Your Samsung Galaxy phone is about to receive a subtle yet powerful security upgrade. As part of the April 2025 Google Play services update (version 25.14), Android phones and tablets — including Galaxy lineup — will now auto reboot if they’ve been locked for three consecutive days.
Android’s auto-reboot feature is definitely a nifty little security upgrade
This auto-reboot feature is designed to activate after 72 hours of Android device inactivity. When triggered, your Galaxy device will restart on its own and enter what’s known as the “Before First Unlock” (BFU) state. In this mode, all user data remains encrypted and inaccessible until the correct PIN, pattern, or password is entered. Biometrics like fingerprint or facial recognition won’t work until the passcode is manually entered.
If you leave a phone at work over the weekend, your data stays safe. So if one of your Android devices restarts unexpectedly, it’s likely the new security feature kicking in. It adds an extra layer of protection, especially if a phone is lost, stolen, or left unused. After reboot, anyone trying to access your Galaxy device will be locked out, with no access to apps or files.
The update is rolling out through Google Play services, so no full system or One UI update is needed. There’s no toggle to enable or disable the feature. It runs quietly in the background. You’ll likely only notice it if you’re prompted to enter your PIN after an unexpected restart. You’ve probably guessed it. This is Google borrowing from Apple’s playbook (iOS 18.1) and GrapheneOS, both of which have introduced similar proactive security measures
To check whether the auto-reboot feature has arrived on your Android device, you’ll have to follow these steps. Open Settings > Security & privacy > Google Play system update. If an update is available, go ahead and install it. As 9to5Google notes, the Google Play services version 25.14 will begin rolling out over the coming week, though the feature itself may take additional weeks to become fully available.
