We have more and more personal information stored inside our cell phones. Here’s how to prevent it from being stolen.

It’s hard to miss the daily use of our smartphones these days. If at the beginning, we used them mainly to go on Facebook and play Candy Crush, we can now, with a few taps on our screens, check the state of our finances, do our tax returns and show our credentials to enter a restaurant. We therefore have our entire lives at our fingertips, but also at the fingertips of cybercriminals and thieves of all kinds. All the more reason to secure your terminals to avoid unpleasant surprises.

We therefore offer you some advice to avoid the worst.

1- Avoid wild APK files

Even if the omniscience of Apple and Google can sometimes annoy, it must be recognized that it is more secure to download your applications from the App Store and the Play Store than anywhere else. The official stores are supposed to attest to the maximum security of the files available. Each time a new application is offered, it is first analyzed by the platforms that guarantee its quality before it arrives on the virtual shelves. Moreover, thanks to the description of each one, you know which personal data will be recovered by the designers. As much as you can, avoid downloading APKs from unsecured sites because the risk of ending up with a virus is high. However, you should know that if we redirect you, on Android-MT, to an external source, it is because we have verified its quality.

2- Update your apps and system

It’s a habit to get into, even if it annoys you to have to make room on your internal storage and restart your phone afterwards, but you absolutely must always update the operating system of your phone. This will always secure your device and close the existing loopholes that hackers could use to get to your data. Hackers are always evolving their methods, so you should always be up to date on your phone. The same goes for your application updates.

3- Be careful with the permissions you give

Even if we tend to click faster than our shadow to install an application on our smartphones, it is important to be careful with the permissions you give it. Sometimes information is retrieved that makes no sense at all. That WhatsApp asks you for access to your microphone is pretty logical. That a flashlight accesses your geolocation does not. Knowing the plethora of offers available on the stores, don’t just jump on the first app at the top of the results and be a little careful. From Settings>Applications, it is possible to have a detailed account of the authorizations granted to such or such app in case of doubt.

4- Use a password manager

It’s tempting to use the password saving feature of browsers, but it’s still best to use password managers. These programs work like safes that keep your logins and codes safe and secure and offer end-to-end encryption of your data. You will find for example free solutions like BitWarden and Keepass2Android. If you also use these managers on your PCs, you can even synchronize them with your smartphones.

5- Use a VPN

When you’re in public spaces and don’t want to dip too much into our data plan, it’s quite tempting to connect to open WiFi hotspots. However, these public networks are not always very secure and your personal data can be retrieved by other people connected at the same time as you. In these cases, we recommend using VPNs that will allow you to mask your activity.

As with any operating system, whether desktop or mobile, the performance of your Android operating system will begin to diminish after some time of use. Mobile operating systems are supposed to be lighter and faster to meet our need to move around, while giving us access to everything. But we have to admit that our smartphones nowadays literally hold our whole life, so they can quickly get tired. It is therefore important to know some tips to boost the performance of your Android smartphone, in order to keep an optimal comfort of use.

Have you ever wondered how to configure your Android smartphone? To tell the truth, few people ask themselves this question, as the use of these devices is nowadays very intuitive thanks to their touch screen. However, over time, by installing all sorts of applications from the Google Play, the performance of these devices degrades, so much so that we have the impression that our smartphone runs in “slow motion”. So it would be interesting to see how an Android smartphone is used…

Before looking for any application promising to boost your smartphone, here are 10 tips to boost the performance of your Android smartphone, with just its native settings.

1- Know your device

It is important that you first learn about the capabilities and drawbacks of your smartphone. Today there are many types of smartphones: some models are optimized for gaming, others for photography, others for professional use, even allowing them to be transformed into real laptops, as we saw for example with the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra. If you try, for example, to install the latest games, such as Fortnite, on a smartphone that lacks power, inevitably the experience will be disappointing.

So don’t overload your phone with resource-intensive apps that would otherwise degrade your phone’s performance at your expense.

2- Think about Android updates

If you haven’t updated your Android phone to the latest firmware, you should do so. Google makes great improvements with each new version of the Android operating system, including updates that ensure stability, better speed and connectivity, and other new user-friendly features.

3- Remove unwanted applications

Every application you install in your phone takes up some storage space, runs processes in the background, and adds to data usage. The more storage space or background processes, the slower your phone’s performance.

Don’t install apps you barely use. Keep only the applications you need, and if you have an application that is not really useful, you can uninstall it or disable it.

4- Disable unnecessary applications

The “performance wizard” was introduced in Android to help you disable applications you don’t need. Deactivating applications is different from uninstalling applications: uninstalling removes application files from the phone, while no files are removed when you deactivate them. These deactivated applications are not displayed on the home screen or in the application bar, but you can reactivate them to use them at any time.

5- Update applications

You should regularly update the applications installed on your phone from Google Play. Developers fix bugs and add features in new versions of applications. Updated apps work better (normally) and faster, and are less likely to crash your phone.

6- Use a high-speed memory card

The memory card is your phone’s secondary storage space. Not all smartphones offer this option for adding memory, but if your model has it, take advantage of it, especially if your smartphone has little storage to begin with! Not only does it add storage capacity, but also speed. You can now easily add between 64 and 256 GB of storage to support high-speed read/write operations. Always opt for class 6 or class 10 memory cards for your Android phone if you are looking for performance for your phone.

7- Limiting widgets

Widgets are not applications, which only run once you have chosen to activate them. No, widgets always run in the background: they are always active! While some Android users use them to keep track of the weather and their calendar, others use widgets like “Extended Controls” for quick access to essential settings like turning on or off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, their GPS, even their home control.

These widgets have their uses, but keep in mind that too many of them displayed on your home screen will slow down the performance of your device.

8- Avoid animated wallpapers

You must love the animated wallpaper feature of Android? Most manufacturers ship different animated wallpapers nowadays, but you should know that animated wallpapers that are poorly made will need more CPU cycles to run, which will drain the battery faster. Every time you activate the home screen, you launch not only your applications but also your animated wallpaper.

9- Stop synchronization

Sync is a very good feature that synchronizes your data with Google servers. By staying in sync, you can receive notifications every time a new mail arrives or when you get new notifications or updates for apps. To do this, it performs a refresh at every predefined interval (for example, it checks your mail every 5 minutes for new incoming messages), which reduces your smartphone’s performance for other activities.

You can disable Sync for non-required services or enable it only when you need to transfer or upload documents to Google servers.

10- Disable animations

What animations? If you haven’t noticed, your phone’s screen does a lot of things when you switch between tasks. To see this in action, go to Settings > Development Options > Window Animation Scale > 10x Animation Scale. Then choose “Window Animation Scale” again to see the slow-motion fade effect.

When you choose “Animation off”, the screen simply positions itself without animation. You can also turn off the transition animation scale in the same way. If you are a power user, you will probably notice that your Android runs faster when all animations are disabled.

Note: if the “Development Options” menu does not appear in your settings, you need to go to Settings > System > About Device. There, press 7 times on the Android version number. A message will tell you that the development menu has been unlocked.

Conclusion

If you follow these 10 tips to boost your Android smartphone, you should be able to make it faster and smoother while using it. In any case, these are some tips that I’ve been using for a while, and that allow me to take advantage of my smartphone in an optimal way when I’m on the move (on a trade show, for example, where I use it intensively, between taking pictures, notes, and sending messages to social networks). Note that these tips are also valid for an Android tablet, or even an Android console like the Powkiddy X15 we saw ;-)

If you have other tips and tricks to improve the performance of your Android, let us know in the comments!

You suspect someone and want to track their phone? But you’re unable to grab their phone out of their hands? Exhausted by all this secrecy, you finally decide to follow him using the IMEI number of his phone.

Such technology was once complex and difficult for ordinary people to use. Not anymore!

How do I track a phone using its IMEI number?

It’s easier than you think! There is an inexpensive application you can use that connects to the phone automatically and secretly. It detects and extracts the IMEI number of the cell phone by simply entering the phone number of the device into the application. Once the remote connection is established, the application collects data such as text messages, call data, photos, videos, Facebook messages and more. It also uses the phone’s IMEI number to track its location as long as the application remains connected to the device.

What is the IMEI number?

Every phone, unless forged, has an International Mobile Station Identity (IMEI). It is a 15-digit number that is specific and unique to the cell phone. Similar to cell phone spyware, it can be used to find a phone when it is lost or stolen.

How do I find my IMEI number?

The location of your IMEI number may differ depending on the mobile device you have. Below are detailed instructions on how to find your IMEI on an iPhone and Android device.

Find your IMEI on an iPhone :

Step 1: Go to Settings

Step 2: Click on General

Step 3: Click on About

Step 4: Scroll down to IMEI and write down your number

Find your IMEI on an Android (Method 1) :

Step 1: Check the IMEI on the back of your cell phone. If it is not there, you must follow the steps below.

Step 2: Go to Settings.

Step 3: Scroll down to About Phone.

Step 4: Enter the IMEI number that appears.

Find your IMEI on an Android (Method 2) :

Step 1: Turn off your cell phone.

Step 2: Remove the battery cover and battery.

Step 3: Search for the IMEI inside your phone and copy it.

Step 4: If not, simply remember to dial the code *#06# on your phone keypad and press the call key, the IMEI number should then be displayed.

How to locate your cell phone using IMEI

1/ Contact the police

It would be wise to contact the police if your smartphone has been stolen. Give them your IMEI phone number, and law enforcement should be able to retrieve it for you.

2/ Ask your cell phone provider

If you have lost your cell phone, you can ask your provider to find it for you (Orange, SFR, etc.). Just give them the IMEI of your smartphone to search for.

3/ Using an IMEI tracking application

There are many IMEI tracking applications for cell phones that you can use to locate your device. With most of these applications, you simply enter your IMEI number and it can find your device. One of the best for Android and iPhone is IMEI Tracker.

Knowing your IMEI number can certainly help you in case your smartphone is lost or stolen.

How to use the IMEI Tracker application

Step 1: Search “IMEI tracker” in Google Play, find “AntiTheft App & IMEI Tracker All Phone Location” on your phone. Make sure your phone is running Android 4.4 or higher. Then start installing the application.

Step 2: After the installation is complete, launch the application. Give all permissions that the IMEI tracking application asks for, including contacts, calls, storage, SMS and location. In case you need to track your phone, all these permissions will be required to activate all features.

Step 3: Press “Continue” to continue after watching a short commercial. This free IMEI tracking application is great, but the problem is that it contains ads that you need to watch. Unfortunately, you can’t skip the ads, and if the video hasn’t loaded yet, you won’t be able to proceed to the next step.

Step 4: Enter the IMEI number of your Android phone, verify your entry, then press “Track”. A small window with a list of locations will appear, showing the location and proximity of your phone.

Using the IMEI number to track a phone is not the only function of IMEI Tracker. There are also some important anti-theft features that you will be able to see.

Summary

A recent study shows that 90 million phones are lost each year. Without a SIM card, GPS location or Internet access, it may seem like everything is lost when your phone disappears. But did you know that you can use the IMEI number to track your lost Android phone?

FAQ

What should you do if your cell phone is stolen?

– Immediately notify your telephone operator so that they can block your cell phone from being used.

SIM card and thus the use of your phone line.

– File a complaint with a police station or a police brigade.

gendarmerie. Communicate the unique identity number of your cell phone.

(IMEI code). The police department or gendarmerie unit will transmit it by

electronic way to your operator so that the use of the telephone is

blocked. Your mobile becomes unusable.

Why file a complaint?

Filing a complaint is a citizen’s initiative. It makes it possible to bring to the attention of the public

of justice a crime that has been committed. If the perpetrator is apprehended, he or she is liable to prosecution.

may be judged for his act.

Moreover, by filing a complaint and communicating your IMEI code, you allow to

make your phone unusable. The latter then loses all value, making your phone useless.

Theft and concealment are of interest.

Where to find your IMEI code?

– on the phone’s packaging box ;

– on the back of the mobile, under the battery;

– on the service contract;

– on the mobile by typing on the keyboard *#06# ;

– by contacting your operator.

The public authorities have taken new measures. What are they?

Previously, in order to block the telephone box, the victim of a theft had to

send a copy of his complaint to his operator. A large proportion of people do not

did not do so because they had no direct interest in it, their line being already blocked.

Coming into force on March 16, 2011, the orientation and programming law for the

Homeland Security Performance Project (LOPPSI) now provides that the

gendarmerie and police as soon as they register a complaint transmit the data

IMEI of the telephone stolen from the operator (Article 42). The latter has the obligation to proceed

to blocking within 4 days.

On what technical principles is the ban on the use of cell phones based stolen is it based?

The mobile operators have created a common database that lists the

identified phones that have been reported stolen.

At each request to connect to a network, the mobile operator therefore checks that the

IMEI number of the phone that wants to connect to its network has not been registered

in the database of phones reported stolen.

– If the IMEI number is not entered, the connection is established normally.

– If the IMEI number has been reported stolen and registered in the base, the connection is refused.

No incoming or outgoing communication can be established.

Network checks are performed for all types of customer use, both voice and data.

as SMS/MMS and mobile data.

The operators feed the database once a day, which centralizes, at the

international, all IMEI codes of stolen mobiles.

53 mobile operators in dozens of countries are involved in the management of the stolen cell phones. of this base.

Does this device also work in MVNOs?

Mobiles reported stolen from MVNOs also

known by the acronym MVNO for Mobile Virtual Network Operator, are

included in the base. Indeed, MVNOs validate the IMEI numbers of mobiles that

have been stolen from them and transmit them to their host operator, who supplies power to the base for

their account.

What is the delay between the victim’s complaint and the actual blocking of the use of the account?

of the stolen cell phone on all French mobile networks?

As soon as it is notified by the security forces, the operator has a legal deadline of

four working days to register the IMEI in the common database.

The block is then effective.

The important thing is that the victim of a robbery files a complaint so that the police forces

can transmit the official declaration to the operator concerned.

Has the CNIL been consulted to validate this cell phone blocking process?

stolen from a common base?

Yes, even if the file does not contain any sensitive information (not

personal information, but only stolen cell phone numbers).

The National Commission for Data Processing and Liberties, which had been consulted by

police services, confirmed that the base was in line with its recommendations to

protection of personal data, as imposed by the Data Protection Act and freedoms.

What is the situation in other European countries?

Operators who are members of the Global Mobile Operators Association (GSMA)

have set up a similar system and enter the IMEI codes of stolen cell phones into the

the international base. A large majority of the countries of the European Union (EU)

adhere to the GSMA process and can block mobiles reported stolen from their homes at

from the international base.

Note however that the blocking of mobiles registered in the base only works

on the territory of the mobile operator to whom the report was transmitted. A mobile

stolen and blocked in France can therefore unfortunately be used in another country.

Aware of this gap in the system, the French Federation of Telecoms

is currently working with the GSMA to extend the blocking of declared cell phones.

stolen internationally.

Can the IMEI number be changed by the thief to unlock the phone?

The IMEI number is very difficult to change on a cell phone. If some cases of

cracking exist, they are the work of hackers, well known for their ability to

equipped. These cases are therefore very rare.

Mobile operators, especially French ones, through the French Federation of the

Télécoms, are very vigilant on this subject. A watch allows to identify regularly

the cell phones most affected by attempts to crack their IMEI, and

to ask the manufacturers concerned to take appropriate countermeasures.

This watch has been bearing fruit for several years, given the steady decline in the

number of so-called “crackable” phones.

Can individuals verify that a phone has been reported stolen?

No. In accordance with the declarations made to the CNIL, the common database

is not open to consultation by individuals. It is therefore not possible to

an individual for example to consult blocked IMEI numbers.

There is evidence that some people have experienced problems, for example on sites with

auctions, buying phones that don’t work and look stolen.

You should be cautious when being offered the purchase of a used phone.

If it turns out that the phone is stolen and blocked, report it to the security forces.