We fill our smartphones full of our most critically sensitive data, from private photos to important messages. App lockers add extra protection to your Android devices, locking them down and securing them from others.
Not all app locks and lockers for Android are worth installing, however. Some are scammy, ad-filled, and insecure. To make sure you’re protected the right way, here are three of the best app lockers for Android.
1. Norton App Lock
If you’re looking for an app locker from a major security provider, Norton App Lock is going to be the best choice for you. Symantec, the company behind Norton, has been in the tech security game since 1982.
Like all good app lockers, Norton App Lock’s primary focus is protecting individual apps from unauthorized access. Multiple security methods are available. You can lock your apps with a PIN code or a pattern lock. It also supports fingerprint security, if your Android device has a fingerprint reader.
You can also lock down your photos and secure your social networking apps, as well as install parental controls on devices used by younger users. One neat feature is Norton’s anti-theft protection, which will take a photo when somebody fails three times to unlock your device.
Norton App Lock has over one million installations and is completely free – no in-app purchases are necessary.
2. App Locker by BGNMobi
As you’ll see, imaginative names aren’t the most important consideration for developers of Android app lockers. App Locker, by BGNMobi, is simply named but offers a few more tricks up its sleeve than its competitors.
Much like the others, App Locker offers the bare minimum of PIN, pattern, and fingerprint locking for your apps. You can protect your system settings to protect your device, meaning that vital settings (like toggling your mobile data or Wi-Fi) can’t be changed without your permission.
It’ll also protect your device from unauthorized purchases. It’ll prevent apps from being uninstalled without permission. App Locker will even let you customize the app’s theme to better suit your phone design.
The base app is free, but some of the features are hidden behind in-app purchases. Removing ads, for instance, will set you back $3.49.
3. AppLock by DoMobile
A cool 100 million users have installed AppLock by DoMobile, making it the most popular and well-known app locker for Android.
It protects your apps as well as you would expect, with password and pattern locking offered alongside fingerprint scans for relevant devices. It doesn’t just offer app locking, however.
If you’re looking to protect certain photos or videos, you can hide them completely from your phone with AppLock. They’ll appear instead in your private vault, accessible only within the AppLock app. There’s also a private browser within the app, giving you a safe space to browse the Internet without compromising your browser history.
You can also hide certain app notifications, stop setting changes, lock down your mobile data and Wi-Fi, and add extra protection with the “Advanced Protection” add-on app. This stops AppLock itself from being removed and removing your AppLock protection in the process.
Some features, like an ad-free experience, hiding AppLock, and adding anti-theft selfie protection (similar to Norton) require a “Premium” subscription, costing $0.99 a month, or $5.99 for the year.
Protect Your Android Apps
Extra security for your most important Android apps isn’t a bad thing. Installing one of these app lockers can protect your device from physical attempts to bypass your security in ways that a standard Android installation simply couldn’t.
Combine these with one of the best Android antivirus apps, and you’ll turbocharge your Android security. Let us know your own Android security tips in the comments below.
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