How to set your phone to lock automatically after 30 seconds

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Secure ConfigMedium priority

About 5 minutes to complete

Configure your phone to lock itself automatically after 30 seconds of inactivity. If you put your phone down and walk away, it will lock before anyone else can pick it up and access it.

Step-by-step guide

On iPhone: go to Settings → Display & Brightness → Auto-Lock. Set it to 30 Seconds.
On Android: go to Settings → Display → Screen Timeout (the exact label varies by manufacturer). Set it to 15 or 30 seconds.
If 30 seconds feels too short for daily use, try it for a week. Most people adjust quickly and find it becomes natural.
Note that auto-lock only works if you have a screen lock PIN or biometric set up. If you have not done that yet, complete the 'Set a strong screen lock' task first.
You can always keep the screen awake manually by tapping it. The timer only starts when you stop interacting with the phone.

5 steps

Why this matters

A screen lock only protects you if the phone actually locks. Many people leave the auto-lock set to several minutes, or turn it off entirely for convenience. In those minutes, anyone who picks up your phone has full access to your apps, messages, and banking. Setting auto-lock to 30 seconds means your phone is almost always protected when you are not actively using it.

How to confirm it worked

The setting is saved and active on your device
You have tested it works before closing the page

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