Google releases it previously announced The Identity Check feature now adds additional protection to “critical account and device settings” when you're not in a trusted location.
When Identity Check is enabled, you'll need to provide “explicit biometric authentication” to access certain account and phone settings, such as changing your pin or disabling theft protection. You'll need to toggle the feature in settings and add trusted locations where you don't want to enable biometric authentication before you can use it. Google says the protections also extend to your Google account or Samsung account, making it harder for someone to change your password just because they own your phone.
Identity Check is rolling out to Google's Pixel devices running Android 15 today, and will come to Samsung Galaxy devices capable of running One UI 7 “in the coming weeks,” which could line up with the February 7 launch of Galaxy S25. Other Android phone makers should get the feature later this year.
Along with the release of Identity Check, Google said that its Theft Detection Lock feature, which uses AI to detect when your phone has been forcibly taken from you and your screen is locked, is now fully rolled out to devices running Android 10 and later. Both settings are definitely worth enabling if you have a phone that supports them.
