Digital detox: How to take a safe break from screens

These days, we’re hardly ever separated from our devices. According to a 2024 study conducted in the U.S. by analytics firm Reviews.org, the average user spends around 2.5 months of a year on their smartphone! That’s a staggering figure — showing just how deeply mobile devices have become ingrained into our daily lives.

A digital detox — a trendy term for taking a break from our screens and notifications — can benefit anyone with a smartphone and/or laptop. According to a review of 10 studies conducted between 2013 and 2023, digital detoxes help improve sleep quality, life satisfaction, and overall wellbeing. They also reduce anxiety, stress, depression, and phone addiction. What’s more, regular digital breaks can restore the brain’s ability to focus for long periods and process information deeply.

However, completely unplugging from the internet can pose certain cybersecurity risks to your digital life. So today, we’ll look at how to give your mind a rest while ensuring the security of your accounts, devices, data, and even smart home.

What could go wrong during a digital detox?

Of course, it’s impossible to completely eliminate all risks, but you can make some preparations to minimize their impact. But what kinds of risks are we talking about?

• Account theft — both of regular, single-service accounts, and ecosystem accounts (like Google, Apple, Facebook, Instagram, Samsung, etc.) via password guessing or SIM swapping.
• Unauthorized subscriptions and charges.
• Leak of personal data from password dumps or due to a lack of two-factor authentication.
• Account hijacking in messengers and social networks.
• Use of your devices or accounts to send spam.
• Loss or theft of your gadgets.
• Household issues — break-ins while you’re away, flooding, gas leaks, or fires.

How to stay in control during a digital detox?

Start with a digital spring-clean, and strengthen your digital perimeter across a few key areas.

Accounts, data, and finances

• Review your subscriptions. More than half of users worldwide pay for subscriptions they don’t use. According to one study, only 38% of respondents had used all of their subscriptions in the past six months. The majority had unused ones: 15% hadn’t used two, 11% three, and 3% more than five. Moreover, we tend to underestimate our total subscription costs by two to three times — even though we spend, on average, around a thousand dollars a year on them! So reviewing your subscriptions is a great place to start your digital detox, and dedicated subscription managers can help make this easier.
  Make a list of subscriptions to pause or cancel completely while you’re away. And conversely, make sure the services that require ongoing payments are linked to an account with enough funds to cover them during your detox. This might include services like website hosting autopayments, VPS rental for a project, or a paid cloud storage or mail server. Also check how long your data is retained after suspending a subscription — and when it might be permanently deleted.
• Beef up your passwords. Review your critically important accounts: online banking, government service portals, crypto wallets, and so on. If you’re already using a password manager, take advantage of the built-in password leak check If you store passwords in your browser, or your password manager can’t check for compromised passwords, switch to Kaspersky Password Manager. Replace weak passwords with unique and strong ones — our password manager can generate and remember them for you.
• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) wherever possible so that logging in requires a one-time code. Keep in mind that codes sent via SMS aren’t secure — so for critical accounts (banks, email, social networks, ecosystem accounts like Google and Apple), switch to an authenticator app wherever you can. By the way, our password manager can help here too.
• Make backups. Create up-to-date backups of important files stored both locally and online — because the internet remembers not quite everything. Keep multiple copies — for example, on NAS at home as well as in a reliable cloud with encryption features. Don’t forget to make fresh backups of your smartphone and any other devices you’re taking with you, and store them in a safe place.
• Give backup access to people you trust. If you’re a blogger, run Telegram channels or video-hosting platforms, or have popular social media accounts, be sure to set them up so you’re not the only one with access. In case attackers do manage to compromise your account — for example, through SIM swapping or hijacking session cookies — a prompt response is essential, even if you’re away. Kaspersky Password Manager can help here too: install it on multiple devices and sync your passwords and two-factor authentication tokens across them.
• Notify your bank of your travel plans so they don’t block your card due to a “suspicious transaction” abroad. Depending on your bank, this can be done via in-app chat, a hotline, or in person.

Gadgets and connectivity

• Install security updates. Update the operating systems, apps, and firmware on all your gadgets to the latest versions. Patches fix known vulnerabilities and lower the chances of a successful attack on you. If you’re using Android, check out our pain-free guide to installing Android updates.
• Protect your devices. Make sure your both your computer and smartphone are protected with reliable security software. Enable disk encryption, and set a strong password for unlocking your device — whether you’re taking it with you or leaving it behind. On smartphones, disable biometric access, use strong passcodes, and enable automatic data-wipe after several failed unlock attempts.
  To be able to locate lost Apple devices, turn on Find My. Kaspersky for Android has a similar feature for Android devices.
• Protect your SIM cards from being swapped. Your cellphone number provides access to many services. It can be used to access social media, banking, government services, and — most critically — ecosystem accounts that store important personal data like your calendar, cloud documents, and payment card data saved in your browser. Criminals may try to get a duplicate of your SIM card at a mobile store to bypass SMS or call verification. Of course, this can happen at any time, but if you’re away, you won’t be able to respond as quickly.
  Some mobile carriers let you set a password without which all SIM reissue requests are denied. Some providers let you prohibit them from providing you with services remotely and preventing anyone from replacing your SIM card, even if they have а power of attorney – real or fake. Check what options your provider offers, and for more tips on SIM swapping protection, see our article on the topic.
• Set a good old PIN code on your primary SIM card before your trip — especially if you plan to remove it from your phone to leave at home, or swap it for a travel SIM while abroad. That way, even if your SIM falls into the wrong hands, they won’t be able to access your accounts: once inserted into a phone, the SIM won’t work without the PIN code. If you have an eSIM, keep the multi-use eSIM activation QR code stored in a secure place — or opt for single-use codes instead.
• Make sure you have a backup communication channel. If you’re heading somewhere where mobile signal is unreliable or nonexistent — like in mountainous regions — satellite SMS services (like Garmin’s inReach) or Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite feature can be useful. Be sure to check the subscription details in advance and confirm the service is available in the country you’re visiting.

Personal safety

• Check your digital legacy settings and designate who gets access to your accounts if something happens to you. In Apple’s ecosystem, you can assign an account recovery contact in case you completely lose access to your Apple ID. With a code they receive according to your instructions, the trusted person can help you regain access to your account and data — such as a smartphone backup. However, they won’t get direct access to your data. In addition to a recovery contact, Apple also lets you designate a Legacy Contact. Google offers a similar feature called Inactive Account Manager, which is especially worth setting up if you plan not to use Google services for a long time. This option sends your selected contacts a backup of chosen data after a set period of inactivity — the default is three months. If that’s not enough for your full-on digital detox, be sure to increase the inactivity period in the settings so you don’t alarm your trusted contacts.

• Decide which smart-home and IoT devices should remain active while you’re away. Surveillance cameras and alarms should ideally not just stay on, but be connected to an uninterruptible power supply. That way, the alarm can still send a signal to the monitoring center even if burglars cut the power before breaking in. On the other hand, smart sockets, speakers, or appliances you don’t plan to use should be unplugged and disconnected from the internet. Learn more about smart-home protection here.
• Change the default passwords on all IoT devices to your own, strong ones, and don’t forget your router. Many devices come with standard login/password combos out of the box, making them vulnerable to botnet attacks. Also, if an attacker gains access to your IP camera, they can monitor your home and plan a break-in while you’re away.
• Make sure you (or a trusted person) can receive critical alerts — for example, from smoke, gas, or flood detectors — and that a relative, trusted neighbor, or friend can quickly deal with any issues. Leave your trusted contact with spare keys and a way to reach you. If you’re going fully offline for your digital detox, this could be your hotel’s phone number or the contact details of your travel companion.

How to minimize gadget use on vacation

A full digital detox might feel too extreme for many people. But if you want to truly relax without worrying about your online life or offline property, we recommend at least sticking to the following rules:

• Forget about the news, social media, and email — or at least stop checking them all the time. Special modes on Apple and Android devices can help limit your access to the most distracting apps. If these built-in tools aren’t enough, you could “become your own child” — install Kaspersky Safe Kids (included in your Kaspersky Premium subscription) and customize it by setting filters for apps, websites, and social media — adding daily time limits for each.
• Minimize your digital footprint. Avoid posting vacation photos or updates in public in real time — better is to share the memories once you’re back. That way, you’re not telling the world: “Hey, I’m not home and won’t be for two more weeks!” If you really can’t resist, at least limit the audience to close friends only.
• Let colleagues and family know in advance that you’ll be away, so they won’t worry or — most importantly — send you anything sensitive or urgent via email or messaging apps. Also, review your messaging account settings to prevent hijacking while you’re gone. Scammers love to strike when account owners are absent — so a quick reminder to your contacts not to fall for messages like “Hey! Can you lend me $100 till tomorrow?” can save you a lot of trouble.
• Set up an out-of-office message for your email and voicemail stating that you’re temporarily offline — without giving too many details about your destination or reasons for your trip.
• Take just one, essential device. If you’re traveling, don’t bring every gadget you own. Choose just one — whether a laptop, tablet, or smartphone — and keep it in your carry-on luggage. At your accommodation, store your device in a safe and never leave it unattended — even if you don’t plan to use it. If someone gets physical access to your device, they could compromise your data — and in the case of a smartphone, even steal your SIM card.
• Use a backup phone for SMS messages. If you’re swapping your main SIM for a local or tourist one, insert your home SIM into an old backup phone — ideally a basic button phone with a long battery life — and turn off mobile data. This way, you’ll still receive calls and texts to your main number and can react promptly if something suspicious happens — like getting a two-factor authentication code you didn’t request, or a bank alert about a strange transaction or loan approval. To avoid roaming charges, simply do not answer the calls from this device and contact the caller on another channel. Keep this phone in a hotel safe or other secure spot and check it at least once a day.
• Avoid risky connections. If possible, avoid connecting to unknown Wi-Fi networks or using someone else’s computer — especially if your goal is to unplug from the internet and screens. If you do need to get online (say, to check an important email), use your own device and stick to trusted Wi-Fi networks — or, better yet, mobile internet. Tourist SIM cards with cheap data plans are available pretty much everywhere in today’s world. With public Wi-Fi, use a secure connection to encrypt your traffic. And never enter passwords when using internet café networks or shared computers.

How to avoid missing anything important when you return

After your digital vacation, it’s important to return online wisely — checking what happened while you were away.

• Power on your devices and check for updates. Turn on all the gadgets you’d switched off. Security updates may have been released while you were away; install them as soon as possible before actively using your devices again. Make sure your antivirus databases are also up to date. If you had any IoT devices unplugged, turn them back on and ensure they’re working properly and reconnected to your home network (and double-check that no passwords have been reset).
• Review notifications and logs. Go through the backlog of notifications in your email, banking apps, and social media accounts. Pay close attention to login attempt alerts, two-factor authentication codes, and bank messages about transactions. If you notice any attempts to access your accounts that occurred during your digital detox, your first step should be to change the passwords for those services, terminate suspicious sessions if possible, and contact support. An SMS or push notification with a login code you didn’t request is a strong sign of a potential hack or SIM-swap attempt; in that case, immediately reach out to your mobile provider and the service in question.
• Check your SIM card and phone. After a long time offline, make sure your phone number is still active and functioning, and that your balance hasn’t been drained by any suspicious activity. A pre-set PIN code and a restriction on reissuing SIM cards should reliably protect your number. However, it’s still worth double-checking your mobile account and, at the slightest suspicion, requesting a detailed expenses log from your mobile provider.
• Assess your resilience and make notes and amendments for the future. Reflect on how well your digital ecosystem held up during your time away. The ideal outcome: nothing went wrong, your data is intact, your accounts are secure, and your home is fine. If that’s the case, congratulations — not only did you enjoy your break, but you also confirmed that your security measures work even without constant supervision. If any issues did arise — say, a backup failed or an IP camera went offline — treat them not as disasters but as lessons to learn, and take measures to improve your setup going forward.

We hope these tips help you enjoy a smooth and secure digital-detox vacation. Make the most of your time offline — and remember, it’s better to be safe than sorry. And to be even safer, follow our Telegram channel.