Top tips on how you and your smartphone can keep each other safe

For many of us, the smartphone has become an essential part of daily life. It has evolved from a device used mainly for keeping in touch with others to a fundamental tool for most aspects of our lives.

So it is increasingly important that we all look after our phones and keep them safe. And also that we know what to do if our phone should go missing.

But did you know that there are also various smartphone tools designed to keep you safe? Tools that are easy to set up and use, and could provide vital help in case of an emergency.

In this article we look at:

• Tips to keep your smartphone safe;
• What to do if your smartphone goes missing;
• Smartphone tools to keep you safe in an emergency.

Tips to keep your smartphone safe

Whatever you had planned to do when you finish reading this article, make sure you take half an hour or so to do these five things first. If you end up losing your phone you will be so thankful that you did!

• Make sure your phone is backed up

Most smartphones have various options to back up the contents of your phone, i.e. your photos, videos, contacts, emails, messages and app data. These options include iCloud, Google Drive, or Samsung Cloud. Make sure that your phone is synchronised to at least one of these back up stores, and whether backup happens automatically or if there is anything additional that you need to do manually. Then if the worst should happen, and your phone gets lost or stolen, you will be able to get back everything that was on it.

• Set up Find My Phone

Most smartphones have an inbuilt “Find My Phone” feature which enables you to allow other devices to track where your phone is. This can be a life saver if you have just misplaced your phone, and can also provide useful evidence if your phone has been stolen. You may also be able to lock or erase your phone remotely through Find My Phone.

• Lock screen message

Many smartphone owners are not aware that you can customise your lock screen to include a message. This message could include details of who to contact for anyone finding the phone.

The way to do this varies between phones so check your particular make and model. In general on an Android phone there is usually an option to add text to the lock screen through the Settings Display or Wallpaper menu. On an iPhone the easiest way is to create an image that includes the text you want, and save it in a format compatible with your phone’s wallpaper settings, for example JPEG or PNG.

• Insure your smartphone

Another essential thing to do is insure your smartphone. This provides cover for your phone if it is lost, stolen or damaged, and usually includes an instant replacement for your phone.

Many companies offer this, including your mobile phone provider as well as general insurance companies. Some home insurance policies also cover mobile phones, and some bank accounts offer it as a benefit, so it’s worth checking whether you may already be covered without realising. 

Having phone insurance means that you have someone to call on for help if the worst happens. Just remember to keep your insurer up to date with any changes to your device(s) so that if anything does happen, there is no delay to getting things sorted. 

• Register your phone

Another option to be aware of is to register your phone with the national property register Immobilise. This is a UK-wide database where you can register any of your valuable items for free, and increase the chances of getting them back if they are lost and stolen. 

To register your phone, you will need its IMEI number. This is a 15-17 digit identity number. You can find this out either through your phone settings or by texting #06# to reveal the number.

What to do if your smartphone goes missing

If your smartphone does go missing, it’s important to act swiftly to make sure it is not able to be used if it falls into the wrong hands. 

• Use Find My Phone

This is when you’ll be grateful you set up Find My Phone! You can use another linked device either to ping your phone or locate it on a map. This can be a quick result if it turns out you have simply mislaid your phone. But if your phone has been stolen, it is also valuable evidence to prove that this has happened, and could even result in your phone being recovered.

• Contact your phone provider

If your phone is definitely missing or stolen, you need to report this to your network provider as soon as possible. They will be able to cancel your phone’s SIM so that no-one else will be able to use it. 

Do this as soon as possible because your phone provider may charge you for any use of the phone between you losing it and reporting it missing. This varies between providers, and some will limit this to £100 if you report it within 24 hours, but the sooner you get in touch with them, the better.

Even if you are not completely sure it has been stolen, get in touch with your phone provider anyway. If your phone does turn up, they will usually be able to reactivate it again for you.

• Report it to your insurance company and/or the police

If your phone is lost or stolen you will be glad you took out that mobile phone insurance. Get in touch with the insurer as soon as possible to get a replacement phone sorted.

If your phone has been stolen you also need to report this to the police by calling 101. They will give you a crime reference number, which your insurance provider is likely to need.

Be aware that they may need your phone’s IMEI number, so it is a good idea to have a record of this somewhere separate. Otherwise your phone provider will be able to give it to you.

Smartphone tools to keep you safe in an emergency

As well as taking steps to keep your phone safe, it’s well worth setting up any available features on your phone to keep you safe and provide essential help in an emergency.

Some of these features are:

• Location tracking

If you want to share your location with others, one easy way to do it is through WhatsApp. All you need to do is open up the relevant chat window and look beside where you’d usually type your message. There should be a Plus icon on iPhone and a paperclip icon on Android. Tap this and select Location > Share live location. You can either send a snapshot of your location or choose to share it in real time for 15 minutes, 1 hour or 8 hours. You can also select Stop sharing whenever you want.

This enables you to have the security of knowing that your chosen contact(s) knows where you are and will be aware if anything does not go as planned.

• Emergency SOS call

All smartphones have a built-in feature that will call emergency services when you press a combination of buttons. 

On Android phones this is usually done by quickly pressing the power button five times but you can customise this in your phone’s safety settings. On iPhone you need to press and hold the side button and either volume button and the “Emergency SOS” slider appears. On newer models you can also press the side button five times to do this.

• App-based alerts

There are many different apps on the market that can send alerts either to the emergency services or to your chosen contacts. It is worth researching these and getting hold of one or more that you think would work best for you. Examples include:

• Hollie Guard – turns your phone into a personal safety device including a personal alarm, deterrent, and evidence catcher. If you feel unsafe, it shares your location and audio stream with your chosen contacts.
• bSafe – a personal safety platform with voice-activated SOS, live streaming, and real-time monitoring, providing rapid emergency response.

• Medical information and emergency contacts notification

You can store vital medical information in your smartphone that can be accessed by first responders if needed. This can be done on iPhone through the Healthapp, and in varying ways on Android devices, for example Personal Safetyapp or Settings > Safety and emergency. 

As well as health details such as medications and allergies, there is also an Emergency Contacts section.

We hope that this article has provided some helpful information about how you and your smartphone can keep each other safe. 

If it has made you realise that it’s time to upgrade your smartphone to have access to the most up to date safety features, and you need some additional funds to do so, remember that Loans 2 Go offer a range of personal loans which may be able to help.  Full details, including terms and conditions are available on our website. Borrowing is optional and may not be suitable for everyone, so always consider your circumstances and affordability before applying.

And do visit us here again soon at Loans 2 Go for more hints and tips on the cost of everyday living.