Should you encrypt your Android phone?
Although the majority of Android phones support encryption, only a few people use it. Since most phones are not ready encrypted, most users do not bother changing the default settings. If you have been wondering whether or not to encrypt your Android phone, and how to do it, this guide will help you.
What is encryption?
According to Android Authority, encryption is the science behind protecting data that is stored on an electronic device. It can be a laptop, server or a phone. On the phone, that means your documents, photos, emails, and text conversations. Encryption stores information in a scrambled format, typically unreadable by people or computers without a key (which is only known by the device owner) to unlock the data. Fingerprints and PIN codes are the primary examples of keys used to unlock an encrypted device.
Why encrypt?
Security and privacy are the primary goals for encrypting a phone. Encryption guards the sensitive information on your phone. When you have critical information on your device, it is advisable to encrypt the device to prevent thieves, hackers, companies and even police officers from accessing this information. Companies with sensitive business information on corporation devices usually use encryption to help protect the data from corporate espionage.
How to encrypt your Android phone
According to Howtogeek, go to the Settings menu and tap on “Security.” If the phone is already encrypted, it will show. Some phones allow the encryption of the contents of an SD card, but Android encrypts onboard storage by default. If the phone is not encrypted, begin the process by hitting the “Encrypt phone” option.
The device screen will give you a warning on what to expect once the process is finished. If you are ready to proceed, hit the “Encrypt phone” button. Another warning telling you not to interrupt the process will pop up. When ready to continue tap of the “Encrypt phone” button.
The device will reboot and start the encryption process. When the phone is ready to restart after completion of the process, it will prompt you to enter your password, swipe code or PIN before start up. This will happen every time you restart your device.
Our devices contain sensitive personal data such as bank details, personal contact numbers, pin numbers among many other details, encrypting your Android device is a good decision. Keep in mind that encryption will not offer complete protection, but it provides excellent protection if your device is stolen.
Bottom-line
The choice to encrypt or not to encrypt your device is yours. There is no doubt that keeping personal data secure is very important. However, if you think you do not have sensitive data on your phone, you do not have to encrypt your phone. However, if you know that your phone has important personal information, it is advisable to encrypt the device.
