Simple Tips for Making Your Android Phone More Secure

Google knows Android has a reputation for not being the most secure platform around, which may be why it decided this week to help out Android users by posting a list of four essential tips for making their devices more secure.
Simple Tips for Making Your Android Phone More Secure
The new Motorola Razr HD smartphone is displayed at the launch of three new smartphones under the Razr brand that will become available for Verizon customers in New York City on Sept. 5, 2012. The new phones, the Droid Razr HD, the Razr M and the Razr Maxx HD, will all use Google's Android operating system. Spencer Platt/Getty Images
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Google knows Android has a reputation for not being the most secure platform around, which may be why it decided this week to help out Android users by posting a list of four essential tips for making their devices more secure. While some of these tips may be obvious for power users, they nonetheless contain some very useful information that newcomers to the platform should know.

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First, Google says all Android users should buy all their apps through its official Google Play Store. The Play Store isn’t perfect since we’ve seen plenty of shady apps get approved for sale on it in the past, but it’s nonetheless a safer place to pick up apps than any third-party stores out there.

Next, Google recommends learning how to use Android Device Manager, the program that will let you locate, lock or remote wipe your phone if it gets stolen. If you haven’t done so already, you can enable Android Device Manager by following the steps at this link. Similarly, you should also make sure to enable encryption on your phone, which you can turn on by opening up Settings, going to Security and then tapping Encrypt Phone.