A very common issue with Android phones is when you are unable to unlock it after locking it. A password or pattern lock is usually activated by users to maintain the privacy of their data. However, more often than not, users may end up forgetting the pin or pattern. Thus, they are unable to unlock the device. It can also happen that the wrong password or pattern is entered too many times resulting in the phone getting locked.
While a factory reset can solve this problem, it is tedious and you end up losing all data unless it is backed up somewhere. This article deals with some methods that you can use to solve this issue without resorting to factory reset.
Methods to Follow for How to unlock Android Password without Factory Reset
Method 1: Use Google account to Unlock Android Password
You can use your Google account to unlock your Android phone irrespective of whether you have forgotten the password or have made multiple unsuccessful attempts to unlock it. You only need to access your linked Google account to your Android device.
Go through the steps given below to achieve this:
- After having entered your pattern incorrectly you will need to do the same 5 more times. After doing this, you will get a popup saying that your phone is locked for 30 seconds.
- At this point, you will also get a Forgot Password option at the bottom. Tap on it.
- In the subsequent screen, you will have to enter the e-mail address of the linked Google Account to the device.
- On entering the correct information, you will be given the option to set a new pin or pattern for your device. You can now unlock your device with this new pin or pattern.
Method 2: Use Android Device Manager to Unlock Android password
“Android Device Manager” has been renamed to “Find my Device”. This is a functionality provided by Google on Android devices to locate them when they are lost or stolen. Find My Device can not only unlock your phone but also lock or ring it.
You only need to login to the Google Account linked to your device. Check it out!
From a PC or a web-connected device, go o the following webpage: www.google.com/android/find
- On this webpage, sign in with your Google account credentials linked to your locked device.
- You will get three options – Lock, Play Sound and Erase. Select Lock to continue.
- You will be greeted with a popup where you must set the new password/pin for your device. You can also enter a recovery message or phone number but it is optional.
- You can now use the recent password in the previous step to unlock your device.
Method 3: Use Backup PIN to Unlock password lock
Whenever you set a security pattern on an Android device, you are asked to set a backup PIN in case you forget the pattern. This backup PIN can also be used to unlock your device if you are unable to unlock it using your pattern. To do this:
- Enter any pattern multiple times to get a popup that says that your phone is locked for 30 seconds.
- At the bottom of the screen, you should get an option called Backup PIN. Tap on it.
- You have to remember and enter the backup pin that you had set.
- Entering the correct pin will unlock your phone. You can now set a new pattern.
Method 4: Are you a Samsung User- Unlock Password without Factory Reset
If you have a Samsung device, then you can also use Samsung’s Find My Device option to unlock your phone. Follow the steps given below to unlock it:
- Visit the following webpage: findmymobile.samsung.com.
- On the webpage, sign in using the Samsung account of your device.
- Just like Google’s Find my Device, here you need to select the Lock My device option.
- Enter a new PIN to reset your existing pin. Tap on the LOCK option. The device will be unlocked after a couple of seconds. You can use the new pin from now onwards.
Method 5: Use ADB to Unlock Android Pattern
A more complicated and time-consuming but effective method of unlocking your phone is using the ADB or Android Debug Bridge. Follow the steps given below:
- Open the following webpage on a web-connected device: https://developer.android.com/studio/command-line/adb.html
- Download ADB from the webpage and along with it also install the required packages.
- You will now need a USB cable to connect your phone to the PC on which you have installed ADB.
- Enable Developer Options on your phone from the Settings menu by going to About Phone and then repeatedly tapping on Build Number. You will get a toast message confirming that Developer Options have been enabled.
- Go to Developers Options from the Settings menu and enable the USB Debugging option.
- After connecting your phone, navigate to the directory on your PC where ADB has been installed.
- Open command prompt in this directory by holding down Shift key and right-clicking with your mouse and selecting command prompt from the drop down.
- Type the following command: adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.key and press enter to execute it.
- Restart your device to begin using it normally.
Method 6: Use a third-party tool to Unlock the Android pattern lock
If none of the above methods are working for you then you can resort to using a third-party app. An app like Android Unlock will guide you unlock your phone as a last resort. Whatever security lock that may have been used on your phone can be removed using this app. This includes PINs, patterns, passwords or fingerprints.
Follow the below-mentioned steps to unlock your phone using Android Unlock in the Normal Mode:
- Download Android Unlock. Install it on your computer.
- Select Screen Unlock and connect your phone to the PC using a USB cable to continue.
- On the next screen, you need to select the make and model of your Android device.
- Now, you have to set your phone into Download mode. Tap as well as hold the volume up, home button and volume down buttons together.
- Release the buttons and tap the volume up button only to start Download Mode.
- Now, recovery package will start downloading now. Make sure you have a stable internet connection. Wait for the download to finish up.
- You can now press “remove now”. You should now be able to unlock the phone without any security.
You can also use the Advanced mode in Android Unlock if Normal mode fails to find the make of your device. This process might delete your phone’s data. Follow these steps:
- Choose Advanced mode instead of normal mode.
- Now the app will prepare to remove the lock screen.
- When the model matching process is over, click on Unlock now
- You need to enter your phone into recovery mode now. To do this, go through the steps given below:
- Switch off your phone.
- Press the power button and volume down button together. As the device restarts, press volume up, power and home button together till a logo appears.
- If your phone does not have a home button, press Volume up, Bixby and power button till the logo appears.
- Your recovery mode is now activated and you will need to follow the instructions from the app to unlock your phone.
- Your phone will be unlocked in a couple of seconds.
Conclusion
It is often the case that people forget their lock screen password or pattern. In such cases, it is best to keep a backup pin in mind. At the very least, knowing which Google Account is linked to the device is very necessary. However, if you do not remember any of these things then you have to resort to a third-party app to do it for you.
