GoKawiilTL;DR Android 17 introduces biometric authentication for the “Mark as lost” feature, ensuring that even if a thief has your PIN, they cannot disable device tracking or regain access to your phone.
Triggering “Mark as lost” now also goes beyond a simple lock, automatically hiding Quick Settings and disabling new Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections.
Google is also making Remote Lock and Theft Detection Lock features “on by default” for Android 17.
In addition to several privacy and security features, Google is also sharing how it is improving Android’s theft protection at The Android Show: I/O Edition 2026.
Google is enhancing Find Hub‘s Mark as lost feature in Android 17 to allow locking a phone with biometric authentication, in addition to the regular device passcode or PIN, as we spotted previously. This means that thieves who may have obtained your passcode or PIN won’t be able to turn off device tracking or re-access your phone if you mark it as lost.
Triggering Mark as lost also enables additional protections, such as hiding Quick Settings and disabling new Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections.
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Further, Google is also expanding the default-on theft protections globally, following a successful pilot test in Brazil. This mainly refers to Remote Lock and Theft Detection Lock features, which will now be enabled by default on all new Android 17 devices, as well as those that are freshly reset or upgraded to Android 17.
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