Both Google (unsurprisingly) and Samsung are the most reliable when it comes to keeping devices up to date with the latest patches. If you want the most secure Android phone, your best bet is a Google Pixel or Samsung Galaxy device. Google releases the security updates every month and it’s up to its partners (Samsung, OnePlus, etc.) to approve the fixes, add any of their own, and release them to devices. Sadly, not all Android devices receive these updates in a timely manner or at all. That’s why monthly security updates are necessary.

It’s critically important to routinely squash these things as they come up. If your Android phone was only updated once a year, these things would pile up and become dangerous. New vulnerabilities and exploits are popping up all the time. These are smaller updates that don’t typically have shiny new features, but they’re very important. RELATED: What is Google Play Protect and How Does it Keep Android Secure? Monthly Security UpdatesĪnother big thing that protects your Android device is monthly security updates. Just like on Chrome for desktop, if you visit a site with malicious code, Chrome will warn you and take you back to safety. In addition to scanning apps, Play Protect can protect you when browsing with Google Chrome too. Sideloading is still inherently riskier, but it’s nice to know Play Protect is watching. Even apps that have been sideloaded from outside the Play Store are scanned by Play Protect. It keeps an eye on everything outside of the store as well. Play Protect doesn’t just work in the Play Store, though.

Play Protect makes sure the apps you download from the Play Store are safe. You may have noticed the “No Harmful Apps Found” message at the top of the apps and games management section in the Play Store. There are a few different components to Play Protect- including the Find My Device tools-but a big part of it is malware scanning.Įvery Android device that included the Google Play Store has Play Protect. Android’s biggest built-in defense against malware is Google Play Protect.

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