How to Secure Your Phone and Laptop Before International Travel

1. Patch everything, then stop patching on the road

Updates close the weaknesses that are already publicly known, which is the category most widely exploited. Do them before departure so you are not downloading a large system update over a metered or unfamiliar connection.

• Install pending operating-system updates on every device you are taking.
• Update browsers, password manager, VPN client, security software and banking apps.
• Update firmware on the accessories that have it — routers, watches, earbuds.
• Restart afterwards and confirm each device reports itself as up to date.

2. Turn on full-disk encryption and verify it

Encryption is what makes a lost device a hardware loss rather than a data breach. On current phones it is typically active once a passcode is set; on laptops it often has to be enabled deliberately.

• Check the encryption status in your system's security settings rather than assuming.
• Store the recovery key somewhere separate from the device — a password manager or a sealed note at home, not the laptop bag.
• Use a passcode of six digits or more, or a passphrase on a laptop. Biometrics unlock convenience; the code underneath is what protects the data.
• Shorten the auto-lock timer and require the code after a restart.

3. Back up completely, and test the restore

A backup you have never restored from is an assumption. Run a full backup, then recover a single file or photo to confirm the process works and that you know the credentials it needs.

• Back up the phone and the laptop, not only the one you consider important.
• Keep at least one copy that is not travelling with you.
• Note where the backup lives and how you would reach it from a borrowed computer.

4. Secure the accounts behind the device

Hardware is replaceable within a day or two. Accounts are what cause lasting damage, so they deserve the most attention.

1. Enable two-factor authentication on email, password manager, cloud storage, banking and any work account. Prefer an authenticator app or a hardware key over SMS, which depends on a SIM you may lose or swap abroad.
2. Save recovery codes offline and keep them somewhere other than the phone that generates the codes.
3. Replace reused passwords on the accounts that matter, using a password manager so you do not have to remember them.
4. Review active sessions and connected devices and sign out of anything you no longer recognise.
5. Plan for an eSIM or number change. If your recovery path depends on a phone number, confirm it still works with the SIM you intend to use.

5. Take less data than you own

Data that is not on the device cannot be exposed with it. This is the single most effective step for anyone crossing borders with work material.

• Move files you will not need on this trip into backup or cloud storage and remove the local copies.
• Sign out of apps and accounts you will not use while away.
• Clear old downloads, screenshots and exported documents.
• If you travel frequently with sensitive material, consider a travel device that holds little locally rather than your primary machine.

6. Tighten the wireless settings

• Turn off automatic Wi-Fi joining for open networks, so your device does not connect to a network named like one it saw before.
• Forget old networks you no longer use, especially from previous trips.
• Disable Bluetooth and file-sharing features when idle and set sharing visibility to contacts only or off.
• Install and test your VPN before leaving, enable the kill switch and always-on option, and remember that captive portals must be completed before the tunnel connects.
• Prefer your own mobile data or a local eSIM for anything financial. Our hotel and airport Wi-Fi guide covers the arrival routine in detail.

7. Prepare for physical loss

• Enable the manufacturer's find-and-erase feature and confirm you can reach it from another device or a browser.
• Record make, model, serial and IMEI numbers and store the list off the device.
• Reduce lock-screen previews so messages and codes are not readable by a stranger.
• Keep chargers, adapters and a charge-only cable with you so you never need an unknown USB port.
• Carrying habits matter more than any setting — the device risk guide covers those.

8. On the road: keep the routine small

• One fixed pocket per item, and a three-item check whenever you stand up.
• Decline unexpected pairing, sharing and trust prompts.
• Install nothing new from links you were sent while travelling.
• Use a privacy filter for screens you open in transit or shared workspaces.
• Lock devices in the room safe or your luggage when you go out.

9. Close the trip out properly

1. Review active sessions and connected devices on your main accounts again.
2. Remove saved Wi-Fi networks and any temporary access you granted.
3. Change the passwords you typed on networks or machines you did not control.
4. Run a full update and a full security scan, then a fresh backup.
5. Check bank and card statements for charges you do not recognise.

What this achieves — and what it does not

This routine reflects widely accepted security practice: patch, encrypt, back up, authenticate strongly, minimise data, and review afterwards. It substantially limits what a lost, stolen or compromised device can cost you. It cannot guarantee that a device or account will not be compromised, and it does not replace your organisation's own policy if you carry work equipment.

The network side is a separate layer — see VPN vs antivirus for travel for the distinction, or the Surfshark VPN overview for the connection layer itself.