Google is releasing its previously announced identity checking feature today, adding additional protection to “key account and device settings” when you’re not in a trusted location.
Once you enable ID Check, you’ll need to provide “explicit biometric authentication” to access certain account and phone settings, such as changing your PIN or disabling anti-theft protection. Before you can use it, you need to toggle this feature on in settings and add the trusted locations where you don’t want biometrics enabled. Google says this protection also applies to your Google and Samsung accounts, making it difficult for someone to change your password just because they have your phone.
ID Check is currently rolling out to Google’s Pixel devices running Android 15 and will also come to Samsung Galaxy devices running One UI 7 “in the coming weeks,” with the launch of the Galaxy S25 on February 7. It may be introduced accordingly. Other Android smartphone manufacturers are also expected to introduce this feature later this year.
With the release of ID Check, Google is fully rolling out its Theft Detection Lock feature, which uses AI to detect when a phone has been forcibly taken and locks the screen, to devices running Android 10 and above. announced that it had been done. If you have a phone that supports both settings, it’s worth enabling both settings.
