5 Android safety features you probably aren’t using — and how to turn them on

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Android continues to be the dominant smartphone OS in global smartphone sales, and over the years, Google has doubled down on health and safety features across all Android devices. From apps like Personal Safety to features such as unknown tracker alerts, there’s a wealth of safety features quietly working in the background. The problem is that not all of these features are enabled by default, as some require additional setup in order to work.

If you’ve recently switched to a new Android phone or have been using one for years, it’s possible that you’ve overlooked some of these critical and highly useful features. It’s a good idea to take a moment to set these up right away for your own well-being.

Here are five safety settings you really need to set up on your Android smartphone today.

Safety Check is a useful feature that helps keep your loved ones alerted to your personal safety and can also take action on your behalf in an emergency. It works by forcing you to check in on the app after a set time has elapsed. If you fail to check in, your emergency contacts will be notified of your last known location.

Some scenarios where this can be genuinely useful include when you or a family member has to commute alone late at night or is traveling to an unfamiliar area. Safety Check can help mitigate some of the stress and anxiety of waiting if everyone knows the activity time in advance.

To set this up, download the Personal Safety app from the Play Store if you don’t already have it. Once it’s installed, open the app, go to the Features tab at the bottom, and tap the Set up button in the Safety Check bubble. Once you’ve finished the setup, you can start a Safety Check by choosing the activity you’re doing, how long it will take, and who you wish to keep notified. You can always add more time to Safety Check once it’s started if your activity needs more time.

When there’s a minute remaining on the timer, the app will prompt you to confirm that you’re okay. The emergency sharing options can also be customized to send alerts to your emergency contacts when your battery is below 15%. I just wish there were a widget for the Safety app on the home screen to quickly jump to this feature.