Google with Android 16 Could Expand Identity Check Feature to Other Smartphones
Google is planning to expand the Identity Check Security feature, which is available on some Samsung and Google Pixel smartphones, to additional devices. The functionality is intended to prevent user data and Google accounts from being compromised if a user’s phone is stolen. After enabling the feature, biometric authentication is required before making any changes to critical settings. Apple already has a similar feature called Stolen Device Protection, which was added last year with the iOS 17.3 update. The code from Android 15 QPR1 and QPR1 will be available in Android 16 when it is released in the future months, implying that other smartphones will also receive the Identity Check feature when updated to Android 16.
Google with Android 16 Could Bring Identity Check Feature to Other Smartphones
Google appears to be expanding the availability of the Identity Check security feature, which is now only available on certain Samsung and Google Pixel handsets. The Identity Check function is designed to prevent user information and Google accounts from being compromised if a user’s phone is stolen. When the function is enabled, an Android phone will prompt for biometric authentication before giving access to crucial settings. A similar feature, Stolen Device Protection, was already available from Apple and was introduced with the iOS 17.3 update last year.
Following the installation of the OnePlus 13 Android 16 beta update, Android Authority noticed the Identity Check function. The security feature looks exactly the same as the one Google launched with the Pixel Drop (Android 15 QPR1), which was released for the company’s smartphones in December 2024. Samsung’s One UI 7 upgrade, which was based on Android 15, brought Identity Check.
When Android 16 is released in the upcoming months, the code from Android 15 QPR1 will be accessible, thus other handsets, such as the OnePlus 13, should also have the Identity Check feature when they get the upgrade.
The Identity Check function is also anticipated to be included in future smartphones that come pre-installed with Android 16. According to the magazine, devices must have class 3 biometric authentication in order to support the feature.
Users can activate Identity Check by going to Settings > Google > Theft Protection > Use Identity check after it becomes available. The Android smartphone will demand biometrics while conducting critical tasks when it is not in “trusted” locations if the user activates the feature. These include altering the device’s PIN, turning off Find My Device, and gaining access to passkeys or app passwords.
The Identity Check function will safeguard Google accounts on a device in addition to shielding private device settings from unauthorized access. It prevents criminals or malicious individuals from gaining access to a user’s Google account, even if they have memorized the owner’s passcode.
Identity Check on smartphones can be turned off by users, although biometric authentication is still required. Users can also disable it with a Google account, however this approach necessitates an internet connection.