Android phones will automatically restart every 3 days of inactivity for security reasons. Google is pushing for this feature to keep your phones safe from thieves, or stop someone from breaking into your phone and the data stored on it.
Google pushed this feature to Android phones on the Google Play Services version 25.14 update. It is a part of the company’s new Security and Privacy enhancements. Basically, what it does is it observes if the phone is in a locked state for three successive days. If it does, then the system reboots the phone.
The Google Play Services update activates a security feature on Android phones that automatically restarts your phone if it’s not unlocked for three straight days. It is a new security feature for Android, but Apple rolled out a similar feature called “inactivity reboot” to iPhones with iOS 18.1 in 2024.
How does the automatic restart of Android phones after 3 days of inactivity work?
When your Android phone reboots after 3 days of inactivity, the data will be encrypted and require a PIN to access it. This is when the device enters the Before First Unlock (BFU) state. It will require a PIN to unlock the phone. The idea is that this feature keeps user data safe from unauthorized hands.
For e.g., the feature safeguards your social media, banking apps, or photos and videos from other people unless they know your phone’s PIN. But that also means you must remember your PIN.
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When will the Android Auto reboot feature come to your phone?
Google has not made it clear when the auto-reboot feature will arrive on Android phones. However, the rollout of the Google Play Services v25.14 has begun, so it should come to you in the next few weeks.
Also note that the feature initially worked by default, but 9to5Google states that Google has made it optional. So, you have an option not to choose this security method. But what are the odds that you keep your phone inactive for 3 straight days? Anyway, when it comes to security, it will serve as a good feature to ward off bad actors from accessing your Android phone’s data.
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