Data theft during repair: Samsung has launched maintenance mode

You need to repair your smartphone, for example for a new display or a new battery, but what about personal data? Are they safe, or do repair shops have free access? So that you don’t have to ask such questions in the future, Samsung is now bringing a maintenance mode to its smartphones – starting with the S22 series.

The simplest ideas are sometimes the best, because with the new “maintenance mode” you can sleep better at night while your smartphone is on “cell phone doctor”. Samsung has already tested this mode as a pilot program in South Korea and recently released it for the Chinese market.

Now that’s the beginning Global roll-out for select Samsung devices, which should bring security features to your smartphone in the coming weeks and months. Important: Smartphones with One UI 5 based on Android 13 are the first to arrive, with more devices to follow next year.

How does “maintenance mode” work?

The new data protection function will eliminate the fear of handing in your smartphone for repair. With a protected lock your data (such as PIN, fingerprint etc.) is definitely safe from unauthorized access, but only when new Maintenance mode blocks access to your personal data Such as photos, messages or contacts in their entirety.

So if you need to hand in your smartphone, you can use maintenance mode Separate user account for repairs Setting this up gives the repair service access to the smartphone’s core functions, but not to the device’s personal data. Also, all apps installed by the concerned smartphone user are blocked.

Incidentally, the function can be activated in the settings in the “Battery and device maintenance” menu under “Extra care”. Then the smartphone restarts and locks your data including photos, documents and messages – so Samsung. When the repair is complete and maintenance mode is exited, any data, accounts or apps created during the repair will be automatically deleted.

In general, in its settings Privacy Dashboard And Permission Manager Check if your smartphone is secure and what happens to your data on the smartphone.

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leonardo Jiyaza …primarily responsible for the field of smartphones and mobile devices, but also examines other hardware highlights such as cases, processors and motherboards. Additionally, it ensures high quality images in our test reports.

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