Safety should always be first. Just as you look both ways when you're crossing the road (hopefully), you should be mindful of privacy and security when it comes to your smartphone. This is a device that contains all sorts of personal details, photos, and financial information, after all.

With ColorOS from OPPO, safety definitely comes first. Its latest version offers two new security features and a host of others to give you peace of mind while you're scrolling. Let's take a look at why you can browse easily with ColorOS.

Keep it Secret. Keep it Safe—Picture Keeper
Your photos and videos may not be as precious as the One Ring, but they probably are precious to you. Apps can misuse permissions for your personal pics if you let them. So, if you don't fully trust an app, you can tell it to keep its hands off with Picture Keeper.

Based on Android 14's latest security measures, with Picture Keeper, you can now set permissions for how each app uses photos and videos from your album. Trust it completely? Choose "Allow all." Not totally convinced by it? Choose "Select photos and videos" for your own discretion. If you don't trust the app at all, simply tap "Deny," and it won't have any access to your pics/vids. They shall not pass! (Okay, that's the last reference).

Protection with Pixels—Auto Pixelate
Screenshotting is part of our daily lives. Sometimes, you have to send a conversation to the group chat and spill the tea. It's also just faster and easier than explaining something, like directions or a shopping list. But we shouldn't disclose private info, and sometimes, in our haste, we can reveal too much.

That's where Auto Pixelate comes in. As the name suggests, it will automatically pixelate sensitive info with just a tap on your screenshot. This includes the avatar/profile pic and also usernames, so you can snap and tap away safe in the knowledge that your, or someone else's, privacy is secure.

For Your Eyes Only—Smart Notification Hiding
If you find yourself anxious when a friend borrows your phone, or you're worried about someone nearby catching a glimpse of your private notifications, rest assured-this feature has your back. Implementing this tool, especially when you're on the move, provides additional security from nosey neighbors.

The Smart Notification Hiding feature ingeniously detects whether you're the one viewing the screen and then displays all notifications. However, should it detect that someone other than you is peeking, it will conceal the content so they won't know what's going on. This innovative function ensures your information is well-guarded at all times, blending practicality and privacy.

Double the Security with 2FA—Two-Factor Authentification
From our social media accounts to online stores, sometimes having only a username and password just isn't enough, especially with more elaborate attacks. If you really need to beef up your security, there's 2FA. Simply put, in addition to your regular password, you'll also need a code from an authenticator app to log in to your accounts. It's an extra layer of protection to prevent hackers or whoever from accessing your private info.

There are lots of great apps to choose from, including Microsoft Authenticator and Google Authenticator. Scan the QR code on whichever account you'd like to set up, and then your authenticator will consistently refresh an access code (usually every 30 seconds or so). It's just one extra step at the login stage, and an extra few seconds could save you from potentially devastating cyber attacks.

Lost and Found—Find My Device
We've all been there: that sudden panic when you can't feel your phone in your pocket. Maybe you left it at home, maybe it's in the toilet, or maybe you left it in a taxi, and it's doing laps around the city. Thankfully, you can always turn to Google's Find My Device.

As soon as you log in to your OPPO device with your Google account, make sure to customize your Find My Device settings. From there, check your location settings are turned on, and then you're good to go. If your device goes missing, on the Find My Device web page, you'll see a Google Map with the last location of your phone, buds, tablet, or watch. You'll then have three choices:

• If it's nearby, you can play a sound to help locate it (maybe if it's stuck behind the sofa or something).
• Otherwise, you can secure (lockdown) the device and display an optional message so that someone can return it to you if it's found.
• The last resort is to erase your device completely. Only do this if you're certain it's been stolen or that it's just not coming back. It will wipe all your data and perform a factory reset—a bitter farewell, but at least your personal info is still safe.

Back It Up
Of course, if you have to hit the big red "Erase" button or your phone gets damaged beyond repair, it would be devastating to lose precious memories or important data. That's why it's vital to back everything up. The good news is that it's really easy.

Connect your device to your PC or laptop and transfer everything you deem irreplaceable. With ColorOS and Microsoft Phone Link, you can effortlessly drag and drop files, images, and text between your phone and computer. You'll also have up to 15GB of free storage available on Google Photos, which allows you to upload your data to cloud storage, where it will permanently exist online. This way, you don't have to worry about losing more than your phone if you drop it from a high place.

There are many other methods of staying safe, such as using a lock screen, fingerprint ID, or regularly updating your software. Those listed above are what we consider vital to your security, and we hope you have peace of mind.

ColorOS takes your safety seriously, and it also takes your user experience seriously. That's why the latest version is packed with exciting innovations to make your browsing smart and smooth. Check them out here.