Android Phones To Auto-Reboot After Three Days Of Inactivity

Android is set to introduce a new security feature in which the devices will now automatically reboot if it is locked for three days in a row. Phones will require users to enter their PIN after three days of inactivity. The feature, included in the latest Google Play services update, aims to make devices more secure.

The Verge reported that the reboot function puts tablets and phones into a Before First Unlock (BFU) state that encrypts data files and disables biometric login support until the device PIN has been entered. Meanwhile, a report in 9to5Google mentioned that the update is applicable to Android phones and tablets and will not affect devices running Android Auto, Wear OS or Android TV. Google has not given an official statement on which Android devices will support the auto-reboot feature.

Apple launched a similar feature for its iOS operating system last year. The “Inactivity Reboot” feature in iOS triggers a device restart after four days of being locked.