[ad_1]
Modern iPhone and Android phones have super convenient biometric security, but it’s not always the best idea to leave it on. Fortunately, your phone probably has a biometric switch that can disable any biometric lock in seconds. All you have to do is learn how to use it!
Why disable your biometrics?
One of the main weaknesses of biometric security is that you cannot hide your biometric data. Your fingerprints, iris patterns, or any other aspect of your body are clearly visible and available. If criminals or authorities take your phone away from you, they can force a finger into the fingerprint lock.
Even if no one physically touches you, a confiscated phone with iris or face unlock simply has to be pointed at you. While you can “forget” a passcode or password and they’re very hard to guess without wiping your phone, you can’t suddenly change your biometrics.
Disable biometrics on Android (9 and above)
If you’re using Android 9 or later, the best option to quickly disable biometric unlock methods is to use lockdown mode. While different brands of Android phones may have minor differences in how this setting is enabled or works, this is a standard feature that works similarly on all modern Android phones.
With this mode enabled, you can disable biometrics by pressing the power button five times in a row. On some phone brands, this can also trigger an emergency call, but you can simply cancel the call before it goes through.
Disable biometrics on iPhones
iPhones offer Touch ID or Face ID, which unlocks your phone using a fingerprint or face scan, respectively. While this is helpful (and quick), it can be a liability if your phone is taken from you.
The good news is that Apple offers a quick way to temporarily disable biometrics until you enter your password. Unlike Android, you don’t need to configure it in advance; is on by default. Just press and hold the side and volume up button until you see “Slide to power off” appear. At that point, biometrics are disabled and you do not need to turn off the phone to complete the process.
If you have Hey Siri enabled, you can also say “Hey Siri, whose phone is this?” After Siri’s response, biometrics will also turn off, useful if you don’t have access to the buttons on your phone.
preparing for the worst
If your phone is seized and unlocked using your biometrics, there are still things you can do to prepare for it to be worthless to any antagonist.
You can keep truly sensitive information in a separate encrypted vault on your phone, using an app or, in some cases, a built-in device feature. If possible, you can simply keep encrypted files in the cloud and refrain from storing a copy on your phone.
If you have apps that offer the ability to unlock using the phone’s biometrics, consider disabling that option on a case-by-case basis. For example, your banking app is a prime target. Consider disabling biometrics to log in to your banking app.
Biometric kill switches on other devices
Android and iOS are the two most popular mobile platforms, but there are many devices other than smartphones that offer biometric unlocking. If you use biometric security in any other part of your life, whether it’s for smart home apps, security, or on a laptop, take the time to research whether that device or app has a way to quickly disable biometrics.
You may also want to learn a bit more about the inherent problems that all biometric systems share before deciding to use them everywhere.
[ad_2]
