The latest Android 17 beta lets you lock four key switches on the lock screen, so a thief has a harder time cutting off a lost phone.
Google has added a way to lock the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Mobile Data and Airplane Mode switches on the lock screen. It shows up in the latest Android 17 beta. Until now, anyone holding your locked phone could swipe down and flip those switches.
Android has a pull-down panel called Quick Settings, with shortcuts for common switches. It works even when the phone is locked. That is handy for you, but also for a thief. Turning on Airplane Mode or switching off mobile data can cut the phone off from the internet, which makes it harder for you to find or lock it remotely. The new option closes that gap.
Any Android phone owner could benefit, especially anyone who worries about losing a phone or having it stolen. For now, though, the change only reaches people testing the beta. Most phones do not have it yet, so there is no need to panic.
The steps in the box above are short. Start with a screen lock, since the protection means little without one. Skip beta software on your main phone, because betas can have bugs.
The source does not say when the feature will reach everyone, which phones will get Android 17, or whether the new setting will be on by default. Those details are not known yet. Watch for your phone maker's update announcements.
Make sure your phone has a screen lock now, and look for the new toggle protection once Android 17 reaches your phone.
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