For iOS Devices
For iOS users who are looking to encrypt the data that is on their phone, all that has to be done is to set some type of password for the device. Although this may seem simple, it is one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect against people who may try to physically take data from the phone. In fact, this method is so secure that it is often difficult for law enforcement such as the FBI to get access to the data on the phone once it has been encrypted with a password. For this reason, it is highly recommended that users set up a password for their phone to encrypt the data and stop others from gaining unwanted access. In order to do this, users need to first go into their Settings app and then the Passcode section. From there, they are able to select what kind of passcode they would like to set be it a digit-based passcode or a fingerprint passcode. After this is set, the device is highly secure and all of the information should be encrypted and can only be accessed once the user enters in their passcode.
For Android Devices
For Android devices, many devices are already encrypted by default but some phones do not have this feature activated. As a result, users need to first need to go into the Settings app, Security, then the Encrypt phone option. This setting encrypts the phone, account, media, files, and settings that are on the device. Once the device has been encrypted, users must then set up a passcode by going into Settings and then Passcode to set up a pin or fingerprint passcode. The difference between having a passcode without the encryption setting activated is that malicious software and hackers are still able to access the information but cannot do so if the device is encrypted. In activating both the encryption and the passcode, the Android device is protected just as with the iOS device and cannot be decrypted unless the correct passcode is entered.
Given the importance of protecting personal information on the phone, this article discusses the different ways in which users can easily encrypt their data so that it is extremely difficult to access without the right credentials. Although encryption may seem daunting to those who are not as familiar with technical aspects of the device, these highly intuitive methods can ensure a great degree of security without the need for advanced technical knowledge.
