Samsung is beginning to roll out a “Maintenance Mode” function for its telephones that’s designed to maintain your messages, photographs, information, and accounts protected while you’re getting your cellphone repaired. The firm’s been testing the function since July and launched it in China final month, however now it’s launching worldwide for the Galaxy S22, with extra telephones coming within the subsequent few months.

According to Samsung’s press release, Maintenance Mode mainly creates a separate person account that may let somebody entry “core functions” of the cellphone with out with the ability to see any of your knowledge. That means a restore tech will nonetheless have the ability to take a look at your cellphone, however you gained’t have to fret about them seeing something they shouldn’t. Once you get your cellphone again, you possibly can unlock it to show off Maintenance Mode, which can even undo something that was executed whereas the cellphone was being repaired (e.g., take a look at photographs shall be erased, new apps shall be uninstalled, and settings adjustments shall be reversed).

To activate Maintenance Mode, go to Settings > Battery and Device Care > Maintenance Mode.

Samsung says the function shall be “gradually rolling out over the next few months” to pick telephones working the Android 13-based One UI 5 — if you would like an concept of when your cellphone is likely to be getting that replace, take a look at this text. It’ll additionally roll out to “more Galaxy devices” all through subsequent yr. The firm does warn, nonetheless, that the “timing of availability may vary by market, model and network provider,” as updates can take some time to filter by way of carriers.

There have been some high-profile incidents the place individuals despatched telephones in for restore and ended up having private photographs leaked, considered one of which resulted in Apple paying out hundreds of thousands to settle a case. While DIY restore choices like those provided by Samsung, Apple, and Google are most likely the easiest way to maintain your knowledge protected, it’s good to see that there’s work being executed on the software program facet as effectively and that these options are beginning to make it onto clients’ telephones.