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