Protect Your Android Phone

Passcode

Open the Settings app.

Choose Lock Screen and Security.

Choose Screen Lock Type.

Choose what method you would like to unlock the phone with. It is important to not that these options can vary from device to device depending on its capabilities i.e. some phones may have the option for Fingerprint or Facial Recognition. 

Backup

Since there is such a wide variety of manufacturers that produce Android Smartphones there can be a large variety of ways specific ways to backup your Android phone. 
These methods are most commonly found in Settings > Accounts and Backup. 

Google Backup

To make sure that all of your contacts, settings and apps are saved you can ensure that Google Backup is enabled. 
Go to Settings > Accounts and Backup > Google Account and make sure that Back up my data is turned on. You will need to have a Google account for this. 

Google Photos

You can make sure that all of your photos and videos are saved by logging into Google Photos on your device with a Google Account and allow them the permission to automatically backup photos and videos.  

1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Google Photos app .
2. Sign in to your Google Account.
3. At the top, tap Menu .
4. Select Settings  Back up & sync.
5. Tap "Back up & sync" on or off.

Computer Backup

Alternatively, you can back up your photos and other data on your phone by connecting it to a computer and copying and pasting the data from the phone onto your computer or hard drive. 

Lost or Stolen Device 

If you lose an Android phone or tablet, you can find, lock, or erase it. If you've added a Google Account to your Android device, Find My Device is automatically turned on.

1. Go to android.com/find and sign in to your Google Account.
2. The lost device gets a notification.
3. On the map, see where the device is.
   • The location is approximate and might not be accurate.
   • ‌If your device can't be found, you'll see its last known location, if available.

Pick what you want to do. If needed, first click Enable lock & erase.

• Play sound
  Rings your device at full volume for 5 minutes, even if it's set to silent or vibrate.
• Lock
  Locks your device with your PIN, pattern, or password. If you don't have a lock, you can set one. To help someone return your device to you, you can add a message or phone number to the lock screen.
• Erase
  Permanently deletes all data on your device (but might not delete SD cards). After you erase, Find My Device won't work on the device.
  Important: If you find your device after erasing, you'll likely need your Google Account password to use it again. Learn about device protection.

WiFi

Be wary of connecting to insecure WiFi hotspots. The WiFi you might use to check your email or your bank account balance at your local cafe is likely not protected and is transmitting information to you without encryption. 

Bluetooth

Disable Bluetooth when it is not actively transmitting information and switch Bluetooth devices to hidden mode Bluetooth lets you wirelessly connect to devices and transfer information over short distances. 
For Bluetooth to work, devices need to see each other and then connect. It is best to leave your phone in undiscoverable mode (hidden) so that it is only visible when you specifically need other people or devices to see it. This means that hackers cannot easily see your phone and attempt to connect to it.

Erase/Wipe

 If you are ever changing phones or disposing of one it is best practice to make sure that the device is correctly wiped of any data that might be on it. 

On Android Smartphones, you can perform a full factory reset in Settings under; 
Settings > General Mangement > Reset > Factory data reset.

It is important to note that this menu setting can change from one manufacteur to another. 

Alternatively, you can remotely erase an Android Smartphone through Google Find my Phone. See steps on how to do this above under Lost or Stolen Device.