Phones & Devices

Lock-screen security.

Your phone is the key to your email, bank, and accounts. Here's how to lock it down properly.

Pick a strong unlock code

Use at least a 6‑digit code, or an alphanumeric passcode — both are dramatically harder to brute‑force than four digits.
Avoid obvious patterns (1234, 0000, repeated digits) and anything printed on your ID.
Turn on biometric unlock (Face/Touch) for convenience, but keep the code strong — it's the fallback.

Harden the lock screen

Enable "erase after 10 failed attempts" so a lost phone wipes itself.
Hide message previews on the lock screen — codes and reset links shouldn't be glanceable.
Shorten auto‑lock to 30 seconds so the phone isn't left open on a table.

If it's lost or stolen

Use Find My (iPhone) or Find My Device (Android) to mark it lost and, if needed, erase it remotely. Change the passwords for any accounts signed in on that device as soon as you can.