After what Samsung calls a “successful pilot program” in both Korea and China, the company has started a public rollout of its new Maintenance Mode security feature.
Samsung’s new Maintenance Mode is on its way to select Galaxy devices soon, offering better protection for your personal information and details (provided you turn it on). Unlike iOS 16’s Lockdown Mode, however, Maintenance Mode doesn’t protect against cyberattacks. Instead, it guards your information from anyone who physically has their hands on your phone.
Turning on Maintenance Mode will block access to your files, information, and apps (though not the apps that come pre-installed) while still allowing general use. Samsung believes it’s a safer way to hand your phone in for repair as it will keep anyone working on it from prying into details, viewing personal photos, or installing malicious software. And any apps, data, or accounts that may have been installed or created while Maintenance Mode is active will be deleted automatically when it’s turned off.
Once Maintenance Mode reaches your device, you can turn it on through Settings. Then after you reboot your phone, all your sensitive information will be restricted until you turn Maintenance Mode off again. Though Samsung recommends backing up important personal info before using it, just in case.
The global Maintenance Mode rollout starts today and will continue up to and through 2023. Availability will begin with the Galaxy S21 and S22 series using One UI 5 or newer, then extend to other unspecified Samsung Galaxy devices over the next year.
Samsung said the timing for the rollout will probably differ based on your region, phone model, and service provider.
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