New anti-theft protection for Android is rolling out to users, so if you need Google's latest security features, make sure your device is updated

These features were announced at the Google I/O event in May and are now available to phones through Google Mobile Services updates These will work on all Android devices running Android 10 or later as well as Google's incoming Android 15 update This is good news for those still using older but fully functional hardware

Google's new anti-theft plan has three parts, the first being theft detection with an easy to understand name If your phone is stolen from your hands and they determine (based on motion data entered into the algorithm) that they have driven off on foot, on a bicycle, or in a vehicle, the screen will lock and ask you for your password or fingerprint again

Even if a thief already has access to your phone, you can still rely on Offline Device Lock to try to stop things from getting worse This feature locks your phone if someone disables your Internet connection, and is a common way to avoid thieves tracking you down to get your phone back

Remote locking is another tool that stops thieves from accessing your data if they have your phone By going to the Android website and entering your phone number and answers to security questions, you can lock your phone until you can unlock it again using a PIN or biometric authentication Google will make this available up to twice a day

According to 9to5Google, the update has been applied to Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones (tablets are not yet supported) for now However, I have not yet confirmed the update on my Google Pixel 9 Pro XL in the UK

If Google's new anti-theft tools are available on your phone, you can find them under Personal and Device Safety by opening the Settings app, going to the Google menu, and tapping the All Services header on the next screen Hopefully, my Pixel and everyone else's Pixel will receive the update soon, and if my phone is stolen, I will have the peace of mind that I may be able to get my phone back without the thief having access to important data