People have been warned that when in public and using a Wi-Fi network that is not theirs, they need to be extra careful. And there’s a feature that many people may want to disable to stay safe.

According to experts at Which?, when you use a public Wi-Fi, some devices automatically reconnect to networks you’ve used before. However, this can be risky if a network isn’t secure.

The consumer champions urge people to review their current settings as soon as possible and if you need to change them, to follow these steps below.

• If you have an iPhone: Go to Settings > wi-fi and select the I icon next to the network. Disable Auto-Join. From the wi-fi screen, you can also select Ask to Join Networks > Ask. If no known networks are available, you will be asked before joining a new one.
• If you have an Android: Head to Settings > Network and Internet > Internet. Select the Cog icon next to the wi-fi network, then toggle Auto-connect.
• If you are using a device with Windows 10 and 11: Visit Settings > Network & Internet > wi-fi > Manage known networks. Choose a network, select Properties and toggle Connect automatically when in range.
• If you are using a Mac: Open the Apple menu and choose System Preferences > Network Preferences. Click Network > wi-fi > Advanced > Manage known networks. Select a network and then toggle Automatically join this network.

It notes that a further step people could take is to delete a wi-fi network from your device entirely to be on the safe side.

Public Wi-Fi hotspot danger

So what else do the tech experts recommend the public do? It warns that not all public Wi-Fi hotspots are the same.

While some are secure, others may be set up with a malicious intent to deceive you into connecting and unknowingly sharing your information.

And scarily, it could be easy to fall for, as they may label it “Coffee_wifi_official” as you’re sitting in a coffee shop. In fact, they may even name it similar to the name of the cafe, pub, hotel or shop you’re in to trick you.

Before you connect, make sure the public Wi-Fi network is legitimate. If it’s from a restaurant or hotel, check with staff or look for official signs to confirm the correct network details.

A red flag to look out for is a password requirement. Unsecured and dodgy networks often let you connect without a password, meanwhile safer networks usually ask you to sign up or accept terms and conditions first.

Look out for ‘https’

Make sure you visit websites that use HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure). This means the data sent between your device and the site should be safe and encrypted, making it more secure.

Although this is good to look out for, Which? warn: “Crucially, HTTPS doesn’t guarantee that a website is 100% secure. It is, however, a good indication of trustworthiness.”

Sites designed to steal your information often use HTTP instead, as it looks similar, so make sure it reads “https://” before the “www.”

Update your phone now

If your phone needs an update, do it now or as soon as possible. According to TechRadar: “Software updates can in some cases also improve the overall stability or efficiency of your phone.

“And your phone will also receive security updates that patch vulnerabilities. These are less exciting, but are arguably even more important, as they help prevent your phone from getting hacked.”

For more tips, visit the Which? website here. You can also check out our Technology page here.