Is Your Android Phone Staying Unlocked Without You?

Have you noticed your phone sometimes opens without asking for your PIN?

That is not a glitch.

It is a feature called Extend Unlock, and many people switched it on without realising.

What does Extend Unlock do?

It keeps your phone unlocked while a condition you chose is true.

On most Android phones it can stay open for up to four hours at a time this way.

After that, it asks for your PIN or fingerprint again.

There are three, and you may have any of them turned on.

On-body detection keeps it unlocked while the phone is in your hand or pocket.

Trusted places keeps it unlocked at locations you marked, like home or office.

Trusted devices keeps it unlocked while a paired watch, earbuds or car is nearby.

On-body detection cannot tell whose pocket the phone is in.

If someone picks it up while it is unlocked, it may stay that way.

Trusted places and devices also pile up over the years.

That old office, that friend's car you paired once, may still be on the list.

None of this is a bug.

It is simply a setting that was turned on once and then forgotten.

Open Settings -> Security and privacy -> Extend Unlock.

On some phones it sits under More security settings, or is still called Smart Lock.

You will need your PIN to open it.

Look through each of the three lists.

Remove any place or device you would not want unlocking your phone.

If you never use the feature, simply turn each option off.

Most Android phones have a Lockdown option in the power menu.

Press the power button, or power and volume up together on many phones.

Tap Lockdown.

The phone locks immediately and ignores Extend Unlock until you enter your PIN.

If you do not see Lockdown, search Settings for "lockdown" and switch the option on.

Useful before handing your phone to someone, or at a busy airport.