Mobile phones have become extremely popular, so much so that they have become an extension of our privacy.
We keep practically everything on them.
From work information to personal photographs that hold our fondest memories.
For this reason, it’s very important to protect this data.
All smartphones generally have factory applications that allow you to protect your cell phone, but if you’re one of those users who like to customize your phone to the maximum & have different options to lock it, you may be looking for more options.
In Google Play Store & Apple Store, the main app stores for Android & iOS operating systems respectively, there are hundreds of tools that can add additional protection to your smartphone.
Many of them even allow you to go further & enable locks for apps & certain photo/video galleries stored on the device.
In this article, we’ll show you different methods & applications that can help you protect all the information you store on your cell phone, so that no one can access it without your consent.
In addition, we will explain how to use the locking methods that your mobile device already has built-in.
Steps to lock your Android & iOS screen
Here are the most reliable screen lock methods for Android, iPhones, or iPads, as well as how to configure each of them on your mobile.
Access pin on Android & iOs
The access pin consists in setting a numeric password of at least 4 digits.
It is one of the most widely used methods despite not being the one that offers the best security guarantees, but it’s still a valid option.
For Android, the first thing you have to do is go to Settings > Security > Screen Lock.
Once inside select the PIN option, the system will ask you to enter the code you want (usually this consists of 4 digits) a couple of times & you’re done.
Once the PIN has been accepted by your phone you can verify that the security of your device is activated by letting the screen go to sleep mode & pressing the on/off key to turn on the screen, once this happens it should automatically ask you for the code you have just configured,
Enter the PIN & you will be able to access your device.
On iPhone, you must go to the Settings menu > Touch ID and Code.
Once selected the option will prompt you to enter a 4 or 6 digit code.
Then you must confirm the code you are entering a couple of times & you are done.
To confirm that the PIN has been activated you must let the screen go into sleep mode & then press the Home or on/off button.
When prompted, you must enter the unlock PIN to be able to access your home screen.
If at any time you want to change the PIN of your device, just follow the same steps described above.
The only thing you need to remember is your previous code & you can change it as many times as you want.
Pattern Lock in Android
This mode is present only in the Android operating system and allows us to establish a drawing on the screen, sliding your finger across an image of dots to form a pattern.
The advantage of this mode is that we can increase the complexity of the pattern by sliding the finger in the way that we like.
To configure this unlock pattern we must go to Settings > Security and Location and select Screen Lock, choose the Pattern option.
Like with the Pin option, this will prompt you to enter the Pattern a couple of times to confirm you’ve not made a mistake.
Once set you will not be able to access the phone without drawing the shape you set as the unlock pattern.
You can change our pattern as many times as you like, simply follow the same steps mentioned above.
Fingerprint in iOS
The only disadvantage of this way to unlock iOS devices is that it is not available for all iOS versions or iPhone devices.
To set it up you must go to Settings > Touch ID and Passcode.
Once inside, if the device has security enabled it will ask you to enter the PIN to continue, select the option Add Fingerprint.
Subsequently, place your finger where indicated on the screen by changing the position a little each time, until the system tells you to show that the process is complete.
Fingerprint on Android
To configure this mode you must go to the menu Settings > Security and Location, and choose the Fingerprint option.
Once selected, the system will display a drawing of a fingerprint where you will have to place your finger on the areas indicated.
Once this is done, the device will be ready to recognize the fingerprint as an unlock option to access the phone.
Face Recognition on Android
To activate this unlock we must go to Settings > Security & Location > Smart Lock.
Once there, you select the Facial Recognition option among the options.
The system will start a recognition wizard and will tell you how to place the face to wait for your facial features to be recorded.
Once ready and your cell phone will have the facial recognition mode active.
Facial recognition in iOS
In iOS, this feature is available on the iPhone X & newer.
To activate it we must enter the Settings menu, Face ID and code and enter the unlock code of our cell phone.
After doing this select Configure Face ID & follow the steps indicated by the system which will show you how to position your face in the center & move your head around the circle.
Once ready press OK and we will have the phone protected with facial recognition.
Password for Android devices
This feature is available only for the Android operating system.
Here you are allowed to set an access password to our phone that can include letters, numbers, and even special characters.
To configure it access the Settings menu > Security & Location > Screen Lock.
Once inside proceed to choose the password of your preference that contains at least 4 characters.
This same password must be entered a second time to verify they both match.
List of the best free apps to customize the screen lock on Android and iOS
There is also the possibility to install external applications to improve the security of the screen lock.
These are not only reliable but also have special features that allow you to set more than one locking method, greatly increasing the chances of keeping your information away from those who wish to violate your privacy.
Start App
StartApp allows you to directly access some applications on your mobile just by sliding your finger and selecting the one you want to enter.
This application has the ability to alert you when you have new unread notifications and will tell you what it is.
LokLok
This application has a very peculiar feature that allows you to leave messages or drawings on the locked screen of another user’s cell phone.
For this to work, both people must have the application installed on their device & have granted permission to the app.
The next time the user turns on your screen the first thing they will see is the message or drawing, once the screen is unlocked this disappears.
Dynamic Notifications
This application has lots of customization options relating to different features ranging from color, icons and even actions such as not turning on the screen when the sensors of your cell phone indicate that it is in your pocket.
It also offers you the possibility of opening the camera without unlocking the device.
CM Locker
This application apart from locking the screen of your cell phone, allows you to display notifications and control the music player, all this while it remains locked.
It even allows you to take a picture of any person that tries to unlock your cell phone.
It has lock customization, where you can choose the lock security method; pattern, numbers, swipe, or numeric.
Touch Lock – Kids mode
We often leave our little ones watching a video on our devices to entertain them.
Unfortunately, they often end up closing the video app by accident with their constant fiddling.
With Touch Lock, you can configure the phone to leave some programs such as YouTube active, but features such as volume controls or navigation are locked.
This prevents accidentally stopping the video or opening the camera by mistake for example.
Lock HD screen
This is an application available for iPhone, in which we can choose between placing code or unlock pattern to maintain the privacy of our mobile.
It is very basic, but it fulfills the objective perfectly.
1Pasword
With this application, you can create secure passwords for each site.
It also includes automatic locking in case of theft or loss of the device.
It also includes its own browser called 1Browser which you can use to safely surf the net, this application is available for iOS.
iAppLock
With this application you can set a security code to lock your phone quickly and easily, for this you must choose a 4-digit number as a password that will serve to access the app you have blocked.
You can also decide the active time for locking an application.
HiFolder
This application allows us to have a high degree of security on our iPhone device, because it offers the ability to hide files and has a lock pattern.
SplashID Safe Password Manager
This application has an excellent quality to maintain the security of your device, it is somewhat different from the other applications because it also works as a digital moderator.
SplashID Safe Password Manager allows you to synchronize your accounts and customize your records in a secure way
It also allows you to share images, videos & voice notes with other SplashID users.
Secret Apps Lite
This security application blocks access to your applications and to your private data stored on your device such as photos, videos, contacts, notes.
If a person tries to unsuccessfully unlock the device, it takes a photo through the front camera.
It’s compatible with iPod Touch, iPhone, or iPad.
Lock Your Screen
We can choose different ways to unlock; from passwords, gestures, shapes, patterns, and even a secret question.
This app also allows you to customize the lock screen, choose a background image, place various types of clocks & even choose a sound for locking and unlocking.
Dodol Locker
This application has the best themes & designs among the top apps for screen lock on Android systems.
With Dodol Locker you can decorate the screen with different backgrounds and download many more from the Play Store.
SnapLock Smart Lock Screen
With this unlock app you will get an elegant design for your screen.
You’ll get daily new backgrounds selected by the editor to have the best style among your friends
You also have the ability to customize the appearance of the date & time on your device.
Alarm Anti Theft Screen Lock
This application has the ability to emit a loud alarm when a person tries to access your phone using an incorrect password.
What are the vulnerabilities of not protecting access to your smartphone?
If your mobile device is unlocked, anyone can gain access to your information, Google Play, Google Drive, email accounts, etc. and if you have your credit card saved on the device they could quietly make purchases of applications, movies & products in your name.
In addition, they could access your social networks & make posts as if you were the one who was doing it.
They could even delete your account.
You may have passwords saved in your web browser, which give access to your bank accounts, or other financial websites.
It is highly recommended that you have a locking system on your cell phone that guarantees that only you will be able to access your cell phone & the information contained in it.
Many people use the pattern lock that comes with their cell phone, however, this is not recommended because when unlocking the cell phone with this method many times there are traces of your fingerprints clearly visible on the screen.
Anyone can use these marks to work out the unlock pattern & thus unlock your device.
It is advisable to use the PIN code locking system, where you can use a number or phrase that is easy to remember but allows you to keep your mobile device secure.
Keeping your phone locked ensures that the information you have stored on your device is protected even if you are a victim of theft or you lose it.
A stolen or lost phone that is locked is not much use to the person who finds it, as they will not be able to access any of the main functions.
It’s always best to keep your device locked.
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