Text messages are a common way of communicating on Android devices. We also get important info and passwords from service providers through text.
It is an invasion of privacy when your text messages are read without your permission. It’s better to keep your text messages away from prying eyes since you receive so much important information about yourself through them.
In this article, we will discuss how someone can get access to your text messages and how to stop them from reading your messages on Android.
How Can Someone Read Your Text messages on Android?
Before someone reads your messages, they would first have to get access to those messages.
There are three different ways people get access to and read your messages.
- Physical access: This happens when they get a hold of your phone in person. This might happen when you leave your phone unattended or when it gets stolen. All they need to do is unlock your phone and read your messages.
- Spyware: Hackers can hack your phone through spyware they download to your phone physically or from shady sites you visit. They would be able to spy on your device and have access to your data and messages.
- Wi-Fi: If you connect to public and unsafe Wi-Fi, you’re at a high risk of being hacked. A hacker could access and intercept your messages, data, and other features through public Wi-Fi.
How to Stop Someone From Reading Your Text Messages on Android
To stop someone from reading your text messages on Android, you need to add a password or pin to keep your device secure. You can also set the screen lock to prevent anyone else from accessing your messages.
Other solutions you could try to stop people from reading your messages on an Android phone include the following:
Lock Your Device
The best way to stop someone from reading your text messages is not to leave your phone open. You should also have your screen locked with a pin, password, or pattern.
This way, it will be harder for people to have access to your device. Always make sure to have a strong password or pin. It should not be something easy to guess.
To set up a screen lock on your device, follow the following steps:
- Open Settings and go to Security (or Passwords & Security).
- Select Screen Lock.
- Choose the screen lock method you are most comfortable with and set the pin, pattern, or password.
Now, when you open your phone, you would need a password or pin to get into it.
Disable Lock Screen Preview
When you get new messages, they pop up as notifications on your lock screen. Someone can read previews of these messages on your lock screen without even needing to unlock your phone.
Follow the steps below to disable lock screen previews of notifications and messages.
- Open the Settings app and select Lock Screen.
- Change the format of the notifications to “Show notifications but hide content.”
In this way, the content of your messages won’t appear on the lock screen.
You can also completely turn off all notifications from the Messages app.
- In the Notifications section of the settings app, click on App Notifications.
- Turn off notifications for the Messages app by turning off the button next to it.
Lock the Messages App
Using an App Lock application on your phone can help you prevent people from reading your texts. An app lock will ensure that you put in a pin or password before being able to access the Messages app.
There are a lot of App Lock apps on the Google Play Store. Download one and add the Messages app to it.
You would set up a pin or password for the app, and anyone who gets access to your phone would need the pin to open and read text messages.
Do Not Use Public Wi-Fi
Public Wi-Fi can be a great way to save money, but it can also be very unsafe. They are often unencrypted, and anyone can easily intercept and view the data transmitted over the network.
Hackers can also download malware on your device through unsecured Wi-Fi that allows them to read your messages.
That’s why it’s recommended only to use secured Wi-Fi networks to protect your phone from hackers.
Be Careful What You Download
When browsing the internet or using apps, please be careful of what you download and the links you click. You might unknowingly install spyware software on your device.
Only browse through safe sites, and do not open spam emails. It is also safer to download apps from the Google Play Store or other trusted APK download sites.
Download Anti-Spyware Applications
Using anti-spyware apps is one of the best ways to stop someone from reading your text messages.
Anti-spyware applications are security applications that protect your device and data from malicious software that try to hack and spy on you.
A simple search on Google Play Store would give you a list of available apps you can download to start protecting your device and text messages.
Manage Access Permissions to Messages
Some apps need access to specific features on your phone to work optimally. These features include location, messages, camera, etc.
Before they can use these apps and features, they usually ask for permission to do so.
If a malicious app or spyware is intercepting or reading your messages, you can find out by checking if it has permission to access your messages. You can check for this in the Permissions Manager.
Follow the steps below to do so:
- Open the Settings app and go to the Apps tab.
- Go to the Permissions Manager and choose SMS or Messages.
- There would be a list of apps allowed to access this feature. Go through them and deny permissions for apps you are not comfortable with.
If you see an unknown app in the list, it is best to uninstall the app completely instead of just denying the permissions.
Delete Text Messages
If you frequently receive sensitive information through text, it would be safer to delete these text messages once you don’t need them anymore. You should never leave important information unprotected on your phone.
Final Thoughts on “How to Stop Someone From Reading Your Text Messages on Android”
Protecting your messages and your data from being read and spied on is very important. If someone is reading your text messages, they can steal your data or have access to your financial information.
With the tips in this guide, you should be able to prevent or stop anyone from reading your text messages on your Android phone.
Here’s a recap of what you learned today:
- Lock your Android phone
- Disable the lock screen preview
- Lock the messages app
- Do not use public Wi-Fi
- Be careful what you download
- Download anti-spyware applications
- Manage access permissions to your messages
- Delete text messages that contain sensitive information
If you know other tips that can help stop someone from reading text messages on Android, please share them in the comments.
