Update: You NEED To Turn Off This Wifi Setting Right Now, According To Security Experts

This post has been updated since it was published on January 2, 2021.

Your WiFi connection may not be something that you pay any attention to on an ordinary day. It allows you to connect to the Internet and, even when you’re out and about, you may be grateful for the opportunity to connect to public WiFi without having to think about it. But tech security experts spoke with SHEFinds.com about the WiFi settings you need to turn off right now to keep your network secure. If you’re concerned about hackers or simply want to learn a few good ways to save battery power and keep your phone in peak working condition, read on for solid tips from those in-the-know. 

It’s tempting to be out and about and in need of Wifi and to connect to any open network you can find. But you should think about networks the way you do people’s homes. Would you enter a stranger’s home? Probably not. The same rule applies to Wifi networks.

The basic tenant of WiFi security is making sure that you only connect to trusted networks, says Online Privacy and Security Expert Caleb Chen from Private Internet Access. “Make sure that your phone’s auto-join open WiFi networks or open hotspots setting is turned off,” Chen says.

Just because a network doesn’t have a password on it doesn’t mean that you should join it – especially not automatically, Chen reminds us. “Connecting to a WiFi network, even if you later discover there is no internet access available, leaves a log of your device’s identifying information on the WiFi router and opens your device up to local network based attacks such as ARP poisoning.

Another step you can take to secure your network is to ask your phone to forget a network if you will never use it again, according to Laura Fuentes, operator of Infinity Dish. To do this on an iPhone go to Settings > WiFi > then tap on the network name you’d like your device to forget. Tap Forget This Network and then tap Forget to confirm.

To forget a network on Android go to Settings > WiFi > and then press and hold the WiFi network to be removed and choose Forget.