If you have a newer device that has encryption enabled out of the box, there’s no way to remove said encryption—not even with a factory reset.Chris Hoffman is Editor in Chief of How-To Geek.

The user cannot access encrypt data unless he enter key code or password that he has set to encrypt data. The above article may contain affiliate links, which help support How-To Geek.How-To Geek is where you turn when you want experts to explain technology. But there are other types to be aware of — WhatsApp and Telegram are just two With device encryption, stored data is scrambled and unreadable to others. Google introduced full-device encryption back in Android Gingerbread (2.3.x), but it has undergone some dramatic changes since then.

The iPhone will block repeated guesses (and on some phones wipe the data) to stop hackers from trying to gain access.The switch to mandatory encryption has been a success.

Granted, most thieves would also be deterred from accessing your data by a standard unlock code—encrypted or not. Phone calls are fully encrypted end-to-end and are routed through the mobile device’s data connection. Just wait, it’ll all be okay soon. But if you’re using a device that doesn’t have encryption enabled out of the box, there are some things to consider before enabling it:These aren’t meant to deter you from encrypting your phone-—just to give you an idea of what caveats it comes with.

It’s been a source of contention with law enforcement agencies, who argue that smartphone “Law enforcement, whether at the state, local or federal level, is increasingly not able to get into these phones,” Christopher Combs, the FBI special agent in charge of the investigation, told reporters at a press conference.“In the physical world, it would be the equivalent of a master key, capable of opening hundreds of millions of locks — from restaurants and banks to stores and homes,” Cook said regarding the San Bernardino case.

This is why your phone may not connect to previous secure Wi-fi networks until the password is entered.

It’s only when the passcode is entered that the data is revealed. (To actually perform the low-level encryption functions, Android uses dm-crypt, which is the standard disk encryption system in the Linux kernel. Secure calls can be made over any IP based network including

From a technical perspective, the Full Disk Encryption feature, which ensures encryption of the phone, uses dm-crypt. It also means that someone couldn’t take the chips out of your switched-off phone to read the data.Each iPhone ships with an encryption key that’s 256 bits in length. What to Look For in Mobile Encryption. If you set up a lock screen password, PIN, or pattern, you’ll have to put it in now so the device will finish the boot process.If you haven’t set up a PIN or password, now is a good time to do so. But there are other types to be aware of — WhatsApp and Telegram are just two apps that offer encrypted messaging, meaning hackers can’t read the messages transmitted between phones.With device encryption, stored data is scrambled and unreadable to others. And that doesn’t even factor in law enforcement tools which can track your cell phone and record anything you send (yes, including unencrypted email).

It’s only when the passcode is entered that the data is revealed. If you’re ready to proceed, hit the “Encrypt phone” button.One more warning will present itself (seriously, they want to make sure you know what’s happening here), which tells you not to interrupt the process. When you enter your PIN, password,  or pattern on the lock screen, your phone decrypts the data, making it understandable. If you interfere with the process or end it before it’s finished, With all the caveats out of the way, you’re ready to encrypt your device.Start by heading into the Settings menu and tapping on “Security,” again keeping in mind that the wording may be slightly different.

If you want to make sure every email you send from your phone is secure, make sure you choose a program that uses client-side email encryption. Since 2011, Chris has written over 2,000 articles that have been read more than 500 million times---and that's just here at How-To Geek. After the device has been decrypted with the correct security unlocking method, the fingerprint reader can be used to unlock the screen moving forward.From now on, your device will be encrypted, but if you ever want to disable it, you can do so by performing a factory reset. If your device is already encrypted, it will show up here. An attacker won’t be able to access the data without the encryption key, although there are more advanced cracking methods that make it a possibility.If you’re an average user, you may think you don’t have sensitive data on your phone, but you probably do.