One of the things that the Pixel 6 smartphones bring to the table is a centralized settings page called Security Hub. This is where users will be able to manage their phone, app, and Google Account in just one place and with a more user-friendly interface. But now Google is bringing this feature to older Pixel devices as well if they’re already running Android 12. They have started rolling out specifically to Pixel 5 smartphones although it doesn’t seem to be that widely available yet.
The Security Hub previously appeared on Pixel devices running on Android 12 previously but is now sporting a new UI. Users will see a large graphic at the top and it may have either of these four status messages that diagnoses your phone’s security health: No problem found, Security can be improved (green), Security may be at risk (yellow), or security is at risk (red). There will also be cards underneath that will let you know what actions you can take.
The hub also has the following sections under it:
– App security (Play Protect),
– Find My Device,
– Security update (Android patch level),
– Screen lock (PIN, password, etc.),
– Pixel Imprint (fingerprint),
– Google Security Checkup (Account management),
– and Google Play system update.
The Advanced settings are also found at the bottom where you will be able to manage things like Smart Lock, Device admin apps, Encryption & credentials, Trust agents, App pinning, and enabling or disabling Confirm SIM deletion. The user interface for this section is also better as it uses checkmarks which is more likely to get users to take action. Having all these settings in one place also makes it easier to find things when you need to change something in your device’s security.
9 to 5 Google says that they’re seeing the Security Hub roll out to Pixel 5 and Pixel 5a devices that are running on Android 12. There’s no news yet when it will be available for other Pixel devices or if it will also roll out eventually to other Android phones.
