How to Encrypt Android Phone Easy Setup

Smartphones and other mobile devices are prime sources of casual data loss. Phones travel everywhere we go, making them a tempting target for hackers and information thieves. It is also easy to misplace a portable device and have it fall into the hands of a stranger. With so many passwords, e-mail addresses, and contact numbers stored in one place, losing a phone is like losing your identity. In this article, we are going to tell you how to encrypt an android phone easy setup. Let’s begin!

A good first step security measure to protect against data loss is setting up a lock screen with a PIN, password, fingerprint, or swipe key. It is an excellent deterrent for casual thieves, but the data itself is still kind of easy to retrieve, despite the screen lock. Fortunately, the Android operating system comes with a handy security feature. That can encrypt your device from head to toe, locking down private information so it is nearly impossible to retrieve. It is also a good idea to add an app to remotely clean your phone in the event that it steals

Encrypting an Android phone is a surprisingly simple task and only requires a few minutes to start. With a little preparation and the right tools, you can lock down your device and keep your information safe and secure.

Encryption Do for Android Phones? | Encrypt Android Phone Easy Setup

The encryption process works just like an incredibly complex lock and key. Files on your phone are usually save in a raw format, something akin to an unfasten padlock. Anyone can stroll by and take a look at those files or, with the right equipment, that make copies for themselves. This can even happen behind your supposedly secure screen lock!

When you encrypt your phone, all of the data stored on the device gets converted into randomized numbers and letters. Such as fasten the padlocks, the information is stored in an unreadable state. Importantly just a pile of meaningless code. Along with the right keys, however, those padlocks we can unlock and convert back into their original format. The only key that works with the locks is the one that your device creates when you enter a password or PIN during the encryption process.

Encrypted phone stores all of its idle data in a safe format. Nothing is decrypted until you enter your key, and nothing can decrypt those files apart from that specific key. This makes encryption a very effective privacy tool that renders stolen data nearly useless. It is not perfect, but it serves its purpose for the vast majority of users.

Benefits of Android Phone Encryption | Encrypt Android Phone Easy Setup

Privacy is the number one benefit of encrypting your Android device. If you are concerned about hackers stealing information or nosy strangers unlocking your phone, encryption is the answer.

1. Protect sensitive personal information

Cell phones contain a trove of private information. E-mail accounts, passwords, bank logins, contact numbers, browsing history, your home address, and so much more. All neatly filed in a single device. In the case of malicious attacks or lost devices, the amount of data that changes hands can staggering. Along with encryption in place, your information stays safe no matter what.

2. Safeguard corporate data

Protecting trade secrets and confidential corporate data is arguably more important. Than locking down private information. If you have a work phone, make sure it is encrypted, with no exceptions.

Drawbacks of Android Phone Encryption

The privacy afforded by full disc encryption is almost a necessity in today’s world, but it isn’t without a few small drawbacks, especially if you use an older, slower device.

1. Longer boot times

Rebooting an encrypted phone takes about twice as long as unencrypted devices, all because of the security overhead. You also have to enter your PIN or lock screen password every time you reboot, which can be annoying for some users.

2. Sluggish operating speed

Have you ever noticed your phone slows down whenever playing certain games or running a lot of apps? This can happen when the device’s processor gets overloaded trying to handle too many tasks all at once. Encryption increases the load on your device’s CPU. That can make slowdown worse and occur more frequently. The problem is barely noticeable on newer, more powerful devices. But the bottom line is if your phone is encrypted, you should expect some slowdown.

3. Encryption is not bulletproof

Even with a complex lock screen pattern and full disc encryption enabled, it’s still technically possible to obtain data from your device. These methods are normally reserve for brilliant hackers, however.

4. Full decryption is not really possible

Once you encrypt your device, the only way to decrypt the whole disc is to do a factory reset. Make sure you back up your data externally before encrypting. Because there is no undo button for this process.

5. You cannot encrypt a rooted device

If your phone is rooted and you want to encrypt it, you will have to unroot it first, then re-root it after encryption is complete.

How to Encrypt an Android Phone | Encrypt Android Phone Easy Setup

Android’s full disc encryption feature is built into the operating system. To enable it, all you have to do is enter the settings menu and click through a few dialogue boxes. Before you begin, make sure your battery is fully charged or you have access to a wall outlet. Encryption can take anywhere from a few minutes to well over an hour depending on the speed of your phone and the amount of data that is encrypt or not. If you lose power in the middle of the process, you can lose data.

Enable encryption on Android 5.0 or newer:

• Open the menu and tap on the Settings icon.
• Scroll down to the Security settings.
• Look for the “Encrypt phone” or “Encrypt tablet” option and tap it.
• You will be prompted to plug your phone in before beginning.
• Click Continue.
• Enter your password or PIN if prompted.
• Wait for the encryption process to complete.
• When your device is ready, enter your PIN or password and use it as normal.

Enable encryption on Android 4.4 or older:

• Create a PIN or password under Settings > Security > Screen Lock
• Go back to the Settings menu and choose “Security”
• Look for the “Encrypt phone” or “Encrypt tablet” option and tap it.
• You’ll be prompted to plug your phone in before beginning.
• Tap Continue.
• Enter your password or PIN if prompted.
• Wait for the encryption process to complete.
• When your device is ready, enter your PIN or password and use it as normal.

Editor’s note: we used a Lenovo Tab 2 TB2-X30F — However, we know it is not an Android phone, everything is similar to a phone.

Android Encryption Does not Encrypt Internet Traffic

The main purpose of encrypting your Android phone is to prevent localized data theft. Files are always save on your device in a coded format. That makes it nearly impossible for someone to pick up your phone and steal your data. As soon as you provide the key and start using a file. However, that encryption is temporarily undone. This means active data you send via the internet is no longer encrypted, which can put you at risk.

There is a critical difference between encrypting your phone and encrypting the information it sends through wireless connections. If you want to make sure your data stays private once it leaves your phone, consider using a virtual private network. Android devices are supported by most modern VPN providers, making it extremely easy to encrypt the traffic passing to and from your phone. With both local encryption and an active VPN, your data will be safe on your phone as well as across the internet.

Will Encryption Slow My Phone Down?

Regardless of the technology or devices involved, encryption almost always slows things down. The process of scrambling data and unlocking it with complex keys takes an enormous amount of time and processing power. The more data involved and the more complex (and secure) the encryption. The longer it takes. This holds true for CPU intensive tasks as well as simple things like opening a web browser or using an SMS program.

Most modern Android phones and tablets deal with the encryption overhead without too much trouble, making slowdown and also barely noticeable. If you have a slightly older device or frequently use CPU heavy applications. However, you are likely to encounter some lag. The only reliable solution to this is to upgrade to a more powerful device.

Encrypting the microSD Card |Encrypt Android Phone Easy Setup

Many Android devices display two encryption options in the settings. One to encrypt the phone or tablet, and one to encrypt the microSD card. Most personal data is store on the phone itself, but if you have your interest in an extra measure of privacy. It is not a bad idea to encrypt both.

The process of encrypting the microSD card is the same as encrypting the phone. Tap the option under Settings > Security, enter your PIN or password, plug your device into a power source. Then you have to wait for the encryption to finish. It depends on the speed of your phone and the amount of data on the card. This could take a few minutes to an hour.

Encrypting the microSD card carries a few drawbacks. For starters, you won’t be able to use the card in another device unless you decrypt and format it first. This also means that resetting your phone to factory default destroys the encryption keys to decrypt the card. That makes the data irretrievable.

A fully encrypted microSD card will experience the same amount of slowdown as an encrypted phone. Some users opt to skip encrypting the card and make sure only non-essential applications access that storage. Things like games or utility apps that do not collect or save any private information. This is a great solution that gives you a decent level of privacy without impacting your regular activities.

Is My Device Already Encrypted? | Encrypt Android Phone Easy Setup

Encryption has been an optional part of the Android operating system since Gingerbread 2.3. After Lollipop 5.0, some phones had the feature turned on right out of the box. After the Marshmallow 6.0 was released, many devices made encryption mandatory. Despite these measures, however, only about 10% of Android devices are fully encrypted. That leaves a lot of unprotected phones out in the wild.

If your phone or tablet is new and already has Android 6.0 or better, chances are the entire disk was encrypted before you even turned it on. To verify, simply go to Settings > Security and scroll down to the section that says “Encrypt phone” or “Encrypt tablet“. If encryption was already active, the text should say “Encrypted“.

Difference Between Encrypting and Setting a PIN or Password Lock

Encryption and screen locks are two separate activities that are not necessarily together.  Just because your phone asks for a  PIN, password, swipe pattern, or fingerprint to pass the lock screen doesn’t mean your data is encrypted. In fact, data can still be accessed with a screen lock in place, all the intruder needs is a USB cable and a little time.

Encryption ensures that even if someone gains access to the data on your device they won’t be able to make anything useful. Without the key provided by your password and the Android device that encrypted the information, all anyone can take is a garbled mess of numbers and letters.

Can All Android Devices Do Encryption?

Not every phone, tablet, or device powered by Android will have full disc encryption as an option. Most e-readers, gaming consoles, and Android TVs skip the feature for several reasons. The main ones being a lack of processing power. These devices are pretty low risk as far as data theft is concerned. So the lack of an encryption option is not a big deal.

Encrypt Files and Folders Instead of the Entire Device

Some phones do not handle full disk encryption so well. The slowdown can become a serious issue, making them virtually unusable. Fortunately, there are some alternatives on Google Play that let you encrypt files and folders on an individual basis. That affords you some level of privacy without sacrificing ease of use.

If you have already encrypted your Android phone, most of the programs below won’t be as useful to you. However, if you use cloud storage services like Dropbox or Google Drive. Downloading the apps can provide a little extra privacy when transferring files over the internet.

SSE – Universal Encryption App – A one-stop program for all of your Android encryption needs. SSE lets you encrypt individual files and folders, securely store passwords and text, lockdown photos, and perform other security-conscious tasks. Such as clearing the clipboard or generating strong passwords.

Android – A full-featured file manager and encryption program that lets you protect local files as well as files transferred to and from cloud storage services. Like Dropbox or Google Drive. Viewing and editing encrypted files is seamless, so you get the comfort of strong privacy without all the hassle.

Cryptomator – Cryptomator offers transparent encryption for files stored on cloud sync services Like Dropbox and Google Drive. It supports Android devices with just a simple downloadable app and also included software for desktop PCs. Easy, free, secure, and completely open-source.

Boxcryptor – A thorough privacy app that focuses on securing Google Drive, Dropbox, and other remote storage service files before uploading them to the cloud. You won’t gain the benefits of encrypting any folder on your Android device. But since the software supports multiple platforms, you can be sure your cloud storage data is secure.

Conclusion

Alright, That was all Folks! I hope you like this Encrypt Android Phone Easy Setup article and find it helpful. Also if you guys have further queries related to this article. Then let us know in the comments section below. We will get back to you shortly.

Have a Great Day!

Also See:How to Check Android Device if its 64-bit or 32-bit