Planning a safe digital detox: a checklist to help prepare for a vacation and unwind in peace

Nowadays, we are rarely without our devices. A study by Reviews.org in 2024 found that, on average, people in the U.S. spend roughly 2.5 months a year on their smartphones! This is a shocking statistic, highlighting how thoroughly mobile devices are embedded in our everyday routines.

Engaging in a digital detox—taking a break from screens and notifications—can be beneficial for anyone with a smartphone or laptop. A review of ten studies conducted from 2013 to 2023 indicates that digital detoxes enhance sleep quality, life satisfaction, and overall wellbeing. They also help decrease anxiety, stress, depression, and smartphone addiction. Furthermore, regular digital breaks can rejuvenate the brain’s capacity to focus for extended periods and to deeply process information.

However, completely disconnecting from the internet may lead to various cybersecurity risks concerning your digital life. Thus, we will explore how to relax your mind while still safeguarding your accounts, devices, data, and even smart home.

What dangers could arise during a digital detox?

Certainly, it is not possible to eliminate all risks entirely, but you can take steps to reduce their potential effects. So, what sort of risks are we discussing?

• Account theft—this includes both standard service accounts and ecosystem accounts (like Google, Apple, Facebook, Instagram, Samsung, etc.) due to methods like password guessing or SIM swapping.
• Unauthorized charges and subscriptions.
• Potential leaks of personal information due to password breaches or the absence of two-factor authentication.
• Account takeover in messaging apps and social networks.
• Use of your devices or accounts to distribute spam.
• Loss or theft of your devices.
• Issues at home—including break-ins while you are away, flooding, gas leaks, or fires.

How can you maintain control during a digital detox?

Begin with a digital spring cleaning and strengthen your digital defenses in several critical areas.

Accounts, data, and finances:

• Assess your subscriptions. More than half of global users are subscribed to services they do not use. One study revealed that only 38% of respondents had utilized all their subscriptions in the past six months. Most had unused subscriptions: 15% hadn’t accessed two, 11% three, and 3% more than five. Additionally, we often underestimate our total subscription expenses by two to three times—even though the average annual expenditure is around a thousand dollars! Therefore, reviewing your subscriptions is a solid starting point for a digital detox, and subscription management tools can assist with this process.
• Create a list of subscriptions to pause or cancel altogether while you’re offline. Conversely, ensure that any services requiring ongoing payments are tied to an account with sufficient funds during your detox. This includes things like website hosting autopayments, VPS rentals for projects, or paid cloud storage or email hosting. Also, verify how long your data is retained after a subscription is suspended and when it could be permanently deleted.
• Strengthen your passwords. Examine your crucial accounts: online banking, government service portals, crypto wallets, etc. If you currently use a password manager, utilize its built-in password leak check feature. If you save passwords in your browser, or if your password manager doesn’t have access to compromised passwords, consider switching to Kaspersky Password
• Manager. Change weak passwords to unique, strong ones—our password manager can generate and remember them for you.
• Activate two-factor authentication (2FA) wherever possible, making sure that logging in necessitates a one-time code. Note that SMS codes are not secure—so for critical accounts (banking, email, social networks, ecosystem accounts like Google and Apple), transition to an authenticator app whenever feasible. By the way, our password manager can be of assistance here as well.
• Create backups. Ensure you make current backups of important files both locally and online—since the internet doesn’t retain everything. Keep multiple copies—like on a NAS at home and in a trustworthy cloud service with encryption features. Don’t forget to create new backups of your smartphone and any other devices you plan to take with you, and store them securely.
• Provide backup access to trusted individuals. If you are a blogger, manage Telegram channels or video-hosting platforms, or possess popular social media accounts, ensure that you aren’t the sole one with access. In the event that attackers manage to breach your account—say, through SIM swapping or hijacking session cookies—quick action is crucial, even while you’re away.
• Kaspersky Password Manager can help with this too: install it on multiple devices and synchronize your passwords and two-factor authentication tokens across them.
• Inform your bank about your travel plans so that they do not block your card for what they might see as “suspicious transactions” while overseas. Depending on your bank, this notification can typically be completed via in-app chat, a hotline, or in person.

Gadgets and Connectivity:

• Ensure you install security updates. Upgrade the operating systems, applications, and firmware on all your devices to the most recent versions. These patches address known security weaknesses and reduce the likelihood of a successful attack on you. If you have an Android device, refer to our straightforward guide for installing Android updates.
• Safeguard your devices. Confirm that both your computer and smartphone are equipped with trustworthy security software. Activate disk encryption and create a strong password for unlocking your device—whether you’re carrying it with you or leaving it behind. For smartphones, disable biometric access, use robust passcodes, and enable automatic data-wiping after a series of failed unlock attempts.
• To track lost Apple devices, activate Find My. Kaspersky offers a comparable feature for Android devices.
• Shield your SIM cards from being swapped. Your mobile number grants access to a multitude of services. It can be used to log into social media platforms, banking, government services, and — most importantly — ecosystem accounts that safeguard crucial personal information like your calendar, cloud documents, and saved payment card data within your browser. Criminals may attempt to obtain a duplicate of your SIM card at a mobile store to bypass SMS or call verifications. While this can occur at any time, your absence may hinder your ability to respond promptly.
• Certain mobile carriers allow you to set a password that must be provided for all SIM reissue requests. Some providers offer options that prevent them from supplying services remotely, ensuring that no one can replace your SIM card, even if they possess a power of attorney — whether legitimate or forged. Investigate the options available through your provider, and refer to our article on the subject for more SIM swapping protection tips.
• Establish a strong old PIN code for your main SIM card before traveling — particularly if you plan to remove it from your phone to leave it at home or switch it for a travel SIM while abroad.
• This way, even if your SIM falls into the wrong hands, they won’t be able to access your accounts, as the SIM won’t function without the PIN code once inserted into a phone. If you use an eSIM, securely store the multi-use eSIM activation QR code — or choose single-use codes instead.
• Ensure you have an alternative communication method. If you’re headed to an area with unreliable or nonexistent mobile reception — such as mountainous regions — satellite SMS services (like Garmin’s inReach) or Apple’s Emergency SOS feature via satellite can be beneficial. Be sure to review the subscription details beforehand and confirm that the service is operational in the country you’re visiting.

Personal Safety:

• Review your digital legacy settings and choose who will gain access to your accounts should something happen to you. Within Apple’s ecosystem, you can assign a recovery contact for your
• Apple ID in case you completely lose access. With a code they receive as per your instructions, this trusted person can assist you in regaining access to your account and data — like backups from your smartphone. Nevertheless, they won’t have direct access to your information. In addition to a recovery contact, Apple allows you to designate a Legacy Contact. Google has a similar feature known as Inactive Account Manager, which is particularly worth setting up if you plan on being inactive with Google services for an extended period. This option sends your selected contacts a copy of designated data after a specified period of inactivity — with the default being three months. If that duration isn’t sufficient for your complete digital detox, make sure to extend the inactivity period in the settings to avoid alarming your trusted contacts.
• Determine which smart-home and IoT devices should remain operational while you’re away. Ideally, surveillance cameras and alarms shouldn’t just stay activated but should also remain connected to an uninterruptible power supply. This way, the alarm can still send a signal to the monitoring center even if intruders cut the power before breaking in. Conversely, smart plugs, speakers, or appliances you don’t intend to use should be unplugged and disconnected from the internet. Discover more about smart-home protection here.
• Change all default passwords on IoT devices to your strong, personalized passwords, and don’t overlook your router. Many devices come equipped with standard login/password combinations upon setup, rendering them susceptible to botnet attacks. Furthermore, if an attacker gains access to your IP camera, they could surveil your home and plan a burglary while you’re away.
• Ensure that either you or a trusted individual can receive critical alerts — for instance, from smoke, gas, or flood detectors — and that a relative, trusted neighbor, or friend is available to promptly address any issues. Leave your trusted contact with spare keys and a way to contact you. If you’re going completely offline for your digital detox, this could be your hotel’s phone number or the contact details of your travel companion.

How to reduce device usage while on vacation

A complete digital detox may seem too drastic for some individuals. However, if your goal is to fully relax without the burden of your online life or concerns about your physical belongings, we suggest following these guidelines:

• Disregard the news, social media, and email — or at the very least, try not to check them constantly. Special features on Apple and Android devices can assist in limiting your access to the most distracting applications. If these built-in options are insufficient, you could “channel your inner child” — install Kaspersky Safe Kids (available with your Kaspersky Premium subscription) and personalize it by applying filters for applications, websites, and social media — setting daily limits for each.
• Reduce your online presence. Try not to share vacation pictures or updates publicly in real time — it’s better to post your memories when you return. This way, you won’t be signaling to everyone: “Hi, I’m away and will be for two weeks!” If resisting is difficult, at the very least, confine the audience to close friends only.
• Inform your colleagues and family beforehand that you’ll be away, so they won’t worry or — more importantly — send you anything urgent or sensitive via email or messaging apps.
• Additionally, check your messaging account settings to protect against hijacking while you’re absent. Scammers often target account holders when they’re away — so a quick heads-up to your contacts about not falling for messages like “Hey! Can you lend me $100 until tomorrow?” can save you considerable hassle.
• Create an out-of-office response for your email and voicemail indicating that you are temporarily offline — while avoiding excessive details about your location or reasons for your travels.
• Bring only one essential device. When you travel, avoid taking every gadget you possess. Select just one — be it a laptop, tablet, or smartphone — and keep it in your carry-on luggage. At your lodging, secure your device in a safe and never leave it unattended — even if you don’t intend to use it. If someone gains physical access to your device, they could access your data — and in the case of a smartphone, even steal your SIM card.
• Utilize a secondary phone for SMS communication. If you’re swapping your primary SIM for a local or tourist SIM, place your home SIM into an old backup phone — preferably a basic button phone with long battery life — and turn off mobile data. This way, you can still receive calls and messages to your main number and respond quickly if something suspicious occurs — such as receiving a two-factor authentication code you didn’t request, or a bank notification about an unusual transaction or loan approval. To avoid roaming fees, simply do not answer calls from this device, and instead reach out to the caller through another method. Store this phone in a hotel safe or another secure location and check it at least once daily.
• Steer clear of risky connections. Whenever possible, refrain from connecting to unfamiliar Wi-Fi networks or using someone else’s computer — especially if your objective is to disconnect from the internet and screens. If you must go online (for instance, to check an important email), use your own device and connect to trusted Wi-Fi networks — or, ideally, use mobile internet.
• Tourist SIM cards with affordable data plans are widely available around the world today. When using public Wi-Fi, opt for a secure connection to encrypt your data. And avoid entering passwords when utilizing internet café networks or shared computers.

How to ensure you don’t overlook anything significant upon your return

After your time away from the digital world, it’s crucial to reconnect intelligently — reviewing what occurred while you were gone.

• Start your devices and check for any updates. Power on all the electronics you had turned off. Security updates might have been released during your absence; make sure to install them promptly before using your devices again. Also, verify that your antivirus definitions are current. If you had any Internet of Things devices disconnected, reactivate them and confirm they’re functioning correctly and reconnected to your home network (and ensure that no passwords have been altered).
• Examine notifications and records. Review the accumulated notifications in your emails, banking applications, and social media platforms. Pay special attention to alerts regarding login attempts, two-factor authentication codes, and banking messages pertaining to transactions. If you detect any unauthorized access attempts to your accounts during your digital break, your first action should be to change the passwords for those services, log out of any suspicious sessions if possible, and reach out for support. An SMS or push notification with a login code you didn’t request is a strong indicator of a potential hacking or SIM-swapping attempt; in such cases, contact your mobile provider and the particular service immediately.
• Inspect your SIM card and mobile phone. After a prolonged period offline, ensure your phone number remains active and functional, and confirm that your balance hasn’t been compromised by any dubious activity. A pre-set PIN and limits on reissuing SIM cards should effectively safeguard your number. Nonetheless, it’s wise to double-check your mobile account and, at the slightest suspicion, ask for a detailed expense report from your mobile provider.
• Evaluate your resilience and take notes and make adjustments for the future. Reflect on how well your digital setup performed during your time away. The best scenario: nothing went awry, your data is safe, your accounts are protected, and everything at home is in order. If so, congratulations — not only did you enjoy your time off, but you’ve also confirmed that your security protocols are effective even without constant monitoring. If any problems did occur — such as a backup failing or an IP camera going offline — view them not as failures but as opportunities to learn, and take steps to enhance your system going forward.