Modern smartphones are no longer just a means of communication. Nowadays they serve various purposes. We use them to not just call or text but also to work, study, or keep ourselves entertained. One of the first things we do when getting a new phone is to download certain apps that help us with those activities. Often though, we forget to think if it is safe to download an unknown app. By following the next few tips you can minimize any possible security risks to your device:
1. Download Apps Directly From Apple Store Or Google Play
When it comes to iPhone devices, there is really not any other option to download games or apps other than the Apple Store. Mobile phones running on Android, however, are something else. You can install pretty much anything from anywhere to an Android phone. As tempting as it might be to download an app from other sources, it is recommended to download it from an official store since it checks the apps and filters any that might be suspicious and less reliable.
2. Go For Well-Known Games And Apps
Downloading Facebook and Instagram apps, PhoneBox app, or applications from your banking institution, all of which are known by thousands of other users is a safe bet. You should not be trying to get lesser-known apps or in general any apps that you do not know how they work or what is their purpose.
3. Check The Available Ratings And Reviews
Whenever you are thinking of downloading something new to your phone, make sure to look at the ratings and also the user reviews that can be found on the website of either the Apple Store or Google Play store. You can see as well the overall design of the app – if an app looks like it comes from the year 2003 and it has mostly negative comments or ratings – you should probably stay away from it.
4. Review The Requested Permissions And Data
As much as we want to trust the companies creating apps for us that they will not overreach and collect more data than is needed, this is not always the case. When downloading an app, you can be asked to give the app access to your camera or contact list for example. If you think you will not need this or that feature that has requested permission to access a certain part of your mobile phone – you can just disallow it. If an app requests more data and permissions than is clearly necessary, you should consider deleting it and looking for an alternative app.
5. Update Your Device Regularly
Are you one of those people who have 43 apps waiting for them to update and you are refusing to update the operating system of your device too? Well, you are making a big mistake there! Such updates bring not only new interesting features but also introduce important security improvements. That’s why you should make sure to always have the latest version of an app or mobile software. It is crucial in order to best protect your personal data and your phone in general.
Ready to learn more useful information? Check out how to maximize your battery life on the PhoneBox blog.
