You can encrypt the data stored in your Android phone in order to protect them. Android offers a System Encryption Feature which helps you to encrypt the apps data, downloaded files, and everything else stored in your device. Encryption process encrypts all the data of Android, so that no one can read them without entering the password. After encrypting the data, whenever you switch on the phone, you have to provide the encryption password, this password decry-pt your data and present them in a readable format. Encryption uses the same password which you use to lock your Android screen.
Before you continue make sure that the battery is fully charged and you have enough time because the encryption may take an hour or even longer, depending on the data you have stored in the phone. Throughout the process the device should be connected to a power source. If the process will be interrupted in the middle, you may lose some or all the data stored on your Android phone. Before starting encryption, make sure you have a lock screen password, or else you may not able to encrypt the data on your Android. To set a lock screen password, tap on Settings -> tap on Security -> tap on Screen Lock -> tap on PIN or Password and set up a new password.
To Enable Encryption on the Android Phone:
- Open the Settings screen and then tap on Security.
- Tap on Encrypt phone under Encryption.
- Read the warning carefully and then tap the Encrypt phone button.
- You will be prompted to plug in your phone if it is not plugged in.
- You have to enter the lock-screen PIN or password to continue the process.
- It will ask for conformation, you can choose to run a fast encryption instead of a full device encryption -> tap on Encrypt device.
- A process indicator will appear, wait until the encryption process completes.
From now, whenever you boot your phone you have to enter the password otherwise the data in the phone will be unreadable. To remove the encryption you have to reset the phone to its factory default settings, which will wipe away all the data you have stored in your device. Encryption also makes your phone a bit slower. So, before encryption you must thing that you really need to encrypt your phone.