Some apps stop your device using screen lock to enhance data encryption

On a number of apps I download when I try to activate them, I am informed I need to grant accessibility permission. I then get the same warning - “If you turn on app name, your device won’t use your screen lock to enhance data encryption”

What enhanced data encryption will I lose, and is there any way around this for me, or can the app developer do anything?

Do all apps that require accessibility affect screen lock encryption, if not, is there anyway to see which apps are affecting it?

Thanks

Regain your privacy! Adopt /e/ the unGoogled mobile OS and online servicesphone

as some accessibility services aren’t started for the early-boot fulldisk encryption (“fde”) pin-entry, the pin gets removed out of consideration for people needing to interface at all times e.g. with a bluetooth connected device. This info is already a few years old: you can re-enable the pin/password-enhanced disk encryption again through the settings.

https://old.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/4p5s8w/android_marshmallow_encryption_and_accessibility/

I guess for file based encryption (“fbe”) this limitation no longer applies. See the bottom of the issue at google - https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/37010136

It’s probably marked obsolete because newer versions of Android use file based encryption to work around the issue: https://source.android.com/security/encryption/.

For users who don’t need the accessibility services at boot, the steps in this comment worked for me: https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/37010136#comment36. Just temporarilly accept the decreased security when enabling a new accessiblity service, then immediately go to reset your pin. Even if you’re setting it to the exact same pin you were already using, you’ll be prompted to reenable the enhanced encryption.

What device do you use?

Thank you for the comprehensive reply, most appreciated.

I use a Samsung S9 Plus (2 one work one personal).

So the take away, if I want/need to use the app that needs accessibility, accept the warning, then reset the pin.

So the pin request shows lock screen encryption is working fine?

So the pin request shows lock screen encryption is working fine?

I don’t understand your question clearly - if you go to the pin-settings and it says already set, then the Warning by the app is moot and can be ignored

I was just clarifying, I thought PIN just opened a locked phone, I didn’t realise it was locked and encrypted.

So the phone asking for a PIN shows its locked AND encrypted.

The developer has just confirmed what you said and sent a link to a new support document.

Thank you! I did some research and this message is not supposed to appear any more since Android 7.0, as it is now obsolete:

https://support.google.com/pixelphone/thread/12567967/re-enabling-encryption-after-disabling-all-accessibility-services?hl=en

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Further developer feedback -

I see. It would appear then that e/OS is lagging behind Android, in not offering File-based encryption. So I think you should not use my app (or any other app using accessibility services) if you want to keep encryption. Or maybe you can inquire with the makers of e/OS why this message still appears in e/OS, but not in Android 10 and up (for which the app is designed)

if your device uses FDE or FBE depends on what it shipped with on market intro with the stockrom. /e/ leans on this. I have a FBE /e/ device (FP3)

Yes, tracing the message text to its Code is sensible… I put the message into cs.android.com and came back empty. Where is it shown initially?

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