one.
- Tap Remote Lock, turn it on, and follow the steps to verify your phone number.
- If Identity Check is listed, tap it and turn it on.
In short: Settings > Google > All services > Personal & device safety > Theft protection. Remote Lock needs an active SIM card, a verified phone number and Find Hub on.
Theft protection on a Samsung Galaxy
We did not find a Samsung US help page for this setting. Samsung's India support page gives the path below, and Samsung's US newsroom describes the same features (Samsung India, Theft protection feature in Galaxy devices; Samsung US newsroom, June 2025). The release says they started with the Galaxy S25 and spread to other recent S and Z models; the path may vary by model. Product-specific
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Security and privacy.
- Tap Lost device protection.
- Tap Theft protection.
- Turn on the protections listed.
- If Identity Check is listed, tap it and follow the steps; Samsung says it asks you to sign in to the Samsung account, add a fingerprint and choose Safe Places.
In short: Settings > Security and privacy > Lost device protection > Theft protection. If the phone has no Theft protection entry, write "not offered" on the device list.
Before a phone leaves your hands for good
Selling, trading in or giving away a phone has its own order. On an iPhone or iPad, Apple says: back up; turn off Stolen Device Protection; unpair an Apple Watch; sign out of the Apple Account (on iOS 26 or later, Settings > [your name] > Sign Out); then erase with Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings. Do not delete photos or contacts one by one while signed in to iCloud: Apple says that deletes them from iCloud and every device. Afterward, remove the phone from the Apple Account's trusted devices (Apple, Before you sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone or iPad). Product-specific
On Android, Google says a factory reset erases all data, so back up to the Google Account first, and know the Google Account password and the screen lock, because the reset asks for them. If you just changed the Google password, wait 24 hours (Google, Reset your Android device to factory settings). For any phone, the FTC adds: take out the SIM card and any memory card, and if you are giving up the number, update the accounts that use it to identify you (FTC, How To Remove Your Personal Information Before You Get Rid of Your Phone, July 2022). Write the phone on the old devices sheet with the date it was erased.
5. Apps, permissions and who else has access
The last part of this chapter is about what can see into the phone once it is unlocked: the apps on it, and the people who share something with it.
Apps from the official store
Google recommends getting Android apps from Google Play, checking ratings, downloads and reviews first, and says apps from unknown sources put the device and your information "at risk" (Google, Download apps to your Android device). Installing an app from outside the official store is called sideloading. Google is making it harder, not banning it: from September 30, 2026, Android begins checking that an app's developer is verified "in select regions," with a worldwide rollout in 2027 (Android Developers, Android developer verification at developer.android.com).
On Android, Google Play Protect checks apps from Play before they download and scans the phone for harmful apps from anywhere else. Google says it is on by default and recommends leaving it on. To check: open the Play Store app, tap your profile icon, tap Play Protect, tap Settings, and check that Scan apps with Play Protect is on. In short: Play Store > profile icon > Play Protect > Settings (Google, Use Google Play Protect). Product-specific
On an iPhone or iPad in the US, apps come from the App Store. Apple says installing iPhone apps from other sources is available only in Brazil, Japan and the European Union (Apple, About alternative app distribution). A message or caller that asks you to install an iPhone app some other way is a reason to stop and check. Product-specific
Antivirus apps on a phone
An antivirus app scans for harmful software. The UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) answers the question "Do I need antivirus products on my smartphone and tablet?" with no, "provided that" apps come only from official stores and the phone and its apps update automatically (NCSC, What is an antivirus product? Do I need one?, 2019). Its newer guidance for organizations says the same of iOS and Android in their default setup (NCSC, Device Security Guidance: Antivirus, reviewed 2025). A pop-up that says your phone is infected and offers an app to fix it is a scam pattern covered in Recognizing scams. Convention
App permissions
An app permission is access you grant an app to one kind of information or hardware: location, camera, microphone, contacts, photos and others. Apps ask the first time they need it. The first pass is to look at the three that reveal the most: location, camera and microphone. Turn access off for any app that has no reason to use it. The app may ask again the next time it needs it, and you can say yes then. Our convention
- iPhone or iPad: in Settings, tap Privacy & Security, tap a category such as Location Services, Camera or Microphone, and turn access on or off for each app. In short:
Settings > Privacy & Security > [category](Apple, iPhone User Guide: Control access to information in apps). - Android (Pixel shown): in Settings, tap Security & Privacy, tap Privacy, then tap Permission manager. Tap a permission to see which apps have it. For location, camera and microphone the choices include Allow only while using the app, Ask every time and Don't allow. In short:
Settings > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Permission manager(Google, Change app permissions on your Android phone). Other makers' menus differ.
On an iPhone, an app that wants to follow your activity across other companies' apps and websites has to ask first, since iOS 14.5. Apple says you can choose Ask App Not to Track and the app keeps working. The list of apps that asked is at Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking (Apple, If an app asks to track your activity). Product-specific
Who else has access
People can have access too: someone who knows the passcode, a relative who sees your location, an old device still signed in to your account. Most of this is chosen and useful. The check is to know what is shared and with whom.
On an iPhone, Apple's tool for this is Safety Check, in iOS 16 or later. It shows which people and apps can see your information, including your location, and the devices signed in to your Apple Account. It needs an Apple Account with two-factor authentication (Apple Personal Safety User Guide: Safety Check). Each Safety Check screen has a Quick Exit button that closes Settings at once and keeps the changes made so far. Product-specific
- Open Settings.
- Tap Privacy & Security.
- Scroll down and tap Safety Check.
- Tap Manage Sharing & Access.
- Follow the screens: review what you share with people, then what apps can reach, then the devices and phone numbers on your account.
In short: Settings > Privacy & Security > Safety Check > Manage Sharing & Access. On an iPad or a Mac, Apple's guide points to three checklists that do the same review by hand, starting with Checklist 1: Limit device and account access.
On an Android phone, start with the devices signed in to your Google Account. On any device, go to myaccount.google.com and sign in, select Security & sign-in, select Your devices, then Manage all devices. Sign out of any device you do not recognize. In short: Google Account > Security & sign-in > Your devices > Manage all devices, or google.com/devices (Google, See devices with account access). Product-specific
Stopping sharing can be noticed. Apple's guide says to plan for your safety before you change sharing or delete information, and to consider how a change could affect your safety and privacy; its safety considerations page adds that changes to sharing or access may be noticed by others. If changing what you share could put you or someone else at risk from a person in your home, we do not give advice on that. The National Domestic Violence Hotline does: call 1-800-799-7233 (800-799-SAFE), text START to 88788, or chat with an advocate from its site. It describes itself as "Free. Confidential. 24/7." Its site says to call 911 in immediate danger, and its internet safety page explains how phones and computers can be monitored. Its advocates help with tech safety by phone and chat.
A permissions review, app by app
A full review goes app by app. On an iPhone, Settings > Privacy & Security > App Privacy Report shows how apps used their permissions. On Android, Settings > Security and Privacy > Privacy dashboard shows which apps used which permissions in the last 7 days on Android 13, or 24 hours on Android 12 (Google, Manage permissions from the privacy dashboard). For one Android app: Settings > Apps > [app] > Permissions. Ask of each permission whether the app needs it for what you use it for.
Safety Check's two modes, and the Android pieces
Besides Manage Sharing & Access, Safety Check offers Emergency Reset, which stops sharing with all people and apps at once, then walks through emergency contacts, devices, trusted phone numbers and a new Apple Account password. Because it acts on everything in one pass, read the caution above before using it.
Android has no single screen like it. The pieces are separate: apps linked to your Google Account, where removing a link does not delete data the app already holds (Google, Manage links between your Google Account and other apps); Location Sharing, which Google says is set per device and per account across Maps, Messages, Find Hub, Family Link and Personal Safety (Google, Manage your Location Sharing settings); and unknown tracker alerts, which on Android 6 and later warn of a Find Hub tag or an Apple AirTag moving with you, without telling its owner (Google, Find unknown trackers).
One name means two things. The Pixel's Personal Safety app has a feature called "Safety check," but it is a timed check-in that alerts your emergency contacts if you do not respond. It does not review who has access, and it is not Apple's Safety Check (Google, Personal Safety app).
6. See it See it
Grace Okafor's iPad, on a Saturday. Grace Okafor lives alone across town from her daughter Denise and uses an iPad with an iCloud address. They agreed to set things up together on Saturdays. This Saturday is the iPad: it runs iPadOS 18 and has no passcode. People, devices and results are fictional; the settings are real.
Updates. Grace opens Settings > General > About and reads two lines aloud: the iPadOS software version, which starts with 18, and the Model Name. Denise writes both down. Grace then installs what Settings > General > Software Update offers, with the iPad plugged in and on Wi-Fi, and turns on Automatic Updates.
How long it gets updates. On her Pixel, Denise opens Apple's security releases page. The newest rows list iPadOS 27 for the 9th-generation iPad and later, and iPadOS 26.7.1 for the 8th generation and later. An August 2026 row lists iPadOS 18.7.10 for the 7th-generation iPad. The Model Name decides which row applies. Under "gets updates until," Denise writes "not published (Apple)."
The passcode. Grace chooses a six-digit passcode and types it herself while Denise looks away. Apple says a passcode turns on data protection, so this one change does more than lock the screen. The screen lock column says "6 or more digits"; the code is not written anywhere in the security file.
Find My and theft protection. Find My iPad is already on; Grace turns on Find My network and Send Last Location. Stolen Device Protection is an iPhone feature, so that column says "not offered." For the sharing review, Apple's guide points iPad owners to its checklists; they leave those for a later Saturday.
| Column | What Denise wrote |
|---|---|
| Device, kind, who uses it | iPad, tablet, Grace |
| System and version | iPadOS 18 (after Software Update), with the Model Name |
| Updates automatic | Ticked |
| Gets updates until | Not published (Apple) |
| Screen lock | 6 or more digits |
| Find and erase on | Ticked |
| Theft protection on | Not offered |
Known: the iPad runs iPadOS 18 and now has a six-digit passcode, automatic updates and Find My; Apple publishes no end date for it.
Assumed: Denise assumes Software Update offered everything this iPad can install. Apple says this in so many words for Macs; for the iPad it is her assumption, and the security releases page is how she checks it.
Open: whether Grace's iPad can update past iPadOS 18. Software Update on the iPad and Apple's security releases page settle it, read against the Model Name. If the Model Name is iPad (7th generation), the newest row that lists it is iPadOS 18.7.10, and under that assumption it gets only the fixes Apple still ships for iPadOS 18, for as long as Apple ships them. If the Model Name is on the iPadOS 26 or 27 rows, Software Update should be offering one of those. Grace decides what to do with either answer. Who her Apple recovery contact will be is also open; Getting back in settles it by asking her son Tom, who has an iPhone.
Free pages that show these settings in the makers' own words:
- Apple security releases: recent Apple updates and the devices each covers, newest first.
- Google, When you'll get software updates on Pixel phones: which Pixel models get 7 years, 5 years or no more updates.
- Samsung Mobile Security, Security Updates Scope: which Galaxy models get monthly, quarterly or twice-yearly updates.
7. Practice Practice
Minimum: one phone or tablet with any waiting update installed and automatic updates on, a passcode of six or more digits, find and erase on, theft protection on where offered, and its row on the device list. Time: about 30 minutes, plus the time an update takes to install. Materials: the phone or tablet and its charger, Wi-Fi, the device list on screen or printed, and for an Android phone, a second device or a computer to test Find Hub.
- Read the version. Open the About screen (read which version you have) and write the version and model on the device list.
- Install and automate updates. Plug in, connect to Wi-Fi, install any waiting update, and turn on automatic updates (updates).
- Write when updates end: "not published" for Apple, the month and year for a Pixel, what Samsung's list shows today for a Galaxy (how long a phone gets updates).
- Set the screen lock to six or more digits, set auto-lock, and choose the matching kind of lock on the list (the screen lock).
- Check find and erase. Check the Find My switches, or test Find Hub at android.com/find from another device (finding a lost phone).
- Turn on theft protection where the phone offers it, and choose on, not offered or off in its column (theft protection).
- Look at apps and access. Check that apps come from the official store, look at the location, camera and microphone lists, and run Safety Check or check your Google Account devices, after reading the caution (apps and who has access). Write the date in "last checked."
Do the app-by-app permissions review (permissions review). If an old phone is in a drawer, erase it in the makers' order and write it on the old devices sheet (before a phone leaves your hands). For a household with several phones, repeat the minimum for each one, with its owner typing the passcode.
8. Your setup Your setup
The box below reads the devices you saved and shows the paths for those phones and tablets, in the order this chapter teaches them.
9. Check your work Check your work
Criteria
- Does Software Update say the phone is up to date, and is the automatic switch on where the phone has one?
- Does the phone's row say when updates end, or "not published," with where you checked?
- Is the screen lock six or more digits, or letters and numbers, with a short auto-lock?
- Is find and erase on, and did an Android phone show up at android.com/find?
- Is Stolen Device Protection or Theft protection on, or marked "not offered"?
- Does anything on the device list show a passcode? It should not.
Worked example
Ruth Alvarez's iPhone 13. Ruth has one iPhone 13 and a Gmail address. Apple's security releases page lists iOS 27 for iPhone 11 and later, so on 2026-10-19 her model is on the newest row; her device list row already says "not published." She installs the waiting update and turns on Automatically Install. She keeps the six-digit passcode she already has and sets Auto-Lock to 2 minutes. Find My iPhone is on, and she turns on Find My network and Send Last Location. Stolen Device Protection was off; she turns it on.
Against the criteria, each line is met, and no passcode is written anywhere. She has not run Safety Check yet, so that checklist item stays open for next week.
Known: the model and its place on today's security releases page. Assumed: that two-factor authentication is on for her Apple Account, which Stolen Device Protection needs; Two-step sign-in and passkeys checks it. Open: when her iPhone 13 will drop off the newest row. Apple does not say; its security releases page will show it after the fact.
Common mistakes
- Treating Apple's 5 to 7 years as an update promise. That is Apple's repair window. Write "not published."
- Counting a Pixel's years from the purchase date. Google counts from when the model first went on sale on the US Google Store.
- A short passcode behind face or fingerprint unlock. The passcode is what the phone falls back on, and what a thief who watched you type needs.
- Waiting until the phone is gone to turn on Find My. It has to be on beforehand.
- Tapping a link that says your lost phone was found. Open icloud.com/find or android.com/find yourself.
- Running Emergency Reset without reading the caution. It stops every share at once, and the other person may notice.
What is still unresolved
This chapter lowers the risk to a phone. It does not protect a phone from someone who knows the passcode, or from a person talked into installing something or reading out a code; Recognizing scams covers that. It cannot say when an iPhone or iPad will stop getting updates, because Apple does not publish it, or which Samsung and other Android models will stay on the makers' lists. It cannot tell you whether changing what you share is safe in your household; the National Domestic Violence Hotline is the place to ask. Backups, which a lost or erased phone depends on, are Backups.