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Tips for Travelling Abroad: Keeping Your Phone Safe on Holiday
4 min read
Going on holiday should mean sun, sights, and switching off. But your phone usually comes with you — it’s your map, camera, wallet, and lifeline back home. Lose it abroad, and things get stressful fast.
Here’s how to keep your phone safe while you travel, so you can relax and enjoy yourself.
Why phone safety matters abroad
- Pickpocket hotspots: Tourists are easy targets in busy squares, stations, and markets.
- Roaming risks: Public Wi-Fi abroad can be even less secure than at home.
- Data roaming charges: A quick Google Maps check can rack up a nasty bill.
- Language barrier: Replacing or blocking your phone abroad is harder.
EU roaming is often capped or included, but outside Europe costs can jump to £5–£10 per MB — that’s a few pounds just for opening a map.
Smart travel habits
- Keep it close: Don’t wave it around in busy areas. Cross-body bags beat back pockets.
- Lock it down: Strong passcode, Face ID or fingerprint is non-negotiable.
- Back it up: Make sure photos, contacts and docs are synced before you fly.
- Switch on tracking: Set up Find My iPhone or Find My Device before you leave.
- Beware dodgy chargers: Use your own cable and plug, not random public USB ports.
- SIM safety: Add a SIM PIN so thieves can’t rack up charges.
Public USB ports can be tampered with (‘juice jacking’) to install malware or steal data.
How to stay connected safely
- Use mobile data over public Wi-Fi: Safer for banking, email and booking apps.
- Download maps offline: Google Maps and Apple Maps let you save areas before you travel.
- Turn on roaming alerts: Your network should notify you if charges are stacking up.
Offline maps also save battery — GPS works without mobile data once the area is downloaded.
Safety reminders
Before you go
- Back up your phone.
- Enable Find My iPhone / Find My Device.
- Add a SIM PIN.
While away
- Keep your phone zipped away in busy areas.
- Stick to mobile data for sensitive stuff.
- Use your own charger, not public USB ports.
If lost or stolen
- Use Find My tools to locate or lock it.
- Block SIM through your network.
- Change key account passwords.
Bonus: Keep a cheap backup phone/SIM for emergencies.
Local prepaid SIMs can also be cheaper for calls and data abroad than roaming on your UK plan.
Benefits of staying secure abroad
- Peace of mind: You won’t spend your trip worrying about theft or charges.
- Protects memories: Holiday photos and videos stay safe in the cloud.
- Saves money: Avoids roaming bill shock or fraudulent charges.
- Keeps you connected: Even if something goes wrong, you can act fast.
Prevention + Protection = Maximum peace of mind
Prevention: Smart habits like backups, tracking tools, and roaming alerts keep your phone safe on holiday.
Protection: BiMPY cover goes with you worldwide — theft, loss and accidental damage, all on flexible 30-day rolling policies.