No more leaked secrets.
getty
Updated on Jan. 13 with further updates on locking apps on Android.
Well done, Google. A major new privacy feature is coming to Pixel, Samsung and other phones courtesy of the new Android 17 upgrade. This will let users lock apps behind device security, and also hide message content from anyone but you.
We already knew about “App Lock.” As I reported last month, this is a more user-friendly alternative to Android’s relatively new Private Space, and updates the default launcher to add a native option to lock apps, without reverting to 3rd party options.
Now Android Authority has delved deeper into pre-release code to find that the “latest Android Canary reveals Google plans to mask notifications by replacing their content with generic placeholder text.” This means “locked app notifications will show generic ‘New message’ or ‘New notification’ text instead of the usual notification content.”
The App Lock feature should become a much-used function on your Android phone, as it should now be for iPhone users, who have had this option since iOS 18. You should lock any app which you don’t want casual users on your phone to access.
As Android Authority points out, this “might stop your notifications from spilling secrets,” and it certainly gives you a privacy option that’s missing today.
Samsung has a workaround to achieve the same, but as SammyGuru says — this is far from ideal. “Samsung’s Secure Folder protects apps, photos, and files, it works as a separate space on the device. That means you need to add an app to Secure Folder to lock it, which can be inconvenient if you simply want to unlock an app using a PIN, password, or fingerprint.” Not for much longer, once Google’s update goes live.
That should include messaging apps, which is why over-the-tops such as WhatsApp offer their own App Lock option which secures content behind device security.
Google’s proposed integration of App Lock with notification privacy is a great move. It’s much easier than the OEM alternative. On a Samsung phone, for example, you’d need to do the following to replicate what Google is now set to simplify:
“Go to Settings > Security and Privacy > Secure Folder. Sign in with your Samsung account. Set your preferred lock method (PIN, pattern, password, or fingerprint). Once created, open Secure Folder from the app drawer. Tap “+” to add apps you want to protect. You can also clone apps into Secure Folder (e.g., WhatsApp).”
Per GizChina, “the system will use different ways to hide content based on the app type. For messaging apps like Google Messages, when a user locks the app, any new private message will show only the words ‘New message’ in the notification bar. The sender and the message itself will remain hidden. For other apps that are not used for chat, the notification will simply read ‘New notification,’ giving no clue about the content.”
As ever with pre-release code, there are no certainties as to when we’ll see a general release. Android Police says that “while we hope to see App Lock featured in Android 17, it’s not set in stone at the moment. However, a feature’s appearance (or mention) in Android Canary is generally an indicator that its release isn’t far away. We should have more info as the first Android 17 developer preview goes live, which was expected in November but hasn’t rolled out yet.”
The website also cautions any users hopeful of seeing the feature even before Android 17. There is no sign or indication of any kind that Google will rush this out with Android 16 QPR 3, which is in beta right now. You’ll just have to wait.
App Lock available now.
Meanwhile, WhatsApp is running a campaign to promote its own App Lock. “Lock WhatsApp to keep your messages extra private,” it says in a message now being set to users. “App lock keeps other people from being able to open your WhatsApp. Only your face or fingerprint can unlock it, and you can set it to lock right away or up to 1 hour later. Head to Settings, tap Privacy, and choose App lock.”
To use App Lock on your Android phone, WhatsApp says, “you’ll need to set up biometrics such as fingerprint or facial recognition in your phone’s settings.” It also warns that “App “Lock is only available on Android devices with a fingerprint sensor running Android 6.0+ that support the Google fingerprint API,” and it ”isn’t supported on the Samsung Galaxy S5, Samsung Galaxy Note 4, or Samsung Galaxy Note 8.”
As for Google’s update, “for now, it’s not immediately clear if the name of the app and its icon will be visible,” Android Authority says. “If other OEM implementations are any indication, the name of the app and its icon will likely be visible too, as they would help determine which app has received the notification in the first place. None of this is final until Google officially releases the feature.” Watch this space.
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