Anti shoulder surfer security features to come with Android 14

The latest Android 13 QPR3 Beta 2 dropped this week, and it brought with it several bug fixes and a minor improvement for Adaptive Charging.

Although Android 13 QPR3 beta 2 doesn’t come with a ton of changes, it includes hints about a new feature that could be incredibly useful for those who are always wary of shoulder surfers.

According to XDA Developers, enhanced PIN privacy will make its way to Android devices with the next major OS update — Android 14. The new “enhanced PIN privacy” toggle in Android 13 QPR3 Beta 2 is located in Settings > Security & privacy > Device lock. What the feature essentially does is that it disables the animations, keystrokes and numeric previews as you enter your PIN on the screen. This is particularly helpful when you’re unlocking your phone in a crowded place and are wary of someone else reading your keystrokes.

Until Android 14 comes out, the “enhanced PIN privacy” feature is likely to remain a Pixel-exclusive feature.

From what we know so far, Android 14 will also bring separate live wallpapers for Home and Lock screens, alongside separate ring and notification volume settings in the new OS. Android 14 is expected to come out sometime this fall, so users wouldn’t have to wait too long to make use of the security feature.

Source: XDA Developers