Google rolls out auto-reboot Android security feature

Android phones will soon start rebooting following long periods of inactivity, for security

Google has started rolling out a new security feature, one that reportedly thwarts data theft if devices are left unused for prolonged periods of time. This new Android feature is called “auto-reboot”, and it will reboot Android devices that have not been unlocked for more than three days.

After an Android device is booted, it enters a “Before First Unlock” state. In this state, more data is encrypted. This makes data more secure. After the device is unlocked, an “After First Unlock” state is entered, and more data is decrypted and used. This makes more data accessible to investigators and thieves.

Apple released a similar feature last year called “inactivity reboot”. For Android, it arrives with Google Play Services v25.14, which is now rolling out to users.

This new feature makes it harder for bad actors to steal data from stolen devices. It also makes it harder for thieves to resell stolen devices.

Google’s auto-reboot function for Android will reboot devices after three days of inactivity. This will make the feature unobtrusive to daily users. That said, I think some users would like the option to make this feature active within a shorter timeframe.

You can join the discussion on Google’s automatic restart security feature on the OC3D Forums.