SEOUL: Tech giant Samsung has introduced a "Maintenance Mode" feature for Galaxy devices with One UI 5 installed, which will protect users' personal data during servicing of the phone.

The new Maintenance Mode will let users block access to their personal information, such as their photos, messages or contacts.

"With Maintenance Mode, we are giving extra reassurance that Galaxy users can keep their privacy, even if they hand their phone to someone," Seungwon Shin, VP and Head of Security Team at Mobile experience Business, Samsung Electronics said in a statement.

The Maintenance Mode will allow creating a separate user account when a user hands in their device to be repaired so they can operate core functions without being able to access any of their private information.

The user just needs to select Maintenance Mode in the "Battery and device care" menu within "Settings" and reboot their device. All personal information, including photos, documents, and messages, will be restricted once it's rebooted, according to the report.

After being successfully tested on the Galaxy S21 series in Korea in July 2022, Maintenance Mode was introduced in China in September.

The feature has been launched globally, gradually rolling out over the next few months to select models running One UI 5. It will continue to be rolled out throughout 2023, and more Galaxy devices will be added to the list, the report added.

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