How Can I Prevent Passwords from Getting Displayed When I Type Them in Android?
In almost every android device that you may have, every time you type a password in the password field, the typed character is flashed for a fraction of second before it is converted into an asterisk or bullet sign.
The password is flashed for this duration to help you recognize that you typed the correct character, and you did not provide the wrong password which would waste your time.
Although this default configuration was set to help you while providing the password to the accounts or other authentication stuff, it can be a big security threat if you mostly use your device at public places, in offices, or where there is a lot of crowd.
The reason behind this security threat is that if you are typing a password in a crowded area, and each character of the password is being flashed, there are chances that any unknown person or one with bad intentions could stand behind your shoulders and watch the characters that you are typing in. This way your password can be leaked, which may further result in misuse of important information that your accounts may contain.
This default configuration of displaying the characters of the typed password for a fraction of second can be modified, and the device can be configured to hide the passwords right from the start. This means that no characters would be flashed even for a micro second while you are typing the password. Below is the process using which you can configure your device to hide the passwords while you type them in:
Even though your android device might be configured to display the characters of the passwords by default, it is always a good practice to set the device not to display them in order to prevent any unwanted data theft or accidental data loss. With the help of this configuration, you can also prevent intrusions into your device that may otherwise take place if the characters of the passwords are displayed while typing.
In almost every android device that you may have, every time you type a password in the password field, the typed character is flashed for a fraction of second before it is converted into an asterisk or bullet sign.
The password is flashed for this duration to help you recognize that you typed the correct character, and you did not provide the wrong password which would waste your time.
Although this default configuration was set to help you while providing the password to the accounts or other authentication stuff, it can be a big security threat if you mostly use your device at public places, in offices, or where there is a lot of crowd.
The reason behind this security threat is that if you are typing a password in a crowded area, and each character of the password is being flashed, there are chances that any unknown person or one with bad intentions could stand behind your shoulders and watch the characters that you are typing in. This way your password can be leaked, which may further result in misuse of important information that your accounts may contain.
This default configuration of displaying the characters of the typed password for a fraction of second can be modified, and the device can be configured to hide the passwords right from the start. This means that no characters would be flashed even for a micro second while you are typing the password. Below is the process using which you can configure your device to hide the passwords while you type them in:
- ■Tap the app drawer icon from the home screen.
■From the displayed list, tap the Settings icon.
■On the opened Settings window, from the left pane, tap the Security option.
■From the right pane, under the Passwords section, uncheck the Make passwords visible checkbox by tapping on it.
■Once done, tap the back button multiple times to come out of the Settings window.
■Restart your device.
■Try typing the password in any of the available password fields. You will notice that the characters of the password are no longer displayed.
Even though your android device might be configured to display the characters of the passwords by default, it is always a good practice to set the device not to display them in order to prevent any unwanted data theft or accidental data loss. With the help of this configuration, you can also prevent intrusions into your device that may otherwise take place if the characters of the passwords are displayed while typing.
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