While setting up a lock screen PIN on your Android or iPhone, there's always the fear that you might forget it one day. That's especially true if you usually rely on quicker methods without a password ...

Guess how long it would take a computer to brute-force an 8-number password. The answer: instantly. That's according to Hive Systems' Password Table, which shows how shockingly quick passwords of ...

A tweet from billionaire Elon Musk – “Use Signal,” was all it took to make the whole world take a decision. Elon’s tweet came after WhatsApp had publicized the changes to its privacy policy after the ...

If you have an Apple or an Android phone—and you probably do—you have the option of locking your phone using a PIN code. With most of these phones, you can choose a four-digit PIN or a six-digit PIN.

As people become more sensitive about the privacy and security of their data, you’d think that securing your phone with at least some kind of authentication measure wouldn’t even be up for discussion.

Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. is a former senior reviewer who worked at The Verge from 2011 until May 2025. His coverage areas included audio, ...