Quick Settings and disabling new Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections.

https://preview.redd.it/4ury110jqq0h1.png?width=1730&format=png&auto=webp&s=e50db6fd8c2d83da12db7132fd477c16f54b37e7

* **Fewer guessing attempts:** Android 17 significantly reduces the number of times someone can guess the PIN, pattern, or password and adds longer wait times between failed attempts. We’ve also refined how the lock screen shows information after failed attempts have been made.
* **Streamlined device recovery:** A device’s IMEI can now be accessed via the lock screen on devices running Android 12 or later. A good samaritan who finds a lost or stolen device can provide the IMEI to the appropriate authority, manufacturer, or carrier to verify ownership and return the device to you. This feature can be disabled in device settings.
* **Expanding default-on theft protections:** Following a [successful pilot in Brazil](https://security.googleblog.com/2026/01/android-theft-protection-feature-updates.html), we are enabling two of Android’s key theft protection features (Theft Detection Lock and Remote Lock) by default globally on all new Android 17 devices, as well as those freshly reset or upgraded to the latest OS. Additionally, in select markets with high demand including Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and the UK, we are extending these protections to all devices running Android 10 or higher.
* **More granular privacy controls:**
* **Improved location privacy:**
* **Location button for single session location access:** Instead of asking for permanent or background access to your precise location, apps can instead integrate the new location button in Android 17. When you tap this button in an app, you can grant it one-time precise location access that expires when you close the app. Developers can deploy this simple, private location flow for common tasks like finding a nearby shop or tagging a social post. (Google Play will [require apps](https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/16909972) to use this button for one-time precise location access unless they require persistent, always-on location access.)
* **Better location access transparency:** Android 17 now shows a persistent indicator in the status bar when a non-system app accesses your location. You can tap this indicator to see which apps have recently accessed your location. The update also redesigns the location permission dialog to make the "Precise" and "Approximate" options more visually distinct.
* **More private location sharing in low-population areas:** Android 17 improves the algorithm for approximate (coarse) location to be aware of population density. This improves the privacy of granting an app approximate location access when you're in a low-population area.
* **Improved contact sharing privacy:** Android 17 introduces the Contact Picker which provides a standardized, secure, and searchable interface for contact selection. Historically, apps needing access to your contacts relied on the broad "READ\_CONTACTS" permission, which often granted apps more data than necessary. Android's Contact Picker addresses this by allowing you to grant apps access only to the specific contacts you choose. (Google Play [will require](https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/16909972) that all applicable apps use it \[or a privacy-focused alternative like Sharesheet\] as the primary way to access users' contacts.)
* **Improved digital & network security:**
* **Disable 2G toggle:** Android 17 introduces a new capability for the [disable 2G toggle](https://source.android.com/docs/security/features/cellular-security/disable-2g). Carriers now have the ability to configure the default status of this setting, allowing them to disable 2G access to proactively shield their users from legacy technology vulnerabilities in areas where 2G infrastructure is no longer maintained.
* **Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC):** We’re further hardening Android’s long-term data protection by introducing [Post-Quantum