Smartphones contain sensitive data, and that's why they are safeguarded with thoughtful security measures. Many flagship devices feature biometric security methods, like a fingerprint scanner or facial recognition support. Some even support extra anti-theft safety measures, like Theft Detection Lock on Android. However, these security measures — and all the precious information your smartphone holds — can be bypassed if your phone's passcode is compromised. It's surprisingly easy to catch a glimpse at someone's phone password, and it's even easier to brute-force short PINs with the right gear. That's why the best way to protect your smartphone data and online accounts is to use a strong device passcode in addition to individual strong site passwords. All your passwords are only as strong as their weakest link, and for most of us, that's our phone. 4 reasons I'm still not giving up my password for passkeys I’ll switch to passkeys eventually, just not before the rough edges disappear. Your phone is probably your master password If you use Apple Passwords or Google Password Manager, it's true Convenience and security are always at odds, and our desire to quickly access our smartphones usually prompts us to create short, memorable passwords. Sometimes, they are easy to guess as a result. It could be a simple pattern, an important date, or the year you were born. Of course, these are poor choices for a secure passcode, as they wouldn't be too hard for someone to figure out using public information. That doesn't stop people from using weak PINs for the sake of convenience. In theory, the smart way to secure your device is to make a strong device passcode, and use biometrics for everyday device unlocking. Reality is much different, as there are plenty of reasons why you might not be able to use