vacation - PSafe Blog

Going on Vacation? 9 Phone Settings to Check Before You Leave

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 16:33:24 +0000

Your bags are packed, your documents are ready, and your itinerary is saved. But in the middle of all that planning, a few phone settings to check before traveling can easily get overlooked.

You’ll use your phone to show boarding passes, request rides, open maps, make payments, and take photos. Getting it travel-ready means more than clearing storage. You should also limit unnecessary access and make sure recovery tools are ready before you leave.

Why review your phone settings before traveling?

During a trip, your phone moves through airports, hotels, beaches, restaurants, and public transportation. It also connects to unfamiliar networks and may be more exposed to loss, theft, or people looking over your shoulder.

A preventive review can reduce the damage if something goes wrong. The goal isn’t to turn your vacation into a security operation. It’s to make sure a lost phone doesn’t immediately give someone access to your accounts, documents, and text conversations.

Phone settings 1 through 3: Protect access to your device

1. Update your operating system and apps

Before leaving, check for Android or iOS updates, along with updates for your most important apps. Security patches fix vulnerabilities that malicious apps or dangerous websites could exploit.

Do this at home while connected to a trusted network. You’ll avoid unexpected cellular data use and have time to restart your phone and confirm that everything still works.

2. Review your screen lock

Use a passcode, PIN, fingerprint, or facial recognition. Avoid simple combinations such as birthdays, number sequences, or easy-to-guess patterns.

You should also shorten the automatic lock time. Leaving the screen unlocked for several minutes could make it easier for someone to get in if you forget your phone on a table, in a rental car, or at a counter.

3. Turn on location and remote locking

Android users should set up Google Find Hub. On an iPhone, the equivalent is Apple Find My. These tools can help you locate, lock, or remotely erase your phone.

The Federal Communications Commission also recommends knowing how to report a lost or stolen phone to your wireless carrier. Your carrier may be able to suspend service or block the device from its network.

Phone settings 4 through 6: Protect your data

4. Make sure your backup is current

Photos, contacts, documents, and important conversations shouldn’t exist only on your phone. Confirm that automatic backup is enabled, and make a manual backup before leaving.

Google notes that an Android backup may take up to 24 hours, so don’t wait until you’re already heading to the airport.

5. Review app permissions

Open your privacy dashboard and check which apps can access your location, camera, microphone, contacts, and files. A navigation app needs your location while giving directions. A game you installed months ago probably doesn’t.

Android lets you change permissions for individual apps. Use this review to remove old travel apps, unfamiliar tools, and services you no longer use.

At this point, keeping an additional layer of protection active can also help you identify risks and take better care of your device while traveling. dfndr security can be part of that routine when combined with updates, strong passwords, and careful phone use away from home.

6. Run a security review on your accounts

Check the devices connected to your email, social media accounts, and messaging apps. Sign out of sessions you don’t recognize, and confirm that your recovery phone number and email address are current.

Google Security Checkup provides recommendations for passwords, software updates, and apps connected to your account. Turn on two-factor authentication whenever a service offers it.

How to protect yourself while traveling: Settings 7 through 9

7. Turn off automatic Wi-Fi connections

Delete old networks and stop your phone from automatically joining open Wi-Fi hotspots. At hotels, airports, and coffee shops, confirm the network name with an employee before connecting.

CISA recommends extra care when using public Wi-Fi while traveling. When you need to access your bank or make a payment, use cellular data if you aren’t sure the network is legitimate.

8. Turn off Bluetooth and NFC when you aren’t using them

Bluetooth and NFC are useful for headphones, smartwatches, and contactless payments, but they don’t need to stay active all the time.

After using an accessory or completing a payment, turn the feature off. Besides reducing unnecessary connections, this may help stretch your battery during long days away from a charger.

9. Set up emergency contacts and battery-saving features

Add an emergency contact that can be viewed from your lock screen without exposing too much personal information. Choose someone who can help if your phone is found or you face an emergency.

Turn on battery saver mode and download maps, boarding passes, and reservations for offline use. That way, your phone remains useful even when you don’t have cellular service, Wi-Fi, or a nearby outlet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it better to update my phone before or during the trip?

Update it before you leave. You can use a trusted network, restart the device, and give yourself time to deal with any compatibility issues.

Should I leave location services on throughout the trip?

Location may be necessary for maps and for finding a lost phone. The safer approach is to control which apps have access and allow location only when it’s needed.

Is hotel Wi-Fi always safe?

No. Confirm the network name, avoid duplicate networks, and don’t ignore browser security warnings. For banking, Zelle, Venmo, Cash App, or sending documents, switch to cellular data whenever you have doubts.

More from the PSafe Blog

Explore more recent articles published in June and July:

O post Going on Vacation? 9 Phone Settings to Check Before You Leave apareceu primeiro em PSafe Blog.

Tips for Storing Your Photos During Summer Vacation

Thu, 27 Jul 2017 00:00:53 +0000

Filled with beach trips, cookouts, and weddings, summer vacation is often unrivaled when it comes to photo opportunities. However, even casual photo takers know that these pictures can add up quickly and that vacations are rife with opportunities for losing all of their photos. Before taking the steps below, make sure to use the Duplicate Photos feature to ensure you’re not wasting valuable photo storage and backup space with duplicates of the same photo. Click here to remove repeat photos:

Backup Photos

Android users shouldn’t assume that all of their recently snapped pictures have been automatically backed up, as this is often not the case. Instead, they should be sure to check that the “backup and sync” option through Google Photos is turned on. To do this, access the “Menu” option within the app, select “Settings,” and then tap “Back up & sync” to make sure the option is turned on. To check whether older photos have been backed up, users simply need to tap the photos icon within the app and view the photos that have been saved through the application.

Photo Storage Apps

Photo libraries can grow quickly during vacations, filling up a phone’s storage capacity. In cases where a device’s memory fills up before vacation ends, users may find themselves caught between the option of deleting old photos or not snapping new ones. Luckily, downloading a trustworthy photo storage app before going on vacation is an easy way to solve this storage problem.

Flickr is one such app that’s been a trusted photo storage platform for more than 10 years. The service offers 1 TB of free storage, automatic uploads from the camera roll, and free sorting and Smart Search options. Dropbox is another trusted storage provider. Although the app’s free storage constraints are much more limited at only 2 GB, this number can be expanded by following the company’s social media pages, referring friends to the service, and leaving feedback. Users willing to pay a monthly fee will have access to a storage amount of 1 TB and will even be able to access photos offline.

Group Sharing Photo Apps

A staple of summer vacations is the group shot. However, sharing these photos can be a tedious process, and photo storage apps often limit user access. Instead, downloading a private photo sharing app such as Cluster can simplify the sharing process. The service imposes no limit on group sizes, offers many privacy control features, and allows uploading and viewing from both mobile and laptops.

O post Tips for Storing Your Photos During Summer Vacation apareceu primeiro em PSafe Blog.

5 Great Travel Apps For Vacationing in July

Wed, 20 Jul 2016 20:55:33 +0000

Stuck at home scrolling through a newsfeed of travel pictures? Tired of watching friends’ countless snapstories of adventures away from home. Well, your Android phone can make your travel dream into a reality. Our favorite travel apps will have you packing your bags in no time.

1. Hipmunk

The Hipmunk app takes flight comparison to a whole new level. Instead of just showing you the cheapest flight, which usually is at an airport three hours away with two layovers, it sorts by its own category, “agony,” which takes accounts for flight duration, layovers and price giving you not only the cheapest option, but the most convenient option too. In addition, Hipmunk will do the same with hotels and show the lodgings with the cheapest rate and best location in terms of food, landmarks, nightlife and more.

2. Sky Scanner

Undecided on which beautiful destination you should visit first? Sky Scanner is the perfect app for that. By clicking the ‘Everywhere’ option, Sky Scanner will list all of the best deals in flights to countries around the world. Got a location in mind, but unsure when to go? Sky Scanner has a calendar option that highlights the best days and months to travel so you know you are getting the best deal around.

3. HERE Maps

Traveling around any busy city can be tricky and expensive. HERE Maps makes the transition seamless. For those who prefer driving, HERE map offers turn-by-turn voice guidance, which will also inform you of any specific speed limit restrictions. Lots of traffic? HERE Maps includes public transit routes for over 900 cities, including timetables and full directions from start to end. Scared of your Data bill? Not an issue, as app has maps available to download, so offline use is possible and easy.

4. Expensify

Scared you’ll overspend on vacation? Expensify makes keeping track of all expenses doable to keep your attention on what matters most, the sites. Expensify is quick and easy, just take a picture of each receipt, and the app will record the expense. Lost the receipt? Expensify can import your credit card transactions. In addition, the app will also send alerts if your trip is becoming too pricy, to make sure you stay on budget and sane.

5. Gas Buddy

If road tripping is more your style, Gas Buddy is a must have. Even with today’s lower gas prices, gas can still be one of the biggest expenses in your trip, and saving 20 cents a gallon can mean more money in your pocket to enjoy your destination. With one tap you can find the cheapest gas station near you. But it gets better. Gas Buddy rewards you for inputting the price of any gas station you see on your trip. By reporting gas prices you can earn rewards and even win $100 dollars in gas credit!

Hasta La Vista!

Now there is no excuse not to book that hotel. Now you’ll have the snapstory that everyone is jealous of.

O post 5 Great Travel Apps For Vacationing in July apareceu primeiro em PSafe Blog.