Android [Security Tip] For android phone users to stop thieves from shutting off wifi/internet in your phone.

[6pack]

Have an android phone? You know the pull down menu at the top where you can access the wifi and data settings button?
If your phone gets stolen, thief can just pull down the menu and shut it off without unlocking the phone. This makes tracking the phone impossible. To prevent this, just edit the shortcuts and put the wifi/data button in unused shortcuts list. I only keep the hotpot button in front so data and wifi is always on in my phone. I don't see too much noticeable battery drain doing this. Android is quite good at conserving battery and shutting off unused features. I read this somewhere. Not my tip.

Edit: Also move airplane mode off or disable quick setting menu in lockscreen. Thanks @biscuit.

 

[biscuit]

you'd need to also remove airplane mode toggle.

you can just disable the quick setting access from lock screen altogether.

 

[kewlboy9]

What if they just turn the phone off and factory wipe it using recovery?

 

[biscuit]

What if they just turn the phone off and factory wipe it using recovery?

if the phone was logged into a google account, you'd need to sign into that account before you set up after a factory reset

 

[Afxal]

What if they just turn the phone off and factory wipe it using recovery?

These days, you can enable the option to first enter the pattern/pin to switch off the device. Also, you cannot wipe it using adb too if usb debugging isn't turned on afaik.

 

[t3chg33k]

if the phone was logged into a google account, you'd need to sign into that account before you set up after a factory reset

Unfortunately, FRP bypass works on most Android phones, so you can be pretty much sure that a stolen phone is still valuable to the thief, as the device will be sold after a reset in another part of the world.

It is less lucrative to steal an iPhone as you can only sell it for specific spares unless you can social engineer the user to turn off Find My.