If you want to make your Android phone secure whether it is from your family or friends that are trying to invade your phone’s privacy or just want to add security in case your phone is stolen or lost. Either of those two is the reason this tutorial is right for you.
I’m sharing with you an Android application named Lockwatch, Third Eye, and Intruder Selfie that you can download on the Play Store. This app keeps your Android phone safe and secure by emailing you a photo taken by the front camera and the location where it’s taken if someone tries to unlock your phone with the wrong pattern or code.
This is very useful, especially if your phone is stolen and the person who stole tries to unlock your phone. You can submit the photo and the map showing the location where it’s taken to the authority as evidence.
You can also monitor if someone in your family and friends trying to open your phone if you leave it unattended.
If you’re concerned about the security of your Android phone and want to catch any unauthorized attempts to access it, you can set up your device to automatically capture a picture when someone tries to unlock it with an incorrect password, PIN, or fingerprint. Android doesn’t natively support this feature, but there are several reliable third-party apps designed to take a picture and notify you when someone attempts to unlock your phone without permission. Here’s a detailed guide on how to do it:
1. Choose a Security App for Intruder Detection Here are some popular third-party apps that offer this feature. You can download them from the Google Play Store:
Third Eye : Takes a photo after a preset number of failed unlock attempts and saves it for your review.Lockwatch : Captures a photo after a single failed attempt and sends an email with the picture and location of the device.Intruder Selfie : Captures photos after incorrect attempts and provides easy access to review the captured images within the app. Each app has similar core functions, but with slight variations. Lockwatch is often preferred for its email notification feature, while Third Eye and Intruder Selfie offer simple storage of photos locally on the device.
Install and Set Up the Chosen App Setup Using Lockwatch Download and Install : Open the Google Play Store, search for Lockwatch , and install it.Open the App and Grant Permissions : When you open Lockwatch for the first time, it will request permissions for the camera, storage, and location. Grant these permissions to enable the app to capture photos, save them, and detect your device’s location.Configure the Number of Unlock Attempts : By default, Lockwatch is set to take a picture after one incorrect unlock attempt. You can adjust this in the settings if you prefer to allow more attempts before the app activates.Set Up Email Notifications (Recommended): Lockwatch can send an email with the photo and location details after a failed attempt. Go to Settings within Lockwatch, and enter your email address to enable this feature. Setup Using Third Eye Download and Install : Open the Google Play Store, search for Third Eye , and install it.Open the App and Grant Permissions : Similar to Lockwatch, you’ll need to grant camera and storage permissions.Adjust Capture Settings :
In Third Eye , you can set the app to take a photo after a specific number of failed attempts. Go to Settings > Number of Unlock Attempts and set your preferred number. Enable Notifications : Third Eye can notify you directly on your phone whenever an intruder photo is captured. Enable this feature under Notifications . Setup Using Intruder Selfie Download and Install : Open the Google Play Store, search for Intruder Selfie , and install it.Grant Permissions : Allow camera, storage, and any other permissions that the app requests.Set Failed Attempts : Go to Settings and select the number of attempts before the app captures a photo.Enable Email or Cloud Backup (if available): Some versions of Intruder Selfie allow you to set up an email notification or backup photos to the cloud. If this option is available, configure it for additional security. Test the Intruder Detection Feature After setting up the app, it’s essential to test whether it works correctly. Lock your phone and deliberately enter an incorrect password or PIN the number of times you specified in the app’s settings. The app should take a photo and save it to the designated storage location (or send it via email, if configured).
To verify, open the app and check for the captured images in the “Intruder Photos” or similar section.
Additional Security Tips To enhance the effectiveness of your intruder detection setup, consider the following tips:
Enable App Lock on the Security App
Most intruder detection apps allow you to set up an app lock, so unauthorized users cannot disable the app. This can be done either through the security app itself or by using a separate app lock application.
Enable Device Location Sharing
In case your device is lost or stolen, enabling Find My Device (Android’s built-in location tracking service) in Settings > Security > Find My Device provides location tracking. This can be used in conjunction with intruder detection apps for better security.
Regularly Check and Clear Photos
Review the captured photos in your chosen app periodically. If you’re getting a lot of photos due to frequent incorrect attempts, you may want to clear older images to save storage space.
Keep Apps Updated
Intruder detection apps may release updates to improve accuracy, security, or compatibility with the latest Android versions. Enable auto-updates for these apps or check for updates manually in the Google Play Store.
Reviewing and Managing Intruder Photos Once your intruder detection app has captured photos, you’ll need to access these photos for review. Here’s how you can do that for each app:
Lockwatch
If Lockwatch emails you the intruder’s photo and location, simply check your email inbox. The email will contain details about the time and location of the attempt along with the intruder’s photo.
Third Eye
Open Third Eye, and navigate to the “Intruder Selfie” section, where photos are saved. You can delete or keep these photos as needed.
Intruder Selfie
In the app, navigate to the gallery section to see all captured images. Most apps store these photos in a folder named after the app, which you can also access in your phone’s Gallery or Photos app.
Can I set the app to capture a photo with only one failed attempt? Yes, most of these apps, including Lockwatch, allow you to set a single failed attempt as the trigger to capture a photo.
Can the captured photo be saved to cloud storage? Some intruder detection apps offer an option to back up photos to Google Drive or other cloud services, but this depends on the app. Lockwatch sends images via email, which can then be accessed through any email client.
Will the person trying to access my phone know a photo has been taken? Most intruder detection apps work discreetly without notifying the user, so they won’t realize their picture is being taken.
Setting up an intruder detection app is a great way to secure your Android device and capture evidence if someone attempts unauthorized access. While these apps don’t replace built-in Android security features, they add an extra layer of protection. By following this guide, you’ll be prepared to handle any unauthorized attempts and ensure your personal data remains secure.
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