Our smartphones are at the center of our lives, a fact that we can no longer ignore. Information that could compromise our privacy, or even just our credit card identifiers, should not be taken lightly from a security standpoint.
Obviously, to protect ourselves, we will immediately consider hacking and the many antiviruses available on Android. But most of the time, the error is quite simply caused by our daily use and the people around us.
In the evening, have you ever seen your phone spin between many hands to choose the music stream or just watch a video? There will always be a thief who will take advantage of your unlocked smartphone to look at your photos and others…
When you encounter this, you can have your apps use facial recognition before accepting the launch. That’s what we’re going to teach you how to set up today.
Prerequisites
- Android 4.0.3 or higher
- A front photo sensor (obviously)
These are just two prerequisites for the application we will be using and do not require root access in any way. Rather, it will overlay the app you launched and allow you to block access if necessary.
Download IObit Applock
We will use IObit Applock to successfully block the apps you want via facial recognition. This is available in the Play Store in a free version with ads or a paid version with more settings and no ads.
first launch
By default, you can easily block your apps using a password. At the first launch of IObit Applock, the app asks you to define a pattern or a PIN code that will be used for exactly this and lock access to the app to prevent the slightest change in your security.
Just enter a pattern that suits you. For added security, it’s better if your smartphone is different from the one you use to unlock it: you can never be too careful.
On first launch, you will also be prompted to create an account to recover your password: this gives you access to more features of the app, but the action is optional. For the sake of clarity in this tutorial, we’ll skip it.
You need to enable IObit’s “user data” to be able to protect your apps. When you touch any object in the list, the application will guide you to do this: Simply activate the function in the corresponding menu displayed during this configuration. This much !
Configure face recognition
Your home lets you see the list of apps installed on the device and lock the ones you want by pressing the padlock. To use facial recognition, you must first configure it.
To do this, open the menu on the side of the application and select the “Face Unlock” option. Then the configuration will start. First of all, you will need to allow the use of your camera: a natural right to be granted in a few seconds.
Place your face in the special circle, making sure you are in a well-lit place: the process takes a few seconds and your face is now recorded! Now you can use face recognition to block any app!
use face recognition
Go back to the app list, select the ones you want to block with face recognition by pressing the padlock. When done, swipe down from the top to refresh the list.
Then you will see the selected apps appear at the top of the “Locked Apps” list. At the end of these, 3 options are now displayed: click on the head-shaped icon to enable face recognition.
Face recognition will kick in as soon as you launch these apps: if your face is not recognized, it will be impossible to launch! If for some reason your face is not recognized, you will always be able to enter the basic pattern or PIN to access.
Be careful by hiding your security
As we told you before, this solution is especially practical in the evening or when you have a child. But indulging in that kind of security can quickly make you seem paranoid and start arguments you definitely don’t want. In fact, if your child is smart, find ways to circumvent this protection.
Fortunately, the app lets you hide yourself to avoid prying eyes. To do this, select the “fake lock” option from the menu. This feature makes you believe another window when someone tries to launch a restricted application.
For example, you can simulate an ongoing false call or an app crash. There is a trick to start face recognition in these fake windows otherwise they will close the app automatically. Very suitable!
Android security: the right steps to protect yourself from viruses!
