- Android's Theft Detection Lock feature is malfunctioning, locking devices randomly even when not stolen.
- Users report the feature triggers unexpectedly, often when the device is idle or offline.
- The feature raises questions about its actual usefulness and whether it will function properly in actual theft situations.
With the release of Android 15 last year, Google rolled out a bunch of security updates, which included a new feature called Theft Detection Lock. This aptly named addition locks your device as soon as your phone gets snatched from your hands. However, in a weird turn of events, the feature is going off randomly even when the phone isn’t stolen.
Several users on Reddit are reporting that the Theft Detection Lock is abruptly locking their Android phones throughout the day. This happens when the device is in their possession, and even when no sudden action takes place. Here is how they described their stories:
“It happened this morning for the first time. I had the phone in my pocket and there was no sudden movement.”
“It’s happened to me when I ran out of work 🤣.”
“Happens like once a day on my Samsung, got used to it.”
The feature uses your Android phone’s accelerometer and other device sensors, along with AI smarts, and it is supposed to trigger when a sudden movement or acceleration is detected. But that is not the case in most of these scenarios. Another explanation is the Offline detection lock, which also comes into effect when the phone is offline for a while.
It locks the device automatically, and you can unlock it using fingerprint or screen lock. So if your phone was offline for a while, like on a flight, it may get locked owing to these security features. While these glitches are annoying, users reporting them don’t seem to be bothered, calling it “better safe than sorry”.
Google Needs to Fix Theft Detection Lock For Good
The problem is that while these triggers are happening for no clear reason, the feature rarely functions when the phone gets snatched. When the feature initially rolled out, we tested it in a real-life situation, trying to get our phones snatched by another team member on foot, bike, and a car. Not once did it come into effect.
Heck, my OnePlus 12R that had the feature enabled got stolen, and I could’ve tracked it in time had the screen been locked upon getting snatched. The thief quickly turned off my device in a busy metro station, leaving me worried about my data. This leaves me with little to no faith in the feature.
Hopefully, the feature will come in handy for some individuals, protecting their devices. But in my months of testing this feature, it hasn’t worked once as intended. I hope Google fixes these random triggers and improves theft detection. It needs to be more cautious to lock your device in real-world scenarios, and not when you’re just sitting idle.
