Random phone security 101, unlocking methods, please boost:

• Biometrics: prevents casual unlocking by someone just picking up your phone, but otherwise no real security. A cop (or other assailant) can force you to unlock your phone easily (often even without a warrant)
• Pin Code: Slightly more secure, prevents anyone from accessing easily without knowing the code. But anyone with access to your phone, time, and skill can get in. Can be significantly improved by turning on Keypad Scrambling and Distress Codes (most devices do not offer either feature without a Custom ROM, see below) and Lockouts (available much more often).
• Password: your security is proportional to how much a pain in the ass it is to unlock your phone.
• Two-Factor (Custom ROMs Only): by combining Biometrics and Pin Code you get security that rivals a secure password while still being almost as convenient as a pin code.
• Pattern Unlock: Just don't, it's honestly probably better to use just Biometric over this

Explanations:

• Keypad Scrambling: This feature re-arranges the keypad on your lock screen. Downside is you can't unlock from muscle memory, but upside is that no one can unlock your phone from smudge patterns.
• Distress Code: This is a second pin code that when entered will instead erase your phone instead of unlocking it. They can't tell which is which until your phone is being erased. Also increases security on brute forcing as there's a chance they accidentally erase your phone in the process.
• Lockout: This is where your phone prevents access after a certain number of failed login attempts. It significantly slows down brute force attacks. Phones with this feature will usually either force you to enter a more secure password after this limit is hit, but some offer the option to automatically erase your phone.
• Custom ROMs: these are alternate systems you can install on your phone, usually variants of Android. They often offer more features and security than your phone normally has, but there are unfortunately some tradeoffs due to Google's demand for control (example is you can't use tap-to-pay with a Custom ROM)

#Security