With the launch of Android 15 last year, Google introduced several security enhancements, including a new feature called Theft Detection Lock. As the name suggests, this feature is designed to automatically lock your device the moment it’s snatched from your hands. However, in an unexpected twist, the feature has been randomly triggering for some users even when the phone hasn’t been stolen.
Multiple users on Reddit have reported that the Theft Detection Lock is unexpectedly locking their Android phones at random times during the day. What’s puzzling is that this occurs while the device is in their hands and without any sudden movement or triggering action. Here’s how some of them described their experiences:
“It happened this morning for the first time. I had the phone in my pocket and there was no sudden movement.”
“It’s happened to me when I ran out of work
.”
“Happens like once a day on my Samsung, got used to it.”
The feature relies on your Android phone’s accelerometer and other built-in sensors, combined with AI intelligence, to detect sudden movements or acceleration conditions that would typically indicate a theft. However, in many of these reported cases, none of those triggers seem to be present. Another possible explanation could be the Offline Detection Lock, which activates when the phone remains offline for an extended period. This too might be contributing to the unexpected device lockouts.
The device locks automatically, but you can easily unlock it using your fingerprint or screen lock. So, if your phone has been offline for a while like during a flight it might get locked due to these built-in security features. While these hiccups can be frustrating, most users don’t seem too bothered, with many saying it’s a case of “better safe than sorry.”
Google Needs to Resolve Theft Detection Lock For Good
The issue is that while the Theft Detection Lock is triggering without any clear reason, it rarely activates in actual theft scenarios. When the feature first launched, we tested it in real-life situations having a team member simulate snatching the phone on foot, by bike, and even from a moving car. Not once did the feature activate as intended.
In fact, my own OnePlus 12R, which had the feature enabled, was stolen and the Theft Detection Lock never kicked in. Had the screen locked immediately after being snatched, I might’ve had a chance to track it. Instead, the thief managed to power off the phone quickly in a crowded metro station, leaving me anxious about my personal data. Experiences like this make it hard to have any real faith in the feature.
Hopefully, this feature will prove useful for some users and help protect their devices. But after months of testing it myself, not once has it worked as intended. I really hope Google addresses the random lockouts and improves the overall theft detection logic. The system needs to be more intelligent locking the device during actual theft scenarios, not when you’re just sitting idle, minding your own business.
