Galaxy Devices Gain Powerful Anti-Theft Feature in One UI 9

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Samsung is strengthening anti-theft protections in One UI 9 with a new security feature. Galaxy users are now required to enter their lockscreen credentials before powering off or restarting their devices. Although the Power menu itself remains readily accessible, Samsung does not allow these actions without a PIN, password, or pattern, regardless of whether biometric authentication is enabled.

One UI 9’s new security feature makes it harder to shut down stolen Galaxy devices

Galaxy devices already require lock-screen credentials before they can be switched off or restarted while locked. This security measure helps prevent unauthorized users from immediately shutting down a lost or stolen phone. If someone gets hold of your device in a locked state, they can’t simply switch it off to disable tracking features.

While some tracking capabilities can continue to work even after a phone is powered down, turning the device off is often the first thing a thief attempts to do, making this protection particularly useful.

But what if the phone is already in an unlocked state when someone steals it? This new One UI 9 feature makes Galaxy devices more secure even when they are unlocked. When you try to power off or restart your phone, you must now enter your lockscreen PIN, password, or pattern to verify your identity. You can’t verify via biometric authentication, adding another layer of security.

Unless the thief knows your lock-screen credentials, they won’t be able to complete the action. Moreover, at this point, the device quietly executes its second line of defense. As soon as the verification prompt is triggered, the phone automatically locks itself. In fact, this happens even if you immediately go back after entering the power menu.

In other words, a device that was previously unlocked becomes locked and cannot even be switched off. Biometric authentication also doesn’t work, leaving it inaccessible until the user enters the correct PIN, password, or pattern.

An upgraded version of Lockdown Mode

This is a clever anti-theft feature that many Galaxy users will likely welcome. Well, a similar feature called Lockdown Mode already exists on Galaxy devices. It sits in the power menu on One UI 8.5 or earlier versions. This function also locks the phone and disables biometrics. But Samsung’s implementation on One UI 9 makes it more practical, as it doesn’t require a manual trigger. It could significantly improve the chances of locating and recovering a lost or stolen phone.

Written by

Sumit Adhikari

Sumit, a life-long Samsung user, is passionate about technology and has been professionally writing on tech since 2017. He’s a mathematics graduate by education and enjoys teaching basic mathematics tricks to school kids in his spare time. Sumit believes in artificial intelligence and dreams of a fully open, intelligent and connected world.

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