What's safer? Using a numeric PIN code to unlock your Android smartphone or relying on a finger squiggle? Newly-released research suggests that, at least when someone close by could be looking over ...

If your smart lock is connected to a voice assistant, be sure to use a PIN to unlock it with voice commands. It's a stretch, but it is possible to create workarounds with IFTTT to avoid using the PIN.

If you have an Apple or an Android phone—and you probably do—you have the option of locking your phone using a PIN code. With most of these phones, you can choose a four-digit PIN or a six-digit PIN.