Google To Release New Android 16 Feature That Reboots Unused Phones To Stop Data Theft
Android's next move in data security.
By Sukhbir Cheema — 21 Apr 2025, 01:28 PM
Google appears to be stepping up its security game in Android 16 with a subtle but significant new feature: automatic reboot after 72 hours of inactivity
First spotted in recent Google Play Services code by Android Authority, the feature is part of a broader "Advanced Protection Mode" designed to make stolen or unattended phones far less useful to anyone but their rightful owners. It'll be optional.
The concept is straightforward — if a device hasn't been unlocked in three days, it will automatically restart.
That reboot kicks the device back to its most secure state, requiring manual authentication to access anything inside.
It's a quiet but firm push towards stronger default protections, especially for users who don't manually lock their phones or rely on weaker safeguards
Apple rolled out a similar layer of defence in iOS 18.1, and now Google seems to be answering in kind.
The timing is no accident either.
With Google I/O set for late May at the Shoreline Amphitheatre, Android 16 is poised to be a headliner, and this security upgrade may be part of its early summer rollout
What remains unclear is whether the reboot feature will be enabled by default or offered as an opt-in.
Either way, it's a signal from Google that safeguarding personal data — especially in cases of theft — is no longer just an optional setting buried in menus.
