Auto Screen ON/OFF security: what phones are "good"?

[mike160304]

I have been trying a Samsung A40, and if I set Auto Screen Off to 5 minutes, I cannot simply switch the screen Off and On again (side button) without entering passcode. As I switch the screen Off and On again frequently, to save battery, this is frustrating.

Of course I can disable Auto Screen Off, but then I have no security.

So, what mid-range phones have a "good" Auto Screen Off system? "Good" for my simple mind, means:

[ 1. "Auto Screen Off" & "Auto Sleep", requiring passcode for Wake, are the same thing. ]

2. If I press side button, screen goes Off, if I press it again, it comes on again, without requiring passcode, except:

3. If Auto Screen Off is set to (say) 5 minutes: 5 minutes after I switch it off, Wake (side button) starts to require passcode.
Or: If screen is On, it goes off after 5 minutes of inactivity, requiring passcode for Wake (side button).

Or will no Android phones do this?

 

[B. Diddy]

First, are you going to Settings>Lock Screen>Secure Lock Settings>Auto Lock When Screen Turns Off, and making sure that's set to the longest interval (which I think is 5 minutes)? I just want to make sure you're not referring to the Screen Timeout, which would be in Settings>Display.

Also, in the Secure Lock Settings menu, the Lock Instantly With Side Key toggle is off, right?

You could try one of the Smart Lock options. If you always have a Bluetooth device on you (like a watch), you could make that a Trusted Device, and keep the phone unlocked whenever it's connected. Or you can turn on On Body Detection. www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00062631/

 

[VidJunky]

I would just like to expand on what B. Diddy is saying.

Screen timeout is when the screen goes dark or some say goes to sleep.

Auto lock is the device locking and requiring a passcode or whatever.

Set the screen timeout to 30 seconds and the auto lock to 1 minute. In this case one could set the device down allow the screen to timeout and still be able to open the phone without a passcode for 1 minute after the screen timeout.

Set the screen timeout to 1 minute and the auto lock to instant. Now no matter if the device is allowed to sit til it times out or if the screen is turned off manually the device will lock each time the screen turns off.

These are two different settings that work together but that need to be set individually based on the user. This also explains why you are not seeing the screen respond the way you expect because you're only adjusting one setting expecting it to do what the other setting does.

On Samsung devices the path to each setting is;
Settings>Display>Screen timeout
Settings>Lock screen>Secure lock settings>enter code>Auto lock when screen turns off

Best wishes

 

[mike160304]

B Diddy, many thanks, you have put me right in control of these functions and I am very happy with that. In fact with this and other progress, I shall almost certainly keep the A40, whereas yesterday I was thinking of returning it to seller.

 

[mike160304]

VidJunky, I can only repeat what I have replied to B Diddy - many thanks, you have put me right in control of these functions and I am very happy with that. In fact with this and other progress, I shall almost certainly keep the A40, whereas yesterday I was thinking of returning it to seller.

 

[B. Diddy]

I would just like to expand on what B. Diddy is saying.

Screen timeout is when the screen goes dark or some say goes to sleep.

Auto lock is the device locking and requiring a passcode or whatever.

Set the screen timeout to 30 seconds and the auto lock to 1 minute. In this case one could set the device down allow the screen to timeout and still be able to open the phone without a passcode for 1 minute after the screen timeout.

Set the screen timeout to 1 minute and the auto lock to instant. Now no matter if the device is allowed to sit til it times out or if the screen is turned off manually the device will lock each time the screen turns off.

These are two different settings that work together but that need to be set individually based on the user. This also explains why you are not seeing the screen respond the way you expect because you're only adjusting one setting expecting it to do what the other setting does.

On Samsung devices the path to each setting is;
Settings>Display>Screen timeout
Settings>Lock screen>Secure lock settings>enter code>Auto lock when screen turns off

Best wishes

Awesome explanation!

 

[mustang7757]

[Moved this to Samsung A series Forum]