Nine Phone Settings to Change Before Attending a Protest

Before heading out to an event, take a few precautions to protect your privacy and the physical and digital security of any devices you bring. The safest option, of course, is to leave your phone at home, but you can also lock it to minimize the risk of your data being accessible to law enforcement or someone who gets their hands on your device.

Fortunately, iOS and Android have built-in encryption if you use a passcode, which means the data on your device cannot be accessed when it is locked. (On Android, go to Settings > Security to ensure Encrypt the disk is activated). You will want to maximize this protection with the following privacy settings.

Disable face and fingerprint scanning

At the absolute minimum, you’ll want to disable biometric access, such as face and fingerprint authentication, on your device in favor of a password or PIN. As the Electronic Frontier Foundation notes, this minimizes the risk of being physically forced to unlock your device and can provide stronger legal protections against forced decryption.

On iOS, go to Settings > Face ID & Password and deactivate iPhone Unlock. You can also configure a stronger password (a custom numeric or alphanumeric code) under Change passcode. On Android you will find the option to remove your fingerprint in favor of your PIN or screen lock pattern under Settings > Security & Privacy > Device Unlock > Fingerprint.

Limit location tracking

Again, the best option to prevent your location from being tracked is to coordinate all the details in advance and leave your phone at home. If you must bring it, keep it handy unless you absolutely need it.

You can enable airplane mode in advance and turn off Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and location services, which prevents your device from transmitting your location. However, note that some apps may still be able to store GPS data and transmit it when an internet connection is available. Again, the safest bet is to keep your device turned off for the duration.

Airplane mode can be turned on (and wifi and Bluetooth turned off) in your device settings or in the quick access menu. On Android, go to Settings > Location to turn off location services and disable location history in your Google account. On iOS, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services to disable locations completely.

Turn off previews and notifications

Temporarily disable notifications and screen previews so that if someone gets your device, they can’t glean any information from your lock screen. You can adjust these options under Settings > Notifications on iOS and Settings > Apps & notifications > Notifications on Android.

Adjust screen lock time

Reduce your screen lock time to as short a period as possible so that your screen turns off when you’re not actively using it and requires authentication to reopen. On iOS, go to Settings > Display & brightness > Auto-lock and select 30 seconds. The exact path on Android may vary, but you’ll usually find it under Settings > Display Or Lock screen.

Be aware that most devices have access to the camera from the lock screen, so you can take photos or record videos without unlocking your device.

Enable app pinning or guided access

App pinning (Android) and Guided Access (iOS) are features that prevent others from navigating your phone beyond a specific app or screen. This allows you to use an essential feature of your device while locking the rest behind your PIN or password. You can activate it preemptively, and if someone gets hold of your device, they won’t be able to snoop.

You can find this setting on Android under Security Or Security and location > Advance > App pinning and on iOS under Settings > Accessibility > Guided Access.

Use a SIM PIN

You can also lock your SIM card to prevent unauthorized use of your device or SIM card, including access to two-factor authentication codes sent via SMS. This PIN will be required every time you restart your phone or if someone tries to use your SIM card on another device. On iOS, go to Settings > Cellularselect your SIM card and press SIM card PIN. On Android you will find this under Settings > Security > More security settings (exact path varies by device).

Sign out, hide, or delete apps

This step varies depending on what you keep on your phone and your risk tolerance, but you might consider logging out of your social media accounts and deleting apps that contain or allow access to sensitive data.

On iOS, you can also lock or hide specific apps: the former requires an extra authentication step to open apps on your home screen, while the latter sends apps to a hidden folder that also requires authentication to unlock. Long-press an app icon to display the quick actions menu, then tap Require face ID/require password.

On Android, you can set up a “private space” to lock apps behind your pattern, PIN, or password. Apps are hidden from launcher and recent views as well as quick search. Go to Settings > Security & Privacy > Private Spaceauthenticate with your screen lock and tap Configure > Understood.

If necessary, enable lock mode or advanced protection.

Both iOS and Android have strict device-level security modes that significantly limit access to certain apps and web features, as well as block changes to settings. Both were designed with journalists, activists, and other users with access to sensitive data that could be targeted by cyber actors in mind. These settings are excessive for everyday use, but add a potentially useful layer of security in high-risk situations.

Enable Lockdown Mode on iOS via Settings > Privacy & Security > Lock Mode. On Android, enable Advanced Protection under Settings > Security & Privacy > Advanced Protection.

Protect your privacy after an event

While the steps above are largely about securing your data during an event, you should also follow best practices to protect your privacy (yours and others’) after the fact. If you plan to post photos or videos, use blur tools to block out faces and other unique identifying features, and clean up file metadata, which includes information such as the photo’s location. You can do this by taking a screenshot of the image to post or sending yourself a copy in Signal, which automatically removes the metadata. Signal also has a photo blur tool, or you can blur in your device’s default photo editing app.