Security can be complicated with your smartphone, especially for Android users.
What are some of the best ways to keep your device (and yourself!) safe from nefarious actors, illegal surveillance, and malware?
Our sponsor, ExpressVPN, recently shared five easy ways to configure your Android device for a safer and more private experience. All of them should be on your list if they aren’t already.
The first to-do on this list brings a few obvious benefits. Your location history could leave you vulnerable to stalkers in a worst-case scenario. Creepy? Yes, and Google has been tracking your location since you first started using Google Maps.
Unless you rely on your Google location history for one reason or another, you should disable it. Here’s how:
After doing this, you’ll be asked if your old data should be flushed. Tap Delete old activity and hit Got it to seal the deal.
While ExpressVPN does note that you would need a VPN to hide your location entirely, your Google profile will be separated through this method.
After years of using an Android device, apps tend to pile up. At one point, many needed permission to use the camera, microphone, or contacts.
You can keep access to your device exclusive by revoking permission for odds and ends you don’t use anymore. It’s an excellent solution for apps you rarely use but not every day.
You get excited when an entirely new operating system version is released for your smartphone if you’re anything like us. Still getting to know Android 12? Tap to click here for eight hidden features you should be using.
Which internet browser should you use? Kim compares well-known and top-used browsers based on safety, privacy, ease of use and personalization. Find out why you may or may not want to use Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Microsoft Edge, Tor and even Internet Explorer.
Nearly half of our readers polled at Komando.com use Google Chrome. What’s your favorite browser? Which will you never use?
🖥️ Rest your eyes: Switching to dark mode can help reduce glare. On a Mac, click the Apple menu > System Settings > Appearance > choose Dark. For Windows, open the Start menu > Settings > Personalization > Colors > Choose your mode > and select Dark.
🧠 ChatGPT got a memory upgrade: It can now remember your old conversations to give you more personalized replies. Two new features dropped: one for saved memories (stuff you ask it to remember) and one for chat history (info you’ve mentioned before). Want it off? Go to Settings > Personalization > Memory. FYI: It’s for Pro users now, Plus users later.
