Android 17 phones can still be shut off from the lock screen, which makes them hard to track. Samsung's fix has existed since 2017, but it is off by default.
A thief can still switch off many Android 17 phones straight from the lock screen, and a phone that is off is much harder to find. Samsung Galaxy phones have a setting that blocks this, but it ships turned off. Android Police says Google has no matching setting on most phones yet.
Android Police tested this on a Galaxy phone. After the phone was switched off, neither Samsung Find nor Google Find Hub could locate it. Both only showed the last place the phone was seen. The report says this is how most Android tracking works.
The exception is recent Pixels. Google says a Pixel 8, 9 or 10 can be found for several hours after it is powered off. That only works if Bluetooth and Location were on when the phone shut down.
Galaxy phones include a setting called Lock network and security. It stops anyone from shutting the phone down from the lock screen without the passcode. It also blocks mobile data, Wi-Fi and Airplane mode from the lock screen. Samsung has offered it since at least 2017, but it has always been off by default.
Android 17 has other anti-theft tools. Theft Detection Lock locks the screen when a thief snatches the phone. Remote Lock lets you lock a lost phone from another device. Both are on by default.
A third tool, Find Hub's Mark as lost, hides Quick Settings and blocks pairing with new Wi-Fi and Bluetooth sources. But you must start it yourself from another device. Android Police argues a thief will likely act faster than that.
On Pixels, Google is testing a similar setting called Lock Quick Settings connectivity. It is off by default. It arrived on Oct. 20, 2026 in Android 17 QPR3 Beta 2, a public test version, for the Pixel 6a and newer. Google has said nothing about other Android phones.
Phone theft is common. In London, about 71,867 phones were stolen in 2025, roughly 220 a day. Most stolen phones are never recovered. Organized thieves often use a Faraday bag, a pouch that cuts every connection to the outside world. The article still argues the lock-screen setting should be built in, since every security tool has limits.
Galaxy owners should switch on Lock network and security in settings, because it is off by default and stops a thief powering the phone down.
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