Google has quietly introduced a new security measure in its Android operating system that will automatically reboot devices if they remain locked for three consecutive days.
The change, rolled out Monday via an update to Google Play services, appears under the “Security & Privacy” settings. The new feature is described as one that “will automatically restart your device if locked for 3 consecutive days.”
Though Google has not officially commented on the motivation behind the update, the move aligns with growing efforts across the tech industry to strengthen device security—particularly against forensic tools used by law enforcement or malicious actors attempting to access encrypted data.
Apple implemented a similar feature in iOS last year, aimed at preserving the security benefits of a phone’s “Before First Unlock” state. In this state, critical data remains fully encrypted and inaccessible without the user’s passcode. Once a phone is unlocked—even once—some of that data becomes more vulnerable, entering what’s known as the “After First Unlock” state.
Forensic devices developed by companies like Cellebrite and Magnet Forensics typically rely on this latter state to extract data from locked phones, using techniques like passcode brute-forcing or exploiting system vulnerabilities.
By forcing a reboot after three days of inactivity, Android devices can return to the more secure “Before First Unlock” state, making it significantly harder to access user data without authorization.
While the feature is unlikely to impact everyday users, it reflects the broader push by tech companies to bolster privacy protections amid increasing scrutiny over digital surveillance and law enforcement access to personal devices.
Google has yet to issue an official explanation for the feature.
