Update, May 26, 2025: This story, originally published May 24, has been updated with a brief history of PIN codes, information regarding the most secure codes you can use and why 8068 really isn’t the ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Davey Winder is a veteran cybersecurity writer, hacker and analyst. Keeping your iPhone or Android device secure is a no-brainer.

Google’s system basically keeps all the security of a SIM PIN, while removing all the inconvenience. Just make sure you jot down the Android-managed PIN somewhere secure, in case your phone ever dies ...

If you have an Apple or an Android phone—and you probably do—you have the option of locking your phone using a PIN code. With most of these phones, you can choose a four-digit PIN or a six-digit PIN.