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Ricardo Aguilar
WriterMobile tech writer and analyst. I studied Psychology, but I've been working in the consumer tech field for the last 10 years. Interested in motor projects and new forms of mobility.
Karen Alfaro
WriterCommunications professional with a decade of experience as a copywriter, proofreader, and editor. As a travel and science journalist, I've collaborated with several print and digital outlets around the world. I'm passionate about culture, music, food, history, and innovative technologies.
Google is introducing a new security feature inherited from iOS. The source code originally suggested it would be exclusive to Android 16, but it will now roll out universally.
Your Android phone will automatically restart every three days if it stays inactive. The feature may seem minor, but its impact is greater than it appears.
What will happen? Google’s latest system release notes, tied to updates to Google Play services, refer to a new feature exclusive to mobile phones:
“[Phone] Enables a future optional security feature, which will automatically restart your device if locked for 3 consecutive days.”
So, if you don’t use your phone for 72 hours, it will reboot automatically. This has been the case in iOS since version 18, and the reason is security.
Why will it happen? Rebooting your Android phone every three days if unused isn’t arbitrary—it’s a security measure. A freshly rebooted phone is a more secure phone. ROMs like GrapheneOS restart the device every 18 hours—even during use—and it’s considered one of the best practices for device protection.
The importance of rebooting. Security reports suggest you should avoid leaving your phone powered on 24/7. Restarting it clears specific processes and data stored in memory. Some of that temporary data is what attackers can exploit to access system vulnerabilities.
While rebooting isn’t a magic solution, it’s one of the most effective and simple ways to keep a phone more secure. On Android, it also helps with performance and longevity. Over the course of a week, background processes from apps can accumulate and bog down the system. A restart resets the phone to a clean state.
A heads-up for secondary phone users. Chances are you have a secondary phone—a work phone, a GPS device, or something used only for specific tasks. These devices are often left on for long periods without a restart.
If that’s the case, make sure you remember your SIM card unlock code and PIN. You’ll be prompted for both after a reboot. If you forget the PIN, you’ll need the PUK code or must contact your carrier. If you forget your phone’s unlock code, it could leave you locked out entirely.
Image | Denny Müller (Unsplash)
Related | How to Completely Turn the Power Off on an Android and iPhone Phone
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