Android 15 began rolling out to Pixel devices on Tuesday, and is expected to come to other Android devices at some point through various third-party efforts. Android releases are always full of small changes that you can read about, explore, and see 25 new things on your phone after a reboot.
Most notably, Android 15 makes your devices more attractive to prying eyes and thieves, and safer for kids who hand over your phone to quiet down at dinner. There are also smart fixes for screen sharing, OTP codes, and preventing your phone from being hacked, but those details are scattered across Google’s own documentation, blogs, and reports from various news sites.
Here are some notable new things in how Android 15 handles privacy and security:
As you scroll down the list of all your apps, you’ll see a lock at the bottom and a new kind of panel that you can pull up.
When you scroll down the list of all your apps, you’ll see a lock at the bottom and a new kind of panel that you can pull up.
google
Unlock your private space using biometrics or a passkey to reveal the apps hidden there.
Unlock your private space using biometrics or a passkey to reveal the apps hidden there.
google
As you scroll down the list of all your apps, you’ll see a lock at the bottom and a new kind of panel that you can pull up.
google
Unlock your private space using biometrics or a passkey to reveal the apps hidden there.
google
Private space for apps
Android 15 settings have a “Private Space” where you can set up separate PIN codes, passwords, biometric checks, and an optional Google Account for apps that you don’t want to expose to anyone who has your device. Can be set to phone. This can add an extra layer of protection to sensitive apps like banking or shopping apps, or hide other apps for some reason.
In the list of apps, drag any app to the lock space that appears at the bottom right. It only appears as a lock until you unlock it. You’ll see the apps available in your new private space. After that, you need to remove it from the list of main apps. Dave Taylor summarizes this process and its characteristics.
This is definitely more complicated than Apple’s “Hide and Require Face ID” tap option, but it could make app hiding more robust.
Hide password and OTP code
The second form of authentication is better for security, but how can you give your app access to the notification text that contains the code? Not so good. Android 15 prevents one-time passcodes (OTPs) from being leaked to other waiting apps with new permissions that are likely only granted to the most important apps. Sharing your screen also hides your OTP notification along with your username, password, and credit card number.
