Google added a toggle in Android 17 QPR 3 Beta 2 that prevents users from modifying Airplane mode, Wi-Fi, Mobile Data, and Bluetooth from the lock screen. The safeguard is designed to keep network tracking active if a phone is lost or stolen.
Google released Android 17 QPR 3 Beta 2 for Pixel phones, introducing an option to lock Quick Settings connectivity tiles behind device authentication. The feature stops anyone from switching off essential radios while the phone remains locked. Early development builds hinted at the safeguard in June and again several months later, but users could not activate it until now. Google community engagement lead Mishaal Rahman shared the release details in a Threads post, confirming that the controls are live for beta testers.
Once enabled, the system restricts four critical network switches: Airplane mode, Wi-Fi, Mobile Data, and Bluetooth. Toggling any of these controls from the lock screen now requires unlocking the phone. General utilities remain untouched. Users can still turn on the flashlight, switch auto-rotate, or enable battery saver without unlocking the device.
Pixel owners running Android 17 QPR 3 Beta 2 can turn on the protection through two different system paths. The setting is available under Settings > Security & privacy > Device unlock. Alternatively, you can open Settings > Display & touch > Lock screen and switch on the “Lock Quick Settings connectivity” toggle.
The restriction directly targets a common tactic used by phone thieves. When someone steals an unlocked or locked device, their first move is often enabling Airplane mode or shutting off mobile data right from the lock screen. Doing so cuts network access, preventing the owner from tracking the handset. Keeping those connections active gives owners a much better chance of locating a missing phone and hopefully recovering it.
Testing the new security toggle requires an enrolled Pixel device. You can sign up through the Android Beta for Pixel website, log into your Google account, and choose your eligible hardware. The latest QPR build then downloads directly as an OTA update.
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Luiza Mosneagu is Reviews Editor at Droid Tools. A psychologist by training and tech writer by passion, she has tested over 60 Android devices since 2020 - always for a minimum of two weeks before writing a word. Her focus is camera quality, everyday usability, and cutting through marketing claims to tell you what a device is actually like to live with.
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