7 Ways to Bypass Android's Secured Lock Screen

If you somehow forgot the pattern, PIN, or password that locks your Android device, you might think you're out of luck and are destined to be locked out forever. These security methods are hard to crack by design, but in many cases, it's not entirely impossible to break into a locked device.

There are several different ways to hack a locked Android smartphone or tablet, but unfortunately, there's nothing quite as simple as the password cracker USB sticks that you can get for Windows. So below, I'll go over 7 of the most effective methods, and hopefully one will help you get back into your device.



Method 1.
  

Use Google's 'Find My Device' Website



For most Android phones and tablets, a built-in service called Find My Device is your best bet. As long as you're logged into your Google account, you can use any device or computer to access the service, which is available at this link.




From our testing, we've noticed that this method does not work on Android 8.0 or higher. But as long as your phone is running Android 7.1.1 Nougat or lower, it should do the trick.

As counterintuitive as it may sound, start by clicking the "Lock" button once Find My Device gets a fix on your phone. If the service is having trouble finding your device, click the refresh button next to your phone's name a few times, and it should make the connection within 5 attempts if your phone is compatible.

 After clicking the "Lock" button, you'll be prompted to enter a new password, which will replace the pattern, PIN, or password that you forgot. Type the new password twice to confirm your choice, then click the "Lock" button.

From here, it can take up to 5 minutes for the password to change over, but when it does, you should be able to enter the new password to unlock your device.



Method 2.

Use Samsung's 'Find My Mobile' Service

 

If you have a Samsung device, a similar service called Find My Mobile should be the first thing you try. Start by heading to this link from any web browser, then log into your Samsung account. If you never set up a Samsung account, this method will not work, unfortunately. Also, some carriers, like Sprint, lock out this service, which is something to keep in find.





Once you've logged into your Samsung account, click the "Lock my screen" button in the left-hand pane. From here, enter a new PIN in the first field, then click the "Lock" button near the bottom of the screen. Within a minute or two, your lock screen password should be changed to the PIN you just entered, which you can use to unlock your device.

 

 Method 3.

Use the 'Forgot Pattern' Feature

 If your device is running Android 4.4 or lower, try using the "Forgot Pattern" feature. After 5 failed unlock attempts, you'll see a message that says "Try again in 30 seconds." While this message is showing, tap the button at the bottom of the screen that says "Forgot Pattern."

 

 

From here, choose "Enter Google account details" (depending on your device, you may go directly to this option), then enter your primary Gmail account and password. Google will either send you an email with your unlock pattern, or you can change it right then and there.

 

 

 Method 4.

Perform a Factory Reset

If you're more concerned with getting into your phone than you are with preserving any data stored on it, a factory reset should work in many scenarios. But due to a new anti-theft feature called Factory Reset Protection, you'll need to know your Google account password to use this method if the phone was released in 2016 or later.




The process will vary depending on your device type, but for most phones, start by powering the device completely off. When the screen goes black, press and hold the volume down and power buttons simultaneously, which will bring up Android's bootloader menu. From here, press the volume down button twice to highlight the "Recovery mode" option, then press the power button to select it.