What to do if you have forgotten the unlock code or pattern of your Android mobile

Although the vast majority of Android phones today include fingerprint reader Y face unlock, it may be that you have not configured either system and use the classic PIN, your point pattern or password. If so, you run the risk of forgetting it and having to find a solution to access your mobile again.

It will be more or less complicated depending on the version of the operating system you use, but we already anticipate that you will most likely have to reset the phone from the factory to be able to reset unlock code. Be that as it may, we are going to see the two possible cases and what options you have.

If you have Android 5.0 Lollipop or higher

Let’s start with the most likely and, unfortunately, most complicated case: you have Android 5.0 Lollipop or higher (i.e. 6 Marhsmallow, 7 Nougat, 8 Oreo, 9 Pie, 10, or Android 11). If you don’t know which version of Android you use on your mobile, here we teach you how to find out.

With the launch of Android 5.0 Lollipop, Google got rid of the system that I used your Google account to get the phone back in case you have forgotten the PIN code or password. That is good and bad at the same time. Well, because it secures your data and prevents a third party from being able to forcibly unlock your mobile. Bad, because it forces you to do a factory reset to be able to recover the phone if all the options fail.

But before we reset, let’s try a couple of things. Do you remember activating Google Smart Lock? This system was implemented in Android 5.0 Lollipop (and from then on) and allows bypass phone lock when we are in a specific location, near a trusted device or when it detects our voice. If you set it up at the time, you might have a way out there. If you haven’t, you already have a reason to do it when you get your phone back.

Another option is use manufacturer’s tools. Companies like Samsung allow you to unlock the screen using Find My Mobile

from a web browser. You simply have to log in with the same Samsung account that you entered on your phone and select the appropriate option. If you have a Samsung mobile, it is an option to consider.

If neither option works, touch factory reset

If you did not set up Google Smart Lock and there is no manufacturer tool that allows you to unlock the phone screen, touch reset the factory mobile. Remember that this will erase all the data on the mobile, so it is better to have done one full backup before. You can reset it remotely if the phone is connected to the Internet. For it:

1. Go to the web “Find my device“and sign in with the same Google account that you set up your phone with.
2. In the list of mobiles that will appear, find and select yours.
3. Click on “Consider deleting the device’s content.”
4. Select “Yes, delete”.

When you do this, the phone it will reset automatically erasing all the content inside (what is on the SD card, if there is one inside, will stay where it is). When it’s done, you’ll simply have to enter your Google account again and set it up like you did when you took it out of the box. If the mobile does not have Internet access, you will have to do it manually using Recovery mode.

If you have Android 4.4 KitKat or lower

Let’s continue with the least likely case: that you have Android 4.4 KitKat (the version of Android that was released in October 2013) or an earlier version. We say that it is unlikely because only 10.4% of Android devices globally have some of the old versions of Android. The most normal thing is that you have Android 8 Oreo or 9 Pie, especially if you bought your phone between 2017 and 2019, ergo you will have to use the process in the previous section.

But suppose the stars have aligned and, for whatever reason, you have Android 4.4 KitKat or lower. To retrieve the phone, you simply have to enter the wrong PIN or password five times in a row. When you do this, the mobile will show the option “Forgot your password” and will allow you to log into your Google account and receive a code.

Enter your Google account and enter the code that you will have received by mail. That should be enough to access the phone, back up all your data, and then yes, reset the phone so you can reset the PIN or password. If you don’t, you will have to resort to this system every time you lock the screen.

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The news

What to do if you have forgotten the unlock code or pattern of your Android mobile

was originally published in

Xataka Android

by
Jose Garcia Nieto

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