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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Extend Unlock should be a must for Android users.
- Extend Unlock replaces Smart Unlock.
- This feature makes it easier to access your device.
I spend a lot of time in my apartment… alone. Because of that, I don’t need my Android phone to constantly auto-lock. Since I’m the only one here, I could keep it unlocked every second I spend in my humble domicile without worry that someone might access the data within.
To that end, I always configure my Android phones to remain unlocked in certain locations.
Also: Your Android phone’s most powerful security feature is off by default and hidden – turn it on now
Once upon a time, this feature was called Smart Unlock. In 2023, Google changed that, and now we have Extend Unlock, and this security option actually works much better than the original.
Extend Unlock keeps your device unlocked when it’s with you, so it’ll stay unlocked when you’re holding it, near home (or another trusted location), or when your watch or another trusted device is nearby.
You can configure Extend Unlock to honor one or more of those options, and it’s very easy to do so.
Let me show you how.
How to enable Extend Unlock
What you’ll need: An Android device running version 14 or newer of the OS.
The first thing to do is to open the Settings app. You can do that by either tapping Settings in the App Drawer, or by pulling down the notification shade twice and tapping the gear icon at the bottom right corner.
You’ll find Extend Unlock in Security & Privacy > More security & privacy > Extend Unlock. After tapping that entry, you’ll be prompted for your PIN.
On the Extend Unlock page, tap the option you want and then enable it.
- For on-body detection, you enable or disable it.
- For Trusted place, you enable it and then add a location.
- For Trusted devices, you enable it and select the device you want to use as trusted.
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Once you’ve done that, you should find that the device will remain unlocked, so long as one or more of the conditions are met. Although your phone’s display might appear locked, it’s not. Swipe up and voilà! You have access.
The one caveat
As much as I like Extend Unlock, I have to be careful. I always wear my Pixel Watch. If I’m out in public and my watch is near my phone, the phone will remain unlocked. Because of this, I don’t use the trusted devices option. Instead, I’ll enable on-body detection and trusted places.
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Give Extend Unlock a try and see if it doesn’t make using your Android phone slightly easier.
