Google’s quietly rolling out a new security feature that might catch you off guard: your Android phone could soon reboot itself if you haven’t used it in three days. But don’t panic — this update is less about being creepy and more about locking things down.
With the latest Google Play Services update, Google is adding this reboot rule as a clever way to make your device tougher to break into. Why? Because when a phone reboots, you have to punch in your PIN — no face unlock, no fingerprint scans. Just your passcode. For anyone without lock protection, this is basically Google stepping in and saying, “mate, let’s secure your phone.”
But there’s more. Phones exist in two lock states: Before First Unlock (BFU) and After First Unlock (AFU). In BFU mode — i.e., right after a reboot — all your files are still encrypted and locked down tight. Even the feds can’t do much with it. So, with this feature, Google’s making it harder for anyone (good or bad) to snoop through your data if they manage to get their hands on your phone.
Bonus: BFU phones still stay connected to the internet. So if your phone’s lost and it reboots, you can still track it down.
Apple rolled out a similar idea for iPhones last year, and now it looks like Android’s catching up. Auto-reboots might sound annoying, but when it comes to keeping your data locked up, they’re low-key brilliant.
