Safe Browsing on Android: Chrome Security Settings

Reading is great. Tracking makes it stick. Sign up for a free Dashboard to tick off tasks and see your Security Score.

Get my free Dashboard →

Cyber Nova AI helps you prepare for Cyber Essentials. It doesn't award or certify it. Follow the steps here to get ready, then apply for certification through an accredited Cyber Essentials body when you're set.

Enable Enhanced Safe Browsing

Chrome's Enhanced Safe Browsing checks the URLs you visit against Google's constantly updated list of dangerous sites in real time. To enable it:

Open Chrome and tap the three-dot menu (top right)
Go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Safe Browsing
Select "Enhanced protection": this provides the strongest protection
"Standard protection" is the default and is still effective; Enhanced protection adds real-time checks

4 steps

Enable HTTPS warnings

HTTPS encrypts the connection between your phone and a website, protecting data you submit (including passwords and payment details). Chrome warns you about non-HTTPS sites by default; make sure this is active:

Go to Chrome Settings > Privacy and Security > Always use secure connections
Toggle it on: Chrome will warn you before loading any non-HTTPS page
Look for the padlock icon in the address bar before entering any sensitive information
A missing padlock on a banking or shopping site is a serious warning sign

4 steps

Review and restrict site permissions

Websites can request access to your camera, microphone, location, and notifications through Chrome. Review what you have already allowed:

Go to Chrome Settings > Site Settings to see all permissions granted to websites
Revoke location, camera, and microphone access for any site that does not genuinely need it
Block notifications from sites that send excessive or misleading alerts
Set Camera and Microphone to "Ask first" rather than allowing all sites by default

4 steps

Spotting phishing and malicious sites

Safe Browsing catches most threats, but knowing the signs yourself adds another layer:

Check the URL carefully: attackers use addresses like "paypa1.com" or "hsbc-secure.phish.com" that look legitimate at a glance
Legitimate UK banks, HMRC, and government services use .gov.uk, .co.uk, or .com domains, not unusual combinations
Do not enter passwords or payment details on a page you arrived at via an unexpected link in a text or email
If Chrome shows a red warning page, do not proceed: go back and access the site by typing the address directly

4 steps

Track your Android security progress. Free.

Create a free account to tick off tasks, see your Security Score improve, and know exactly what you've done and what's still to do.

Start your free security check

Safe browsing on Android Chrome

Enable Enhanced Safe Browsing

Enable HTTPS warnings

Review and restrict site permissions

Spotting phishing and malicious sites