Android security guides
Step-by-step how-tos for ordinary phone users. No jargon, and every guide says why the step matters.
How to check which apps can use Accessibility on AndroidSee which apps have Accessibility access on your Android phone, why it is powerful, and…How to turn off Install unknown apps for each app on AndroidStop browsers, chat apps and file managers from installing APK files on your Android…How to find and remove Device admin apps on AndroidFind which apps are device administrators on your Android phone, why they are hard to…How to review app permissions and remove unused ones on AndroidUse the Android permission manager to see which apps can reach your camera, mic,…How to manage location history and precise location on AndroidControl where Android stores your location trail, switch apps to approximate location…How to use the microphone and camera indicators on Android 12 and laterLearn what the green dot means on Android 12 and later, how to see which app used your…How to check Notification access on Android and why OTPs depend on itFind which Android apps can read all your notifications, including OTPs and chats, and…How to check Display over other apps permission on AndroidFind apps that can draw over your screen, why scammers use overlays to steal PINs and…How to review Usage access (apps that see what you use) on AndroidFind which Android apps can see which other apps you open and for how long, and remove…How to check Battery optimisation and unrestricted apps on AndroidSee which apps are allowed to run without battery limits, why unknown apps ask for this,…How to control Auto-start and background launch apps on AndroidMany Android phones let apps start by themselves after a restart. Find the Auto-start…Developer options and USB debugging: when to turn them off on AndroidDeveloper options and USB debugging help engineers, but left on they can let someone…What OEM unlocking is and why most people should keep it offOEM unlocking lets a phone's bootloader be unlocked. Learn where to check it on Android,…PIN, pattern or password: which Android screen lock is safer?Compare PIN, pattern, password and fingerprint on Android, see what to pick, and set a…Smart Lock on Android: what it unlocks and how to use it safelySmart Lock keeps your Android phone unlocked at home, with a watch or in your pocket.…How to hide notification content on the Android lock screenStop OTPs, bank alerts and chat previews from showing on your locked Android screen so a…How to use App pinning to lend your Android phone safelyApp pinning locks your Android screen to one app so a child, guest or stranger asking to…Private space and Secure Folder: keep sensitive apps and files hiddenUse Private Space on Android 15 or Secure Folder on Samsung to keep banking apps, photos…Clipboard privacy on Android: stop apps reading what you copyCopied OTPs, passwords and UPI IDs sit on your Android clipboard where some apps can…Keyboard and autofill risks on Android: choose them carefullyYour keyboard sees everything you type and autofill fills it back in. Learn how to check…How to run a Google Account Security checkup from your Android phoneReview devices, recent activity, saved passwords and recovery options in your Google…How to set up passkeys on Android and why they beat passwordsA passkey lets you sign in with your fingerprint or screen lock instead of a password.…How to turn on 2-Step Verification for your Google accountAdd a second check to your Google sign-in so a stolen password alone cannot open your…How to set a WhatsApp two-step verification PIN and emailAdd a six digit PIN to your WhatsApp number so a scammer who gets your SMS code still…WhatsApp privacy settings: last seen, profile photo and who can add you to groupsChoose who sees your last seen, photo and About, who can add you to groups and who can…How to check WhatsApp Linked devices and remove strangersSee every phone or computer logged in to your WhatsApp, log out devices you do not know…WhatsApp disappearing messages and View once: when to use themSet a default timer so chats vanish after a day, a week or ninety days, and learn what…Instagram and Facebook privacy basics for Android usersMake your Instagram private, limit who can message you, tidy Facebook audience settings…Telegram privacy settings: phone number, groups, sessions and two-step passwordHide your number on Telegram, stop strangers adding you to groups, review active…How to turn on SMS spam filtering and check your spam folder on AndroidUse Google Messages spam protection, block bad senders and check the Spam and blocked…How to turn on caller ID and spam protection in the Android Phone appSwitch on the built-in caller ID and spam filter in the Android Phone app to warn you…How to register for DND in India and report unwanted calls and SMSUse your operator's official app or the TRAI DND route to block promotional calls and…Caller ID apps: what they see and how to use them carefullyCaller ID apps name unknown numbers but ask for contacts, call logs and more. Learn the…How to start Android in Safe mode to find a bad appSafe mode runs the phone without downloaded apps. Use it to test if an app is causing…How to run a Google Play Protect scan and keep it onPlay Protect checks apps on your Android phone for harmful behaviour. Learn how to scan…How to remove an app that will not uninstall on AndroidUninstall greyed out or the app comes back? Try these steps in order: admin rights, Safe…How to check your Android storage for hidden APK filesFind APK files hiding in Downloads, WhatsApp and other folders on your Android phone,…How to back up and restore your Android phone safelyBack up photos, contacts, app data and chats before a reset or phone change, and restore…How to factory reset an Android phone and what to do firstA clean reset step by step: back up, sign out of accounts, remove your SIM and memory…How to sell or give away your Android phone safelyBack up, sign out, remove your SIM and accounts, encrypt and reset your Android phone so…What to do in the first hour after your phone is stolen in IndiaA calm, ordered plan for the first hour after phone theft in India: lock it, block the…How to block your SIM card after a phone is lost or stolenHow to block a lost SIM in India, get a duplicate, and why blocking it quickly protects…Set up Google Find Hub so you can locate a lost Android phoneTurn on Google Find Hub (Find My Device) now, so you can locate, ring, lock or erase…How to lock a lost Android phone and show a message on the screenLock a lost Android phone from another device and show a contact message on the lock…How to secure your UPI apps and bank accounts after losing your phoneSteps to protect UPI, bank apps and wallets after a phone is lost or stolen, using your…How to keep a lower UPI limit so one mistake costs lessLearn how to check and lower your UPI payment limit with your bank or UPI app, so a lost…How to hide OTP and message previews on your lock screenStop OTPs and private messages from showing on a locked screen, so a stranger near your…Reporting a stolen phone to the police: what to carry and what to askPlain guidance on reporting a stolen or lost phone to the police in India: what to…CEIR and Sanchar Saathi: blocking a stolen phone in plain wordsWhat the CEIR system is, how the Sanchar Saathi portal can help block a lost or stolen…How to find your phone's IMEI number before you need itFind your phone's IMEI number with a dial code, Settings or the box, and keep a safe…Anti-theft habits for buses, metros and trains in IndiaSimple habits that make phone theft harder on crowded buses, metros and trains, from…Phone in pocket or in a bag: which is safer when you travel?Compare front pocket, back pocket and bag for carrying your phone in crowds, markets and…A phone safety checklist before you travelA short before-you-go checklist for your phone: backup, lock, Find Hub, UPI limits,…How to protect UPI when a phone is shared with family or othersHow to keep UPI payments safe when children, elders or friends use your phone, using…How to add an extra lock to your UPI and banking appsAdd a second lock to UPI and banking apps using your phone's own app lock or a trusted…How to avoid phone snatching on the road and what to do if it happensPractical habits to avoid bike-borne phone snatching on roads and footpaths, and the…Warning signs that someone has swapped or cloned your SIMLearn the signs of a SIM swap, such as sudden loss of signal and strange OTPs, and what…How to check an APK file before you install itBefore installing an APK, check where it came from, who made it, what it asks for and…How to check whether a website is genuine before you trust itA simple routine to check a website's address, look, contact details and payment options…How to read an SMS sender header and spot a phishing messageWhat an SMS sender ID or header tells you, why it is not proof, and how to judge a bank…Using public Wi-Fi at railway stations, airports and cafes safelyHow to use free Wi-Fi at stations, airports and cafes without exposing your logins, and…How to keep your phone hotspot safe with a strong passwordSet a strong hotspot name and password, choose the right security type, and limit who…Bluetooth and Quick Share settings that keep strangers outChoose safe Bluetooth and Quick Share (Nearby Share) settings so that only your contacts…Airdrop-style file sharing on Android: risks and safe habitsQuick Share and similar file-transfer tools are handy but can bring unwanted or unsafe…Public charging points and cables: what is safe and what is notPublic USB charging points can be misused to steal data or install malware. Learn safer…How to change your home Wi-Fi router password and admin loginChange the Wi-Fi password and the router's own admin login so neighbours and attackers…What a DNS filter is, in plain words, and how it helps on your phoneA DNS filter checks the website names your phone looks up and can block known bad ones.…How to set up a child's first Android phone safelyA parent's checklist for a child's first phone: accounts, locks, app rules, payment…What to do if your WhatsApp has been hacked or taken overSteps to take back a WhatsApp account that someone else controls, warn your contacts and…What to do right after you click a suspicious linkYou tapped a link and now feel uneasy. Follow these steps to limit the damage, from…Google Family Link in plain words: screen time and app limits for childrenHow Google Family Link helps a parent set screen time, bedtime and app approvals on a…How to share your location with family without oversharingShare your live location with chosen family members only, for a set time, and learn how…How to teach children about online strangers and risky linksSimple, age-friendly ways to teach children how to handle online strangers, unknown…Protecting parents and elders from scam calls with a family code wordSet up a family code word and a few simple rules so elders can quickly tell real calls…Add emergency contacts and medical info to your Android lock screenSet emergency contacts and medical details so anyone who finds you in trouble can help,…How to set up the emergency SOS shortcut on AndroidSet up an Android emergency SOS shortcut so a quick press of a button can call for help…A safe online shopping checklist for IndiaCheck the seller, the price, the payment method and the delivery steps before you buy…Safe QR code payment habits for shops, bills and parkingBuild simple habits for scanning QR codes: scan to pay not to receive, check the name,…How to check a link before you open itA plain routine to inspect a link in an SMS or WhatsApp message: read the address, spot…How to spot a fake or copycat app on the Google Play StoreFake apps can slip into app stores. Check the publisher, reviews, download count and…
Check it before you tap or pay
Safeavio Sentinel is a made-in-India Android app: paste a message or link, or scan a QR code, and get a plain verdict with the reasons. It helps you spot a scam; it does not promise to stop every one.
Download for AndroidWhat the app does
Google Play listing: coming soon. Today the signed APK is on safeavio.com/download. Android 7.0 or later.