Earlier this month, Phones Canada team witnessed the debut of the latest installment in Google’s line of software updates, Android 14. And now, we have some exciting news to share with you. Google has integrated commits for a “repair mode” into stock Android, aiming to address a common concern during device repairs – the protection of user privacy.

So, what exactly does this mean for you? Well, it means that you no longer have to go through the hassle of wiping your device before sending it in for repair. In repair mode, technicians will not have access to your personal apps or data. This ensures that your photos, texts, and other data remain secure and private.

Here’s how the repair mode works: When you enter repair mode, the system prompts you to enter your lock screen credentials. These credentials are then securely stored and remain intact even after reboots. To exit repair mode and return to normal mode, you will need to enter your lock screen credentials from your regular mode enrollment.

It’s important to note that support for repair mode has been merged into the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). AOSP provides the necessary information and source code to create custom variants of the Android OS. However, the configuration enabling support for repair mode is disabled by default as some smartphones may already have a similar feature. For example, Samsung introduced a feature called “Maintenance Mode” with the Galaxy S21 series in 2022.

Looking ahead, Google may roll out the Repair Mode on Pixels with the December 2023 Pixel Feature Drop. Keep in mind that this new feature is not limited to Pixels; it is intended for the broader Android ecosystem and should be available on future Android releases.

That’s all the information we have for now. We’ll keep you updated with any further developments regarding the repair mode feature in Android 14. Stay tuned!