First look: Here’s how Android’s cool automatic SIM lock protection works

Google has enabled the automatic SIM lock protection feature in the latest Android Canary build. The feature is accessible by tapping Security & Privacy > More security & privacy > Protect SIM card. Check out the screenshots below.

For the uninitiated, a SIM PIN differs from a phone’s unlock PIN and can be set up on virtually all physical SIM cards. Once you’ve enabled this PIN, it needs to be entered whenever you reboot your phone or when you put the SIM in another phone. Without a SIM PIN, you can’t use your SIM card for phone calls, text messages, or mobile data connectivity.

However, it can be inconvenient to remember your SIM card’s PIN in addition to other PINs and passwords in your life. Fortunately, that’s where automatic SIM lock protection comes in.

How does this SIM lock feature work?

To set up the feature, first tap the Automatic PIN management toggle and then enter your phone’s passcode or scan your biometrics. Once you’ve activated this toggle, you’ll be prompted to enter your SIM card’s current PIN. Haven’t set up a SIM card PIN yet? Then you can tap the use carrier default option (see the third screenshot above) to use your network’s default code. The carrier’s default PIN is typically 0000, 1234, 1111, or another similarly simple code.

Once you’ve entered your SIM card’s PIN and tapped OK, that’s it. Now, the Android OS will automatically enter your SIM card PIN when you enter your device’s lock code upon rebooting. You can also view the SIM card’s PIN by tapping the Show Android-managed PIN option within the Automatic SIM lock protection section.

Automatic PIN management is clearly a very convenient option for Android phone users, as it means you don’t need to remember the SIM PIN (although you should still write it down somewhere just in case). However, your SIM card PIN still has to be entered if the card is inserted into another phone, giving you a handy layer of protection if your phone is stolen. This is particularly useful if you’re worried about criminals accessing your two-factor codes.