3 steps to make your (or a family member’s) phone safer
When it comes to tech questions, I’ve gotten them all. More than ever, I’m hearing from people inundated with requests from older family members to fix their devices.
Maybe they clicked a bad link, and their computer is acting up. Tap or click for eight signs it’s infected with malware or other malicious software.
The problem may be more mundane, like text too small to read. A few taps in the settings menu will make their life much easier. Tap or click here to make text more prominent on a phone, tablet, or computer.
Keep reading for ways to do a phone privacy and security tune-up.
1. Turn on emergency and health settings
A smartphone can save your life if it’s set up correctly.
In the case of a health event, emergency responders can access the iPhone Health app — even if the phone is locked. Add details like your — or your loved one’s — name, age, medical conditions, allergies and emergency contacts to give first responders more information.
How to set up emergency settings on an iPhone
When first opening the Health app on an iPhone, you’re prompted to enter basic health information. You can always go back to update Health Details.
After you fill out the Health Details section, it’s time to set up the Medical ID.
- Open the iPhone Health app, then tap the profile picture.
- Select Medical ID > Get Started or Edit. Enter any health information.
- Tap Emergency Contacts and add a trusted person’s information.
- Tap Done.
One more step: Allow emergency services to access the Medical ID even when the phone’s screen is locked. Here’s what to do:
- Open the Health app and tap the profile picture.
- Tap Medical ID > Edit.
- In the Emergency Access section, slide the toggles next to Show When Locked and Share During Emergency Call to the right to enable.
Now, first responders will be able to see important medical information.
How to set up emergency settings on an Android
If you or your loved one has an Android phone, follow these steps. Note that steps vary depending on the manufacturer. If these steps don’t work, check the phone’s manual. Tap or click here for thousands of free online user manuals.
- Sign in to your Google Account.
- Tap Settings.
- Add your emergency info.
- For Medical information:
- Tap Medical information.
- To add info like blood type, allergies, or medications, tap the item in the list you want to update.
- For Emergency contacts:
- Tap Emergency contacts > Add contact and choose the existing contact you want to add.
- For Medical information:
- To show your emergency info when your screen is locked, tap Show when device is locked > Show when locked.
Here are a few more ways to share medical information on your Android in an emergency.
2. Make sure there’s always a backup in place
A stolen or broken phone means you or your loved one could lose everything instantly. That’s why automated backups are so important.
I heard from one woman who lost text messages with her husband after he passed away. She was heartbroken. Tap or click for easy ways to save texts.
To turn on iCloud data backup on an iPhone:
- Go to Settings > [name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup.
- Toggle on Back up this iPhone.
You get 5GB of free storage with iCloud. If you need more space, you’ll have to pay 99 cents for 50GB, $2.99 for 200GB, and $9.99 for 2TB.
To set an Android to back up automatically, follow these steps:
- Open your device’s Settings app.
- Select Google > Backup.
Tip: If this is your first time, turn on Backup by Google One and follow the on-screen instructions. - Tap Back up now.
You get 15GB of free cloud storage with your Google account. If you need more storage, a Basic Google One plan costs $1.99 monthly and comes with 100GB of storage. A Standard plan costs $2.99 monthly for 200GB, and a Premium plan costs $9.99 and comes with 2TB of storage.
From there, you can choose your backup settings.
More tech smarts: You can send a text from your computer. Tap or click here for five ways to send a text from your PC.
3. Silence unknown callers
I hear from folks who want to help their parents or grandparents who have fallen for phone scams. Crooks are brighter than ever and once they get someone on the phone, it’s easier than you’d expect to get that person to hand over personal details or money.
This tip will save your relative the headache of dealing with spam. Note: Silencing unknown callers means they might miss a legitimate call. In my experience, a real person who needs to reach you will leave a voicemail.
To silence unknown callers on an iPhone:
- Go to Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers.
- Slide the toggle next to Silence Unknown Callers to the right to enable it.
Now, the phone won’t ring when an unknown number calls. It will be silenced, sent to voicemail, or displayed on the Recents list. Incoming calls from familiar numbers will still ring as usual.
You can also hide texts from unknown people. Here’s how:
- Go to Settings > Messages.
- Slide the toggle next to Filter Unknown Senders to the right to enable it.
Here’s how to block calls from unknown callers on an Android phone:
- Open your Phone app.
- Tap More (the stacked three-dot icon).
- Tap Settings > Blocked numbers.
- Turn on Unknown.
Arm the vulnerable people in your life with knowledge. Tap or click here to avoid scammers’ most popular tactics to fool older people.
Tags: Android, Apple iCloud, Apple iPhone, backup, cloud storage, computer, data backup, devices, emergency settings, family, Google, Kim Komando, malicious software, malware, phone, phone scams, Podcasts, privacy, scams, security, settings, smartphones, software, space, tablet, tech, tech questions, text, text messages, unknown callers
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