Google is rolling out a new batch of Android theft-protection changes that broaden Identity Check, give users more control over Failed Authentication Lock, and adjust how Android responds to repeated attempts to guess a device’s screen lock.
In an update posted January 27, Google’s Android Security Team said Identity Check has been expanded to cover all features and apps that use the Android Biometric Prompt. Identity Check was introduced for Android 15+ as an extra safeguard for certain sensitive actions when a phone is outside a user-defined set of trusted places. With the broader Biometric Prompt coverage, Google says tools that rely on that prompt, including third-party banking apps and Google Password Manager, can automatically benefit from the added biometric requirement when Identity Check applies.
Google is also adding a dedicated enable/disable toggle for Failed Authentication Lock, a feature introduced with Android 15 that automatically locks a device after excessive failed authentication attempts. Alongside that control change, Android is increasing the lockout time following failed attempts to guess a PIN, pattern, or password, and identical incorrect guesses will no longer count toward the retry limit.
On device recovery, Google is updating Remote Lock (android.com/lock) with an optional security question or challenge, intended to reduce the risk that someone other than the owner triggers a remote lock.
Finally, Google said two theft-protection features will be enabled by default for new Android devices activated in Brazil: Theft Detection Lock and Remote Lock. The move reflects an effort to make protection settings more “default-on” in markets where theft risk is elevated.
Sources: Google Security Blog
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By the Mobile ID World Editorial Team
