Android Phone , Cryptopal - Smartphone Knowledge Base

5 Best Encrypted Messaging Apps

December 7, 2020

by Finola Brady Android Phone iPhone Smartphone Security WhatsApp

Everyone is after your data. Government surveillance teams are scouting for it, carrier companies want to use it to market you to their advertisers, and cybercriminals will do anything to get their hands on your information. Even the company behind the app may be reading your messages, as was the case with Facebook Messenger, revealed in its own admission following the Cambridge Analytica fiasco.

End-to-end encryption is one of the means you can use to secure your information and make it inaccessible to third parties. Basically, only the sender and recipient of the message can read it – while any third party intercepting it will just see a mass of jumbled data that doesn’t make sense. That way you won’t have to worry about surveillance, the messages being tampered with, the app provider snooping around your private inbox, or your service provider getting hacked and leaking out the sensitive information that is in the messages. Let’s look at the best encrypted messaging apps that you can use to protect yourself.

Signal

This is an open-source software from Open Whisper Systems (OWS), which has seen widespread adoption from regular internet users to activists protesting out on streets. While your phone number is needed to create the Signal account, the rest of the information – including your profile picture and name, to the messages and video calls, are end-to-end encrypted. Signal Protocol actually powers popular messaging apps like WhatsApp, and the defunct Allo from Google. The conversations can also be set to self-destruct.

What about those conversations which you’d like to keep? They remain on the device, but Signal itself doesn’t store the data. This means that you’re protected even when law enforcement agencies go knocking on OWS’ doors. The impact of this can be seen in instances like when a subpoena was issued to obtain information from the app, but the government could not get much. OWS complied with the directive, but since there was no message data stored, all that could be provided were the dates and times that accounts were created, and when they last connected to Signal’s servers.

Additional features that make the app popular include the automatic face blur for the photos taken through the app – which has proved beneficial in protecting the privacy of protesters who are sharing visuals during demonstrations. Being an open-source software, the code can be independently inspected by anyone.

With over 2 billion users around the world as of October 2020, WhatsApp is the undisputed king of messaging apps. Since 2016, it has fully implemented end-to-end encryption on the platform, securing the privacy of the users. Your chats are protected from prying government eyes and snooping third-parties.

Even if WhatsApp were to be breached, the cybercriminals couldn’t read the conversations, thanks to the encryption, plus the fact that the messages are not stored on the app’s servers. Some security flaws are disconcerting though. For instance, if the WhatsApp servers are compromised by sophisticated hackers, or the staff themselves coerced by law enforcement agencies, they can easily add new people into a private group chat. This uninvited member can then access any new messages posted there.

Unlike other apps on this list, Telegram’s messages are not end-to-end encrypted by default. Instead, the default encryption is between the cloud server and user. This cloud model enables you to seamlessly sync chats on different devices, but since Telegram has the encryption key, it can read the messages stored on the servers.

However, you can get the end-to-end encryption by using the “Secret Chats” feature. Here are more reasons why this feature stands out:

Message forwarding is disabled.
Once you delete messages on your end, the party on the other end gets ordered to delete them too.
You can set a specific time after which the messages (including videos, photos and files) will self-destruct after the recipient opens or reads them.
Chats are device-specific, and can only be accessed from the device of origin. They aren’t part of the Telegram Cloud.

You can turn on the “Secret Chats” feature from Telegram’s advanced settings. Once enabled, the chats won’t leave any data on the app’s servers.

Note that Telegram will need basic information like your phone number for you to use the app. You can protect yourself from unauthorised access by enabling 2FA (two-factor authentication). The code is open-source as well.

Viber

Both individual and group chats have been encrypted by default on this cross-platform messaging app, and this extends to voice and video chats. You can also set the chats to self-destruct. This Luxembourg-based app uses similar encryption methods to Signal, but the code is private.

Chats also have colour-coded padlocks to show the encryption and trust level:

Green indicates that you’re connected to a contact you trust, and the chat is encrypted;
Grey shows that the contact isn’t marked as trusted, though the chat is still encrypted;
Red indicates that there is a problem with the authentication key of the contact, like when they are using a different device, or there is a man-in-the-middle attack where a third party tries to access the data.

It’s a nifty feature that adds to the security of the conversations.

Additional features, from playing games to following public accounts, are key drivers behind the popularity of the app, which clocked 1.17 billion users worldwide by March 2020, according to Statista. Note that Viber stores the metadata – basic information about activity on the app, such as the time and identity of the persons who were communicating. Registration information, including the email and phone number are also stored.

Threema

While the other apps on this list are free, Threema comes at a $2.99 cost. But on the other hand, it doesn’t require your phone number or email to register an account. You get a unique Threema ID, which is particularly beneficial in keeping you anonymous.

With this open-source and end-to-end encrypted messaging app, you get to protect your voice calls, files, group chats, all through to the status messages. Once you send a message from the app and it’s delivered to the recipient, it is deleted immediately from the app’s Switzerland-based servers.

You could choose to link your email address and/or phone number to the ThreemaID (it’s optional). In this case, only the only checksum values (HMAC-SHA256 hash) of the number or email are sent to the server. Note that a brute force attack can be used to determine the phone number that’s associated with a particular checksum due to the few digit combinations required. You can remove the phone number or address any time you choose.

Final thoughts

The 5 apps on this list are available for both Android and Apple devices. The messages are encrypted across the different platforms and devices. Note that for the apps that allow messages to be backed up to the cloud, the encryption keys will be controlled by the app providers, which will create a security loophole, since the messages could be retrieved were the server or cloud provider hacked or subpoenaed.

An additional app worth mentioning is Apple’s iMessage, but this only offers the end-to-end encryption between iMessage users. Messages that are sent to non-Apple devices are not protected by the encryption. Another app that’s steadily growing its userbase is Wickr. It comes with the default end-to-end encryption, self-destructing messages, and even screenshot detection that notifies the other participant in the conversation that a screenshot has been taken. The Android version of Wickr goes further to disable the screenshots altogether.

How To Check If Someone Is Spying On Your Phone

December 1, 2020

by Finola Brady Android Phone iPhone Smartphone Security

Is someone tracking my phone? The thought can be unnerving, but unfortunately quite possible with the wide range of spyware apps available today. Worried about someone anonymous having access to all that personal data in your phone? Feel as though Big Brother is watching? Or perhaps you’re worried that you may have inadvertently installed spyware on your phone as you were carrying out your normal browsing. Phones are basically a one-stop-shop for all our personal lives. The text messages held on them, call logs, emails sent out, voicemails, photos – from those snapped out in the park and events, to those of your private intimate moments, videos of your loved ones, your browsing history and social media profiles – that’s a whole lot of data that you don’t want falling into the wrong hands.

The Lure Of Your Personal Data

So why should someone be interested in spying on you? Well, there are different reasons. Perhaps the position you hold in your business makes you a target for people interested in data about the company operations. It can be a private matter, such as a spouse looking to unravel a potential affair. Alternatively, your wealth may draw unscrupulous individuals who want to hack their way into your checking account. There are those whose jobs increase their risks of being targets of spyware – like journalists, government workers, activists, judges and even scientists. When it comes to phone spying, having a strong password is not enough to protect you. There are lots of apps that can be monitoring your phone activity without you noticing. Let’s delve into the different ways that you can tell if there is someone spying on your phone.

Signs To Watch Out For

Spike in data usage

Have you noticed a sudden surge in the amount of data that your device is using – and yet you know that your own phone habits have not changed? Then there is a likelihood that additional software has been installed on the device, which can be spyware. This is typically seen with the spyware apps that are of a low quality, which tend to used loads of data to send the information that they have picked up form your phone. The high quality software apps on the other hand have been developed to used less data, so this step won’t be of much use here. So read on to other signs that you will notice.

Sudden decrease in battery life

Sure, batteries gradually weaken over time. This, coupled with the numerous apps you’re constantly using, means that the rate of the battery getting depleted will slowly increase. However, when you notice sudden drops in battery life, then this is a red flag. Either the device is actually faulty, or there is unwanted software running in the phone that’s consuming loads of resources while it works in the background.

Phone is acting up while in standby mode.

When the phone is in standby mode, common actions that trigger activity include incoming calls and messages, plus the standard notifications. If you notice that the phone screen is randomly lighting up, or there are sudden unexplained noises, then it means that something is not quite right under the hood.

Random reboots

If the phone keeps rebooting without any clear reason, then it could point to someone else having remote access to the device. This is particularly disconcerting because if one has such access and control such that they can remotely reboot your phone, then getting to the data itself will be far much easier. Don’t lose your wits over this one though. It’s a common feature with buggy phones. However, coupled with the other signs on this list, then you should be more cautious.

Unexplained surge in battery temperature

Activities like playing games or heavy usage will definitely increase temperature. This also happens when the phone is charging, and is expected. However, if you notice that the phone gets hotter when lightly using it, or even when it is idle, then could point to tracking software sending data to another location.

Weird noise when calling

Occasionally, you may find yourself in a location with bad reception, in which case you don’t have to worry about this. However, if you keep hearing a beeping sound, white noise, or echoes when calling, it could indicate the presence of spyware on the app.

Delays or difficulty in shutting down the device

When shutting down the phone, it first closes the active applications before going completely off. This also means cancelling any data transmission from the device. If the phone is taking longer than usual for the shutdown especially after you’ve only been using it for light tasks like calling and texting, then there could be an active app that’s simultaneously running in the background, recording and transmitting data. There are cases where the phone actually doesn’t seem to completely shut down to the black screen. This indicates that the device has been compromised. Here, the backlight doesn’t switch off due to the spy software that’s in the background, which is stopping the device from shutting down.

Dealing With Spy Software On Phones

So, what can you do if you suspect there to be spyware in your phone? Let’s break this down into two:

Android Users

First, try and locate the app manually. Navigate to the “Application Management” options in the settings:

Open Settings
Go to “Additional Settings”
Tap “Application Management”

Go through the list of apps, looking for suspicious names. Remember that the developers of the spyware will try to keep things “normal”, to prevent their app from standing out. Just check for unusual apps – especially those that you don’t remember installing.

Blocking unverified apps

This is a prevention measure, and can be quickly done by toggling the security settings.

Open settings
Go to “Additional Settings”
Select “Safety and Privacy”
Uncheck “Unknown sources” option.

This will prevent apps that are not in Google’s PlayStore from being installed.

Check which apps have access to the camera and microphone

These are the tools that can collect huge loads of data. You want to determine which apps have permission to use the camera and microphone. Toggle the access off for apps that you are suspicious of. Note that this does not mean that the apps themselves are malicious. Ask yourself if you use the app to record videos, take pictures or post them online. Do you actually use them to listen to playback audio? If no, then deny the app access.

Open settings
Go to “Apps and Notifications”
Select “Advanced”
Click “Permission Manager”

Here you will be able to review different permissions, from access to call logs, to the camera and microphone. Once in the preferred category, click on the apps to switch between “Allow” and “Deny”.

Install antivirus software

In addition to sticking to verified apps from Google PlayStore, installing an anti-virus app will give you an extra layer of protection from malware, spyware and other apps that pose a risk to your phone. There are plenty of antivirus software suited to phones, such as Avast Mobile.

iPhone Users

Monitoring the iPhone is pretty hard unless one jailbreaks the phone. Jailbreaking removes the manufacturer restrictions, allowing spyware apps to be installed. Is my iPhone Jailbroken? Are you concerned that someone has bypassed the iOS device security and is installing unwanted apps? One of the ways that you can check this out is looking for the “Cydia” app. It enables one to install software into the jailbroken devices. If you find the app in your iPhone, then that’s a pointer to it already having unwanted software. mSpy – A useful tool that can also be used wrongly This is one of the legal applications in App Store, and it will work on non-jailbroken iPhones. It’s marketed to parents monitoring their kids. However, this does not mean that a business rival, suspicious spouse, or employer cannot install it on your device. They simply need to get access to your iCloud account’s password. Simply changing the password will stop this. Tracking camera and microphone usage The latest privacy features with iPhones operating system monitor the usage of the camera and microphone. For instance, the “recording indicator” feature with the iOS 14 update lets you know whenever any of the apps, including those in the background, are using the camera or microphone. A little orange dot will show up next to the Wi-Fi and cellular data icons. Don’t worry. You don’t have to keep your eyes peeled onto the top right corner of the phone to check if there’s that glowing orange dot. From the Control Centre, you will be able to see which apps in the phone have recently used the microphone or camera. Changing camera and microphone permission settings To do this:

Open “Settings”
Select “Privacy”
Click Camera or Microphone as needed.

You can also go through the app’s privacy policy to determine if the app developer uses the data collected through the camera and microphone. Remember the TikTok backlash? The app was heavily criticised for collecting loads of data, though to be fair the app had actually listed the data collection policies clearly in its privacy notice – you know, those terms that you agree to without reading? Taking some time to go over them can be an eye-opener.

Factory Reset: When All Else Fails

The sure way of ensuring that the spyware is gone without spending much time or energy, is to simply wipe it clean and get a fresh start. The factory data reset will restore the phone to the condition it was when it was first turned on – which you should also do when you get a new phone. Since this route will actually delete everything, you should first backup your important files. – For Android users, this can be found under: Settings> Additional Settings> Backup and reset> Factory Data Reset Here you can choose between erasing all app data and apps, and keep saved data like phones and music; or chose to remove all the phone’s contents entirely. – For iPhone users: Settings> General> Reset> Reset All Settings You can also use iTunes to reset the phone. Simply connect the device to your PC, open iTunes, and select the “Restore iPhone” option.

Update Your Operating System

Spy apps rely on being compatible with the device’s OS to be able to function. Both Google and Apple are heavily invested in rooting out threats to the Android and iOS systems respectively to protect their users – which includes fixing any loopholes that the spy app may have taken advantage of. As such, when you update the phone OS, the spy software may malfunction, thus getting rid of the threat. It’s also strongly recommended that you don’t root your Android device or jailbreak your iPhone. This opens the door for malware to be installed on your phone.

Physical interventions

This is for those who still feel anxious about the camera spontaneously turning on. Physically blocking the hardware until you’re ready to use them will come in handy. For instance, a vinyl sticker can be used to cover the phone’s camera. These are simply peeled off as needed. Emphasis is on vinyl stickers since the regular stickers will leave a sticky residue behind on the camera. You can also opt for hard shell covers that come with sliding mechanisms that cover the camera. For the microphone, there are blockers available which typically use a 3.5-millimetre headphone jack that blocks the port. This will need to be pulled out whenever you want to use the microphone. Remember to secure your phone. It is a personal item, and you shouldn’t allow just anyone to go around snooping in it. Keeping your phone with you, using protectors like the password, fingerprint or pin security will limit the access to your phone’s contents.

5 Ways to Recover Deleted Files on Android Phone

April 15, 2020

by Finola Brady Android Phone Smartphone Security

Have you ever lost data from your Android phone?

Data such as SMS text messages, Message Attachments, Call History, Contacts, Photos, Videos, Audio, WhatApp and Documents?

Here’s an outline of the best Android Data Recovery software out there:

FonePaw

It recovers:

Photos
Videos
Audios
WhatsApp – Group and Individual Conversation, Photos, Audios and Videos
Text messages
Contacts
Call Logs
Documents – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, HTML, RAR ZIP and more

Features:

It recovers data you lost due to, e.g. Accidental Deletion, OS Crash, Without Backup, SD Card Issue, SIM Card not working, Rooting Error, ROM Flashing, and Virus Attack
It supports over 6,000 Phone Models (Android 2.3 to Android 9.0)
It can extract data from broken Android and fix bricked phones
You can recover files from Internal Memory, Android SD Card and SIM Card
It works at high speed, and you can preview the deleted data before recovery
You can backup your Android data onto computer and then restore it completely or selectively

User Guide:

4 simple steps https://support.fonepaw.com/hc/en-us/articles/360023563272

iCare (Free)

It recovers:

Photos
Videos
Files
Music
Calendar
Chats
Notes
Reminders
Bookmarks
Text messages
Contacts
And more

Features:

It’s Free
It recovers data you lost due to, e.g. Deletion/Format/Factory Reset, System Crash/Virus Attack, Denied Accessibility and Unexpected Power Outage
Supports all Android Operating Systems
Supports all Android Devices
Android Internal Memory recovery
Files can be previewed before recovering them
If your device has been physically damaged or data has been overwritten, then it will most likely not be recovered

Download:

https://download.cnet.com/EaseUS-MobiSaver-for-Android-Free/3000-2094_4-76105118.html

Jihosoft

It recovers:

SMS messages
Call Logs
Gallery photos
Videos
Music
Audios
WhatsApp and Viber chat history
Documents

Features:

Free Trial
It recovers data you lost due to, e.g. accidental deletion, factory reset, system crash, ROM flash, rooting error, broken or lock screen, virus attack, etc.
Android Internal Memory and memory card recovery
It supports 6,000+ Android Phones and Tablets
Supports Android Operating Systems 2.1 to 9.0

User Guide:

3 simple steps https://www.jihosoft.com/android/android-phone-recovery-user-guide.html

MyJad

It recovers:

SMS Messages
Contacts
Videos
Photos
Audios
And more

Features:

Free Trial
You can preview the files before recovery
High-speed recovery
It makes a copy to your PC
Backs up Messages and contacts in a .txt file format
Backs up Photos as PNG, JPG, GIF, BMP
Backs up Audio and Video as MP3, WMV, MP4, 3GP, MOV, 3G2, SWF, AVI etc.

Dr. Fone

It recovers:

Photos
Videos
Music
Contacts
Messages
Call Logs
Documents
WhatsApp messages – for rooted devices
And more

Features:

Recovers data from 6,000+ Android Devices. See the list of supported devices https://drfone.wondershare.com/reference/android-data-recovery.html
It recovers data you lost due to, e.g. Accidental Deletion, System Crash, Forgotten Password, SD Card Issue, Rooting Error, ROM Flashing, Damaged, Not Responding, Black Screen and Factory Reset
Can recover from broken Android phones and tablets
Over 50 Million customers
Three recovery modes:

From Android Internal Storage
From Broken Android
From Android SD Card

User Guide:

https://drfone.wondershare.com/guide/android-data-recovery.html

Final Sale: 2-year plan with 68% off

3 Ways to Remove iCloud Lock without Password

April 8, 2020

by Finola Brady Android Phone iPhone Smartphone Security

When a person buys an iPhone, they create an Apple ID and Password (Lock Activation details). When done, the iPhone locks itself to this identifier information. This is for security reasons; only they know the Identifier/Lock Activation details.

Scenario: Person buys a USED iPhone that is left locked by the previous owner, that is, the iPhone contains the previous person’s iCloud Activation Lock details – their Apple ID and Password.

Problem: How to unlock it?

Answers:

Way 1: Ask the previous owner to disable the Activation lock from their end

You must ask he/she to:

Login into icloud.com/find with their Apple ID
Click ‘Find my’ button and select ‘All Devices’ and then select the appropriate iPhone
Click on ‘Erase iPhone/iPad’ and then click ‘Remove from Account’

Way 2: Ask Apple to Remove iCloud Activation Lock for You

You can either Call Apple Support or Visit your local Apple Store.

If the iPhone is new:

You will need to show that you own the phone, i.e. proof of purchase showing the serial number of the iPhone and your name.

If the iPhone is second hand:

If you’ve bought a used iPhone, you will need to show proof that ownership was transferred to you from the seller. You will have to provide the sale transaction receipt/proof of payment.

Way 3: Use Third-Party products?

Be careful when choosing third-parties offering unlock services. Some may try to exploit vulnerabilities in Apple’s operating software. Be careful when choosing.

The following is a list of third-party unlock services:

LockWiper
iCloudin
Official iPhone Unlock
Open My iCloud
Doulci iCloud Unlocking Tool

Have a read of these services

Final Sale: 2-year plan with 68% off

8 Ways to fix WhatsApp Voice Messages Problem

April 8, 2020

by Finola Brady Android Phone iPhone WhatsApp

The following includes ways to fix the WhatsApp Voice message Problem:

Turn up the volume on your phone
If your WhatsApp messages are not playing check your phone volume.
Restart your Phone
If your WhatsApp messages are not playing or not recording, try restarting your phone.
Check WhatsApp Microphone Permissions
If you’re not able to record WhatsApp voice messages, check if your WhatsApp has permission to use the Microphone.
On Android: Go to Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Permissions > Microphone (turn on) > Restart your Phone
On iPhone: Go to Settings > scroll down to WhatsApp > Microphone (turn on) > Restart your iPhone
WhatsApp Update
Check to see if there is an update for WhatsApp available in the Play Store/App Store. You could also try uninstalling and reinstalling WhatsApp.
Check your Proximity Sensor
If you can’t play WhatsApp messages, something might be covering the Proximity Sensor on your phone, e.g. your screen protector. The Proximity Sensor is located at the top of your phone. Google ‘proximity sensor’ for an image.
Turn off any other Apps that use the Microphone
If you are unable to record WhatsApp voice messages, turn off any other Apps on your phone that use the Microphone.
Clear Cache
The cache is where data is stored so that if a request for the same data is made at any point in the future, it loads it faster.

Try clearing the WhatsApp Cache, as follows:
On Android: Go to Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Storage > Clear cache > Restart your Phone

Final Sale: 2-year plan with 68% off

How to Recover Data from Broken Android Phone?

October 14, 2019

by Finola Brady Android Phone Smartphone Security

Like most other people, you certainly carry an Android smartphone. What if your Android smartphone falls into the water and gets damaged? What if your smartphone breaks into pieces? How do you recover your precious data from a broken Android phone?

This guide will help you recover data from broken Android phones with ease. The pain of losing your mobile phone might be there, but you can still retain your precious data if you follow one of the methods mentioned below:

Method 1: Using USB Cable

When your phone screen or your phone breaks, you can use a USB cable to recover data with ease. Even when your phone display and screen might not work, a USB cable will come in handy to recover data.

To recover data from a broken Android phone using a USB cable, follow the steps mentioned below:

Attach your USB data cable to your broken Android smartphone.
Wait until your PC installs the necessary drivers. Your smartphone will now appear as a new driver.
Navigate to My Computer and find your Android smartphone.
Double click on your smartphone name to find all the multimedia files stored in your internal and external memory.
Select all the items that you want to restore. Copy the items and paste them into your desired location.

This method is suitable for recovering multimedia and document files only. You cannot retrieve call logs, text messages, notes, or contacts using this method.

Method 2: Using third-party applications

If you want to recover important call logs, messages, notes, contacts, etc. from a broken Android phone, you can use third-party applications to do so.

Gihosoft

Gihosoft Android Data Recovery Free Software is useful to recover data after accidental deletion, virus intrusion, rooting, restoring factory setting, and also in cases of broken Android phones. To recover data from a broken Android phone using Gihosoft, follow the steps mentioned below:

Download Gihosoft Android File Recovery Software for Windows or Mac.
Install the software on your desktop.
Launch the software on your desktop by clicking the software icon. An interface pops up on the screen.
Click Next and click Connect your Android phone to PC. Make sure that the USB debugging mode is toggled on.
Your Android phone recognises the Gihosoft program. Click Start on your desktop to search for the files that you want to get back.
Preview the files that you selected to recover. Click Recover to retrieve data from the broken Android phone.

Note:

This method works when your Android phone’s touch screen works partially. If the phone’s touchscreen stops working altogether, use the Android Device Manager to unlock your screen remotely and put the mobile into USB debugging mode.

Android Data Extraction

Android Data Extraction is another third-party software specifically designed to recover data from a broken Android phone. Available both on Windows and Mac, it works with over 600 smartphone models.

To recover data from a broken Android phone using Android Data Extraction software:

Download and install the Android Data Extraction software in your Windows or Mac PC.
Launch the software by clicking the software’s icon. An interface pops up on the screen.
Connect your damaged smartphone to your PC using a USB data cable.
Select the kind of data that you want to recover. You can choose to recover messages, music, contacts, videos, documents, etc.
Choose the kind of problem that you are facing with your smartphone. Select the black/broken screen option for this case.
Enter your device name and model and click Next.
Reboot your Android phone by pressing the Home, Volume Down, and Power buttons together. The software downloads the necessary recovery package in this duration. This may take some time depending on your internet connection.
Select all the files from the software interface and click Recover. Doing this saves all the recovered data into your PC.

Broken Android Data Recovery

The Broken Android Data Recovery is another application that can help you recover data from a broken Android phone with ease. It helps extract contacts, SMS, call logs, music, photos, videos, and WhatsApp messages from the internal memory or SD card.

To recover data from a broken Android phone using the Broken Android Data Recovery software, follow the steps mentioned below:

Download and install the Broken Android Data Recovery software on your Windows or Mac desktop.
Connect your damaged smartphone to your PC using a USB data cable.
Select a proper mode for data recovery. If you have a black/cracked screen or if your screen is unresponsive, click on the Start button.
Input your device name and device model from the drop-down menu.
Enter the download mode by following the on-screen prompts. A repair package is downloaded to your phone so that the existing data can be scanned out.
Press and hold the Volume Down, Home and Power buttons at the same time to reboot your phone. Hold the Volume Up button to enter the download mode. In the download mode, the program scans your device for data. An interface appears on the screen.
Choose the kind of data to extract and click Recover. The extracted data will be saved into your desktop.

Final Sale: 2-year plan with 68% off

How to erase data from Samsung Galaxy phone

September 17, 2019

by Finola Brady Android Phone Smartphone Security

If you are a tech geek or someone who wants to regularly upgrade your phone to buy a newer, better phone, then you might need to erase data from your Samsung Galaxy phone. There might also be cases when you need to send over your mobile phone for service or repair.

Your mobile contains a lot of private and personal pictures, videos, chats, messages, and music. You would not want any stranger to look at them. So, this guide will help you erase data from Samsung Galaxy phone with ease.

Method 1: Factory Reset

A factory reset is the best option to clear everything on your phone and revert it to the initial state when you first bought it. However, before you perform a full factory reset of your Samsung Galaxy phone, make sure to take a full back up.

Using the Settings menu – Soft reset

Open the Apps menu in your Samsung Galaxy phone. The Apps menu is a menu of all apps installed on your device.
Tap the Settings icon to open the Settings
Scroll down and tap Backup and Reset. If this option in not in the Settings menu, go to General management > Reset. In some phones, the Backup and Reset section is under this menu.
Tap Factory Data Reset. A new page opens up.
Tap Reset Device.
Tap Erase Everything. For older versions, this button may appear as Delete All.

It takes a while for your device to reset. The Samsung Galaxy phone will restart once the reset process is complete.

Recovery Mode – Hard reset

Turn off your Samsung Galaxy. This is essential to access recovery mode in your boot menu.
Press and hold down the Home, Volume, and Power buttons at the same time.
This powers up your device, and you can see the Android system recovery On some devices, you might have to press the Volume up button instead of the Volume down button.
Select the Wipe Data/ Factory Reset
Press the Power The power key acts as the Enter button.
Confirm your action by selecting the Yes – Delete All User Data option on the screen that appears next. Select this option using the Volume up/down

This action resets your device and erases all data in it. It takes a while for your device to reboot. The Samsung Galaxy phone will restart once the reset process is complete.

A factory reset erases all of your personal information and downloaded applications. You cannot recover this data once it is lost. It is strongly recommended that you backup of all your data correctly before resetting your Samsung Galaxy phone.

Method 2: Third-party Apps

You can also utilise some third-party applications to erase data from your Samsung Galaxy phone.

SafeWiper

SafeWiper is a desktop software that helps remove data from Samsung Galaxy phones completely. It wipes out all sensitive files, unused disk space, etc. To erase data from Samsung Galaxy phone using SafeWiper:

Download the SafeWiper software from its official website.
Install the software on your computer.
Connect your Samsung Galaxy phone to your PC using a USB data cable. The software automatically detects the phone.
Enable USB debugging on your Samsung Galaxy phone.
Select the Erase All Data option in the SafeWiper software, from the four available options.
Click the Erase Now button to begin erasing.
Type Erase in the given box to confirm the action.
Click the Settings item to choose the level of wiping. You can choose one from Low Level, Medium Level, and High-Level Wiping.

The erasing process takes some time to complete. Do not disconnect your Mobil from the computer in this duration. Once your data is erased from your Samsung Galaxy phone, the phone will be like new.

Dr. Fone toolkit – Android Data Eraser

Dr. Fone toolkit is another desktop software that can help erase everything from your Samsung Galaxy phone. To erase data from Samsung Galaxy phone using Dr. Fone toolkit:

Download the Fone toolkit from its official website.
Install the toolkit on your computer.
Connect your Samsung Galaxy phone to your PC using a USB data cable. The software automatically detects the phone.
Enable USB debugging on your Samsung Galaxy phone.
Click Erase All Data in the pop-up that appears.
Type Delete in the given box to confirm the action.
Choose the Factory Reset option that appears after a few minutes. In this stage, the data is erased completely.

The factory reset option takes a few minutes to complete. Once your data is erased from your Samsung Galaxy phone, the phone will be like new.

Final Sale: 2-year plan with 68% off

How to switch from iPhone to Android?

August 28, 2019

by Finola Brady Android Phone iPhone

So, you have decided to switch from the green land of iPhone to the promised land of Android. You can be sure that the switch is going to be as challenging as moving into a new country, alone.

Worry not. This guide is all set to make your transition easier. Follow the steps in this guide, and you can sync all your contacts, files, pictures, and videos to your new Android phone with ease. If you are very much invested in the iPhone fraternity, the switch is going to be difficult, but the final result is worth it. The question revolving around which is better; Android or iPhone, paves the way for another discussion at another time. Since you have already decided to switch to Android, let us make the process easier.

Using your new phones’ settings

Before discussing the ways to move over bits and parts of your iPhone data to your new Android phone, let us take a look at the features that your new phone provides.

Most Android devices have inbuilt apps that serve the purpose of easing out the process of shifting critical data from old phone to a new one. When you set up the new phone, you might be asked if you want to copy files from your old (Android or Apple) phone to a new one. This process makes the transition a lot easier.

If you buy a Samsung phone of the recent version, you will get a USB-OTG connector in the box which lets you plug in your iPhone to the new phone. With this, you can copy a lot of files and data to the new phone with ease.

If this process does not work, read on to know how you can transition from iPhone to Android in a breeze.

How to transfer contacts from iPhone to Android?

Before selling your iPhone, you will surely want to transfer your contacts to the new phone. The complexity of moving contacts depends on how you have stored it.

Google Account

Are you syncing your contacts regularly with your Google account? If the answer is yes, you can log in with the same Gmail account on your new phone to easily sync your contacts.

iCloud

If you have used iCloud to store your contacts, then the process of transferring contacts from iPhone to a new Android device is pretty simple too. To transfer contacts using iCloud:

1. Turn on Contacts under Settings > Your name > iCloud on your iPhone.

2. Log in to iCloud website on your computer.

3. Click Contacts.

4. Click the gear button on the bottom left side of the screen.

5. Select Export vCard.

6. Log into Gmail and tap the Gmail icon on the top left side of the screen.

7. Click Contacts.

8. Click More.

9. Tap Import.

Third-party apps

You can also use third-party apps like My Contacts Backup app to transfer your contacts from iPhone to Android devices. Install the app, launch it, and carry out the steps that follow.

How to sync your calendar from iPhone to Android?

Syncing your calendar entries from iPhone to Android is also extremely easy if you have been doing so regularly.

Google Account

If you have been syncing your calendar with your Google account, you can transfer your calendar from iPhone to Android. Log in from the Google account in your new Android device, and your calendar is synced automatically.

iCloud

You can also use your iCloud account to transfer your calendar entries to the new Android device.

1. Go to Settings > Your name > iCloud on your iPhone.

2. Toggle on Calendars.

3. Log in to iCloud website on your computer.

4. Click Calendar.

5. Click the Share Calendar button beside the desired calendar.

6. Tick on the Public Calendar checkbox and copy the sharing URL.

7. Paste the copied URL on a new tab of a browser.

8. Change the term webcal in the URL to http and press the Enter key. The web browser downloads a file with random characters. This file is a copy of your iCloud Calendar entries.

9. Save the file to a convenient folder.

10. Log in to Google Calendar in your web browser.

11. Click the plus button on the right of Other Calendars in the Google Calendar interface. Select the Import option.

12. Select the downloaded, exported calendar file.

13. Click the Import button to upload the downloaded file.

The imported entries are now listed in the Google Calendar web interface. Once you log in via this Gmail account, the new entries are also synced to your Android device.

How to transfer your photos and videos from iPhone to Android?

You can deploy many ways to transfer your precious photos from your iPhone to Android. You should follow the best approach to prevent the loss of your precious photos in the process of transferring them from iPhone to Android.

Conventional way

The conventional way of transferring photos and videos from iPhone to Android is to copy all your photos from the iPhone to a computer and transfer them to your new Android phone. This caveman approach works for sure, but it is the most time-consuming way to move your photos.

Google Photos app

You can use the iOS Google Photos app to effortlessly transfer your photos and videos from your old iPhone to your new Android phone.

1. Download the iOS Google Photos app.

2. Turn on the backup feature.

3. Connect to a Wi-Fi network to ensure that your photos are uploaded to your Google account with ease.

4. Download the Photos app on your new Android phone when all your photos from iPhone are uploaded.

5. Set up the Photos app on Android with the same Google account.

All your photos and videos are synced to your Google account automatically. You can use Google Photos syncing as a way to always save and update your photos/videos.

How to transfer music files from iPhone to Android?

You would also want to transfer your saved playlists or music to your Android account. There are several ways to do that too.

Assuming that you are using iTunes, make sure that you download any music that you have purchased. Since iTunes music and audio files are protected by DRM, you might need to use the Apple Music App, or some other third-party applications to transfer music to Android.

Apple Music App

Apple has released the Apple Music app for Android devices. Just like the iOS version, the app allows you to create your personalised playlists and purchase iTunes music. Apple Music app also allows you to download tracks for offline listening.

To enjoy Apple Music on Android devices:

1. Download and launch the Apple Music app.

2. Choose a membership plan.

3. Click Start Trial.

4. Click Use Existing ID. Enter the Apple ID and the password to log in. If you do not have an Apple account, click Create New Apple ID.

Now, you can easily enjoy your Apple Music on your Android devices, create personalised playlists, and download offline tracks.

Convert to MP3 and transfer to Android

Several Android devices do not support the Apple Music app. Hence, an alternative option to using the app is to convert Apple Music to MP3. Use one of the below-mentioned applications to convert iPhone music to MP3:

1. TuneFab Apple Music Converter

2. Apple Mac Soft

3. Sidify Apple Music Converter

How to transfer text messages from iPhone to Android?

Transferring text messages is a lot trickier than transferring photos or videos. Some people like to save precious text conversions intact and transfer them to their new smartphones. It is possible using the iSMS2droid app. This method might not necessarily work for everyone as it requires you to back up your SMS to iTunes and to dig around to find the right file to convert.

Another option is to use Samsung Smart Switch or Kies software to restore iPhone backup. Other premium software options allow you to copy text messages, contacts, photos, and call logs too. Some applications might work for you, while some might not. Regardless of the option you use, turn iMessage off before making the switch. If you don’t do so, your SMS and MMS messages might still go to your old iPhone if the sender is an iPhone user. Apple sends an iMessage instead of SMS or MMS when it detects that both devices are iOS.

To turn off iMessage:

1. Go to Settings > Messages.

2. Toggle iMessage off.

3. Go to Settings > Facetime and toggle iMessage off.

Can you transfer apps from iPhone to Android?

iOS and Android are different to the core. Hence, the apps that run on them are extremely different too. You cannot transfer apps from iPhone to Android.

Popular apps for social network, games, editing tools, etc. exist both in Android and iPhone. You can check Google Play to ensure that the important apps that you use in the iPhone are available in your new Android phone too.

If the crucial app that you use daily is not available in the Android system, then there are a number of replacements that you can use for the app.

Wrapping up

Yes, the transition to Android from iPhone is surely going to be difficult. Switching to a new platform is tiring, but some tools will make your experience much smoother.

Firstly, you will have to re-download all your applications or leave behind some for good. Transferring everything else is easier as it depends on the cloud solution that you use. You can later download all the required files from the cloud as and when required.

You should also remember to turn off iMessage before leaving behind your iPhone. Avoiding this step might create issues with your SMS delivery.

There are some differences in the user experience of Android and iPhone. Learn the differences below:

Navigation

Navigation on Android differs from that of an iPhone. The Home button always takes you back to the home screen. The Back button takes you back one level, one page, or one screen. It can also be used to back out of apps.

Multitasking or recent apps can be found by swiping up from the bottom of the screen. This screen showcases the latest apps that you were using, and you can quickly jump back to an app as and when required.

Customisation

Customisation and widgets in Android differ from that of the iPhone system. Android offers the ability to customise your smartphone and use widgets on your screen.

To customise your phone’s look and feel, tap, and hold an empty section of the home screen. A pop-up menu now allows you to set the wallpaper. You can also add apps, shortcuts, folders, and widgets into your home screen.

Widgets are small windows of applications that can bring new information to you automatically. Not all applications have widgets, but you can hold the empty portion of the home screen to select widgets, and to select how the widgets will appear on your screen.

You can also change the entire aesthetics of your new Android phone by exploring the world of launchers. There are a number of free launchers available, with special effects and styles to choose from.

Final Sale: 2-year plan with 68% off

How to Remove Screen Lock from Android Phone Without Losing Data?

August 12, 2019

by Finola Brady Android Phone Smartphone Security

One of the most underrated yet a highly secure feature of Android phones is the lock screen feature. It acts as a barrier between your personal data and an unwanted user.

However, if you forget your lock screen password, PIN, or passcode, there is no way to unlock the device without resetting it. In this article, however, we discuss the methods that can be used to remove screen lock from an Android phone without losing data.

Method 1: Remove screen lock from Android phone without losing data – Using Unlock Tools

There are several Android screen unlock tools that you can use to remove screen lock without losing data. Some of these tools are mentioned below:

1. iMyFone Lockwiper
2. Dr. fone

iMyFone Lockwiper

iMyFone Lockwiper is an unlock tool for Samsung mobile phones. It has a number of features that can be used for unlocking a smartphone. iMyFone Lockwiper is a complete unlocking package and is recommended for the non-savvy.

The downside to this application, however, is that it offers screen unlock without data loss for Samsung phones. The screen unlock feature works for other Android smartphones but erases all data.

Features:

• Remove screen lock from Android phone without losing data – for Samsung devices.
• Fast bypass of screen lock, Pin lock, FRP lock, and password lock.
• Free trial version available.
• Works on most Android devices.
• Fluid and easy to use interface.

Steps:

1. Download and launch the iMyFone Lockwiper app on your PC.
2. Select the Remove without Data Loss mode for Samsung devices. Select the Remove Screen Lock for other Android phones.
3. Click Start.
4. Connect your phone to PC with a USB cable. If your phone is not recognized, then follow the link to put the device in recovery mode. Lockwiper detects your device info. Double-check to inform and click Start to Unlock.

Lockwiper downloads a data package and installs it into your device. The screen lock removal process completes after a few minutes.

Dr. fone

Dr. fone is another Android unlock app that removes pattern, pin and password lock on Samsung phones. It offers removal of screen lock on LG, Huwaei, Pixel, and other smartphones.

Features:

• Remove screen lock without losing data for LG phones.
• Remove screen lock, pin, and password without losing data for Samsung mobiles.
• Free trial.
• Easy to use interface.
• Fast bypass of screen lock, pin, and password lock.

Steps:

1. Download and launch the FoneCope app on your PC.
2. Choose the Lock Screen Removal icon from the home screen of the app.
3. Connect your Android device to the system using a USB cable. The software automatically detects the device.
4. Click Start to commence the lock removal process.
5. Enter the device into its Download mode. To do this, power off the device and hold Power, home, and Volume down button simultaneously. Press the Volume Up button to enter the Download mode now.
The interface starts downloading the recovery package as soon as your device enters the Download mode.
6. Perform the instructions on the screen to remove the device’s lock.

An on-screen message will indicate the completion of the lock screen removal process. You can now disconnect your device safely and access it without a lock screen.

Method 2: Remove screen lock from Android phone without losing data – Using Android Device Manager (ADM)

The Android Device Manager (ADM) is useful in situations where you need to ring, lock/unlock, wipe, and erase your device remotely. The only catch is that you need to have ADM enabled in your device for it to be usable.

You can enable ADM by visiting http://google.com/android/devicemanager. Your device must also be connected to the internet with GPS activated, and it should be running on Android 4.4.

Steps:

1. Visit http://google.com/android/devicemanager from a computer or a mobile.
2. Sign in with the account of the device you wish to unlock.
3. Choose the device and click on the Lock button.
4. Input a temporary password and type Lock again. A confirmation pop-up appears with the Ring, Lock, and Erase buttons.
5. Enter the temporary password on the phone screen.

After some time, the lock screen is successfully bypassed. You can now go to Settings and disable the temporary password.

Method 3: Remove screen lock from Android phone without losing data – Using Android Debug Bridge (ADB)

The Android Debug Bridge (ADB) method works if USB debugging is enabled on your Android device before you forget your screen lock or password. Another requirement for removing screen lock using ADB is to set your personal computer as a trusted device. This method also does not work for devices with encryption enabled. If all these requirements are met, you can easily remove screen lock from an Android phone without losing data.

Steps:

1. Plug the Android device to your trusted computer using a USB.
2. Open the command prompt (in Windows computer) or the terminal window (in Mac) in the ADB installation directory.
3. Type the following command and press enter:
adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.key
4. Restart your Android device. The secure lock screen is temporarily gone.
5. Set a new lock (password, pattern, or PIN) before restarting the Android device. If you set a new lock before restarting the Android device, your device will be locked again.

Method 4: Remove third-party app screen lock from Android phone without losing data – By rebooting mobile in safe mode

You can remove third party app screen lock of your Android phone (not the default screen lock), by booting your Android phone in Safe mode. Doing this will disable the third-party screen lock temporarily.

Steps:

1. Press and hold the Power button until the power menu appears on the Android screen.
2. Tap and hold the Power Off button.
3. Tap OK in the Do you want to reboot into safe mode? Confirmation box.
4. Uninstall the third-party screen lock application.
5. Restart your Android device.

You can later download the third-party screen lock app again and set up a new screen lock pattern.

Method 5: Remove screen lock from Android phone without losing data – Using Forgot Password feature and Google account

On devices running Android 4.4, you can reset your passcode by using the Forgot Password feature. To bypass Android lock without a reset, you can tweak this feature after successive failed attempts.

Steps:

1. Try to unlock the passcode five times with a wrong one.
2. Enter the wrong passcode one more time. You will be asked if you want to unlock with a security question or a backup PIN. With a security question or a backup PIN, you can easily unlock the screen. If you do not have the answer to the security question or a backup PIN, proceed to step 3.
3. Hit the Forgot Pattern button at the bottom of the page.
4. Input the Google account credentials and sign in to your account. You will obtain an email that will allow you to create a new passcode.
5. Configure the new login and use this code to bypass the previous Android lock screen without losing data.

Method 6: Remove screen lock from Android phone without losing data – Using Emergency Call trick

The emergency call trick is another Android feature that you can use to remove the lock from an Android phone without losing data. This method works only on Android versions 5.0 and 5.1.1. These versions have a bug that crashes the lock screen when too many characters are input into the emergency call field. Hence, this is a temporary solution that might sometimes work.

Steps:

1. On the lock screen, select the Emergency Call option.
2. A dialer pops up on the screen. Input 10 asterisks from the dialer highlight the asterisks, copy them and paste them to the dialer.
3. Keep pasting the asterisks until the field is full.
4. Return to the lock screen, open the camera and swipe down from the top of your screen.
5. Click the Settings icon from the notifications menu.
6. Paste the copied asterisks into the password field and continue doing so until the lock screen crashes and opens your home screen.

Remove screen lock from Android phone by a factory reset.

If any of the above methods do not work for you, you can also remove screen lock from Android phone by performing a factory reset. Please note that factory reset will erase all the data in your phone and you will be unable to access it if you have not backed up your data.