How to unlock your phone if you forgot your pin code. How to unlock an Android phone if you forgot your pattern or numeric password
Many users of Android phones, especially those who have such a gadget for the first time, are faced with the same problem.
Namely - with necessity unlock android phone, if the installed graphic key is forgotten. Most often, new smartphone users are faced with the impossibility of unlocking a gadget due to a forgotten pattern key. They, as they say, are happy to try out all the functions of their newly acquired gadgets and often then forget what they entered and where.
However, the situation can be fixed - today we will tell you how to unlock an Android phone.
So, the phone needs to be unlocked, but the pattern key has been forgotten. The main thing is not to panic, but execute sequentially all the necessary actions - this way you will save not only time, but also nerves.
First of all, if you forgot your pattern key, you can try the following. First, you can try to unlock the phone, by verifying your Google account. To do this, first make several attempts to enter the pattern at random. After five incorrect entries of the pattern key, further attempts will be blocked for 30 seconds, and you will be prompted to enter your email address and Google account password. Of course, the device must be connected to the Internet. In addition, please note that you must enter the exact address that you used to log into Google Play; entering any other addresses or creating a new registration is pointless - these actions will not help you.
But what to do if the password to your Google account is also forgotten? There is a fairly simple method that has proven its effectiveness in a number of cases. Ask someone to call your locked phone. The function of receiving calls is usually not blocked, and therefore you will be able to receive the call. Do this, and then minimize it using the Home button (note that it is minimize the call, not end it). Next, go to your phone settings and disable the use function graphic key.
If none of the two proposed methods helped, then all that remains is to resort to the most radical one - namely, a complete reset to original factory settings. This method should only be used as a last resort, because it involves the complete loss of all data stored on the phone - that is, contacts, files, music, videos, photos, etc. Naturally graphic the key will be unlocked, that is, you will return access to your gadget, but you will lose information.
Everyone must independently take care of the security of their data. And the more technology develops, the more important user literacy in this matter becomes. After all, today a phone can store not only important contacts, but also personal photos or even access to payment systems. A preset password on the device is designed to help protect your money and data on Android phones. But there are times when the code is forgotten, and the device needs to be unlocked. Simple instructions will help solve this problem.
About the need to set a password on your mobile device
Many people underestimate the importance of a device password, believing that they have nothing to hide.
In fact, the password allows you to:
- Be sure that no one but you will use the phone - even family members can take the phone at home. And this can lead to controversial situations or even waste of money, for example, if a small child gets to the device;
- If your phone is stolen, make it more difficult for criminals - a phone with a password, of course, can be hacked sooner or later. But it is not a fact that they will be able to save the data, which means that the attackers will not receive important information. Well, besides, while they are busy with the password, you will have time to block the payment systems associated with the phone.
- An important reason for setting a password is that this is a mandatory requirement for some applications, for example, the Sberbank Online service.
Types of security codes
Although there are different ways to protect your phone with a password, it’s not difficult to identify the main ones. This is a pattern key and a regular password.
Graphic key
A pattern protects your phone with a password, which is a sequential connection of several dots on the screen. That is, you must repeat a predetermined sequence.
You can install a graphic key as follows:
- Open your phone's settings and scroll down the screen until you reach the "Personal Information" section. There you must select the “Security” line.
Scroll through your phone settings and find the “Security” section there.
- The very first step will be to set up a screen lock. Go to this section.
Select Screen Lock in the Security section
- And then you should select the “Graphic key” line.
Select a pattern as your screen lock method
- A screen with dots will open. This is where you should set the same graphic key. You can set any sequence of points, but it is important to remember it. Let the combination have a clear association for you.
Set the pattern on your device's screen
- The last point is to indicate whether notifications should be displayed on the locked screen. It’s up to you to decide, but to keep the information as hidden as possible, it’s better to ban them.
Choose how notifications appear on the lock screen
- The pattern key has been created and the next time you try to access the phone, you will need to enter it.
The next time you turn on your phone, you will see a pattern request
There are also applications that can replace standard solutions for creating a pattern. But the procedure for creating or using a key in such applications is almost completely identical to the standard one.
Regular password
A regular password consists of letters or numbers and can be anything. Theoretically, it is more difficult to guess than a graphical code - but in practice, everything depends on ingenuity when creating a password. The password is set as follows:
![](https://i2.wp.com/dadaviz.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1-70.png)
Modern phones use a fingerprint scanner to unlock the device, which is certainly more convenient and safer than setting a password.
How to unlock your phone when you forget your pattern key
Each password, unfortunately, can work both for attackers and for yourself. And if you forgot which pattern key you have installed, then you will have to try hard to gain access to your device.
Unblocking via Google account
If you remember the data from your Google account, which is linked to your phone, then gaining access to the device without knowing the picture password is not so difficult. It is enough to do the following:
![](https://i1.wp.com/dadaviz.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1-65-480x680.png)
Bypassing a pattern by calling devices
There is no need to unlock the phone to receive a call. This can be used like this:
![](https://i2.wp.com/dadaviz.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1-89-1120x680.jpg)
Of course, this solution is temporary, but you can at least save the necessary files before more crude methods of getting rid of the pattern. This trick only works correctly on older versions of Android, but no one is stopping you from trying this option.
In a similar way, you can cause the top panel to appear, for example, by discharging the device’s battery.
Removing the lock by resetting the device
You can reset the device either by going to the phone menu using the previous method, or in another way. The main thing to remember is that when you reset, you will lose all data on your phone. Be careful and make sure that there is nothing valuable among this data. You can reset your phone as follows:
- Turn off your device before resetting. To bypass the pattern we will perform a reset from the phone's recovery menu.
- To access the recovery menu, you most often use the volume up key along with the home key. But there are other combinations, such as power+home+volume up, separately power+home or volume down+power. You can find the exact combination for your model on the Internet, but most likely one of those already indicated will help you.
Press the volume up and home keys simultaneously to access recovery mode
- In the recovery menu, select clear data, factory reset or similar. The exact name depends on the phone model. To switch between items, use the volume keys - touch controls will not work in this menu.
Use the Volume buttons to select Wipe data/factory reset
- Confirmation of the line you have selected will be pressed on your phone's power button. Do it.
The Power key on the side of the phone is used to confirm a selection in device recovery mode
- Switch the line to yes and confirm the entry again with the power button.
Confirm to reset your device
- And after the reset is complete, select reboot system.
Select Reboot system now and confirm this item using the Power button
- After the reboot, your device will start without data or contacts, but also without a pattern. Reset completed.
If you are in the phone settings, you can do the reset through them:
![](https://i1.wp.com/dadaviz.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1-63.png)
Removing the pattern key at the service center
If you don’t mind spending money, you can remove the blocking at any service center. Their methods are not too different from those mentioned in this article, so you should decide depending on which resource is more important to you - time or money.
Sometimes you can simply guess the pattern key; also, look at the screen carefully. Frequent key entry leaves a trace on the screen.
Video: a way to bypass a pattern on your phone
Deleting a pattern file
When you create a pattern on your phone, a file is also created for it to work. Therefore, when you delete this file, the device will no longer ask for a key to unlock it. But this action should only be performed by an experienced user, since interfering with the device at this level can be dangerous, you must be extremely careful. And this is done like this:
![](https://i1.wp.com/dadaviz.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1.jpeg)
Using the app to reset the lock
SMS Bypass application which can be used to remove blocking. It must be pre-installed on your device, but if you haven’t, you can download the application remotely through a linked Play Market account (although in a situation where you remember the password for your Google account, there are easier ways to recover it).
The reset itself through this application is very simple:
![](https://i2.wp.com/dadaviz.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1-59-480x680.png)
Features of removing a graphic key for different phone models
The instructions given above are suitable for any model of Android device. But there are also a number of features of removing a graphic key for specific phone models.
- For Samsung phones, the Samsung Kies program will help you. With its help, you can find out your login, which in the future will help you gain full access to your Google account (password recovery is carried out using the Google service). The necessary information will be in the “About the device” section when you connect the device to a computer with the program installed. And also this program will help you access your phone data, which will be useful if you still have to reset the device to factory settings.
- Sony Xperia phones have a number of features regarding resetting the system - entering recovery mode is caused by simultaneously pressing the volume up button and turning on the phone, but this may sometimes not work. In this case, you just need to hold down the power button for about twenty seconds. This will reboot your device and then you can try opening recovery mode again.
- And also for Sony models, the Sony Update Service program will help you - it will not remove the pattern, but will simplify the procedure for resetting the device.
- For Huawei phones, the HiSuite program will help you - with its help you can also make it easier to reset the device, which, in turn, will save you from the problem with the pattern lock.
Reset your digital password on your Android device
A number of methods for resetting a digital key are the same as methods for resetting a graphic key. This will help you in the same way:
- contacting the service center;
- reset device data;
- Login using your Google account information;
- and other methods mentioned above.
But there are other possibilities. For example, the Lock Screen Removal program can help you get rid of the digital code without losing data:
- Download this program from the official website and run it. Connect your phone to your computer, and then on the first screen, click Start.
Launch the Lock Screen Removal program and click start
- Turn off your phone and then put it into download mode. To do this, first simultaneously hold down the power button, volume down key and home key, and then, when the device recovery menu opens, hold down the volume up key. After this, your phone will be in download mode. Click Start in the program.
First, hold down the Power+Volume Down+Home keys, then release them and press the Volume Up key
- The data loading will begin, you are required to wait until it finishes.
Now you know various ways to reset a picture or digital password on your phone. This is certainly good because you can regain access to your device. But still, it’s better not to forget the lock code, because it is designed to protect your gadget and not create unnecessary problems.
To protect your data, Android has a function to protect your device with a digital or visual password (pattern password or pattern). Thanks to the efforts of engineers, it is not so easy to bypass the security system; scammers or thieves will not be able to unlock your phone or tablet. But what to do if you, the legal owner of an Android device, forgot the digital combination or line drawing?
What is a password chart on Android
On Android, in addition to the usual sequence of numbers, you can also set a password chart.
A square of nine dots (3x3) appears on the screen. The user must connect them with a line in a certain sequence, without lifting his finger from the screen.
A graphical password is a continuous line connecting certain points in a predetermined sequence
In other words, a graphical password is a sequence of connecting the dots. For example, the letter Z, a star, just some kind of line.
Graphic passwords are more popular on Android than digital ones because a linear pattern is easier to remember than a four-digit number. However, you can forget any password, even the simplest one.
How to insure yourself against device blocking?
How to prevent your phone or tablet from being locked
The Play Market has a program SMS Bypass, the essence of which is as follows: if you have forgotten your password, the device can be unlocked by sending an SMS with a certain text from another phone to yours. When the message is received, the system will reboot and prompt you to enter your password again. Draw any line and the smartphone will unlock.
Such a program, of course, requires root access. Initially it is "1234 reset". It can be changed to any other at your discretion.
SMS Bypass can be installed via a personal computer after you have forgotten the password. But for this you need root access (it’s not for nothing that they say that root is unsafe) or a Google Account.
What to do if you forgot your graphic password
There are several working methods to bypass the protection and unlock your phone. Some are only suitable for certain versions of Android, others just work every other time. If one method doesn't help you, try the next one.
Login to Google Account
After 5-6 unsuccessful attempts to find a graphic password, the smartphone will ask you to wait 30 seconds. At the same time, the “Forgot graph” button will appear. password?". Click on it. You will be asked to sign in to your Google account (the one your phone or tablet is linked to). If the data is entered correctly, the password will be reset.
To reset your password, sign in to your Google account
There is one caveat: if Android is blocked at a time when it is not connected to the Internet, then it will not log into Google Account. In this case, you need to restart the device and pull the information bar down as soon as it appears. Then enter your account information as described above.
If you cannot turn on the Internet using the previous method, try using service codes.
- To do this, click “Emergency Call” and enter the following set of characters: *#*#7378423#*#*.
- In the menu that appears, intended for service center specialists, open Service Tests -> WLAN.
- Turn on Wi-Fi.
Unfortunately, you cannot enable a mobile connection using service codes. However, you can try removing and reinserting the SIM card; the phone may connect to the network on its own.
You can also try connecting a SIM card from another operator (Megafon, MTS, Beeline, etc.), sometimes it helps.
If you cannot activate the network, purchase an adapter from the microUSB port to the LAN port used to connect fiber optic cables. Connect it to your smartphone and router. After some time, the Internet will appear on the device.
Call to smartphone
The method will only help on Android OS versions 2.2 and lower; there were no such sophisticated security systems back then.
- Call a blocked phone from any other phone.
- Answer the call without delay.
- Minimize the program and open Settings, then Security and disable the password.
Dial a number
Even if your phone is locked, you can use it to call emergency services. In Android up to version 5, there is such a feature: if you open the field for calling emergency services, and then press the “Back” button, the Android screen will appear for half a second. You can use this moment to download the No Lock program and run it. The phone will be unlocked.
How to unlock a pattern on Android 4.1.2 - video
Discharge phone
You can try to wait. At the moment when the charge is almost completely empty, Android will show you a corresponding message and ask you to check the battery status. And the battery status is one of the sections of the “Settings” menu. So go to it, click on the arrow in the upper left corner of the screen, click on “Security” and cancel the password.
Delete files storing visual password data
The method is suitable for those who have a custom Recovery menu installed on Android (CWM or TWRP). The essence of the method is to dump the saved data about the graphic sequence, which is stored in the following files:
- gesture.key;
- locksettings.db;
- locksettings.db-wal;
- locksettings.db-shm.
Via CWM
- Download any file manager for Android from your computer and put it on your memory card.
- Now enable Recovery Mod on the device (turn off the smartphone, and then hold down the Home button and the On/Off button for ten seconds until the manufacturer’s logo appears).
- Using Recovery, install the file manager and launch it.
- Now open the /data/system/ folder
- Delete all of the above files.
- Reboot your device and enter any picture password. The smartphone will be unlocked.
Via TWRP
If TWRP is installed on your device as Recovery, then you don’t have to download the file manager, since it is already built into the application.
- Enable Recovery Mod and open the Advanced -> File Manager menu and then the /data/system/ folder
- Delete the above files.
- Reboot your device and enter any picture password.
Using an additional user
If there are several users on the device, there is root access and you are using the SuperSU program, then you can try to delete these files through an additional user.
In order to unlock the phone through an additional user, the SuperSU program must be installed
- Log in as a second user and install some file manager from the Play Market.
- Open it and go to the /data/system/ folder
- Remove files:
- gesture.key;
- locksettings.db;
- locksettings.db-wal;
- locksettings.db-shm.
- Reboot your device and while entering the password, draw any line you want. Android is unlocked.
Unblock with ADB RUN
ADB RUN uses a console of ADB drivers that connect the mobile device to the computer. The program is convenient because it automates the process of working with the console. Especially for cases when a person forgets the password, there is the Unlock Gesture Key function.
Unlock Gesture Key translates as “unlock graphic key”.
![](https://i0.wp.com/2dsl.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/adb-run-7.jpg)
Reset settings to factory defaults
The most rude and clumsy way. But effective. It is suitable for all versions of Android and all devices. But keep in mind that this will erase all information from the hard drive, and it will be impossible to restore it.
So, if you are desperate to bypass the blocking in other ways, do a Hard Reset.
Hard Reset is a term that means resetting all settings to factory defaults and deleting all data.
![](https://i2.wp.com/2dsl.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/recovery-mod-3.jpg)
Contact support
You can contact technical support directly from Android or the device manufacturer. They will ask you to provide them with a receipt and other documents for your smartphone or tablet to prove that you are the owner. After this you will be told what to do next. You may have to go to a service center, but they will definitely help you.
How to set a new picture password
Let's say you reset your graphic password. Now let's talk about how to install a new one.
![](https://i0.wp.com/2dsl.ru/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/nastroyki-3.png)
How to disable picture password
To remove the password, go to Settings -> Security -> Lock Password. Find the "Enable Password Lock" switch and slide it to the "Off" position. To confirm the action, you will have to enter the current graphic password.
Is it possible to bypass a digital password?
A digital password can be bypassed in the same way as a graphic password. Almost all of the methods listed will help remove it. But there are some differences. For example, the file gesture.key is responsible only for the visual key, so it is impossible to remove the numeric key in this way. But connecting to Google Account, resetting settings and contacting support works fine.
It's okay if you can't remember your password. It happens to everyone. Android developers took care of users and allowed them to reset passwords using a Google account, to which they still have to link their device. Although there is one significant problem: thanks to the abundance of methods, it will not be difficult for a thief to unlock a stolen phone or tablet. So it is better not to rely too much on this protection and do not keep sensitive data on your smartphone.
Articles and Lifehacks
Even the most excellent phone in the hands of an inexperienced user can be capricious, for example, blocked. What to do if your phone is blocked? So a person has become the owner of a new phone, from which he most expects joy and efficiency. The new phone will certainly bring a lot of benefits. It's hard to imagine that a completely new communication device could be a source of problems, for example, if something bad happens to it or to it. If the phone does not turn on and cannot be used to make a call, then, naturally, the owner begins to worry, and then rushes to find a person who will solve all the problems. But not everything is so scary, you can first figure it out yourself, this is how user experience accumulates. We fix problems ourselves.
What should we do if the phone is locked?
Mobile phone blocking is a common occurrence. What to do if your phone is blocked? First, it is necessary to clarify for what reasons such situations may occur. This will help not only get rid of the current trouble, but also avoid it in the future. It is first necessary to determine the types of blocking, which can be different. After all, it can block both the phone and the memory card or SIM card. It may even be blocked by your telecom operator. Currently, the most common brand of telephones is the Finnish brand Nokia, so you can understand the blocking situation using the example of one specific phone; by the way, they claim that these are the devices that can be blocked most often. There are many simple ways to unlock your device. If the phone has not been flashed, then there is a very affordable way to unlock it. Take a cable to connect the phone to the PC, and then launch the J.A.F. program, then in the “BB 5” tab, check the “Read PM” box, and click “Service”. In the window that appears, write 307 and determine the place where we save the password, and then click “ok”. This algorithm must be strictly followed.
What to do when your phone is locked - next steps
After the above steps, you will need to launch Nokia Unlocker - this is a free firmware. You need to find the path to the file that was previously saved using the password. The “Determination” task is activated, as a result, simultaneously in 2 windows you can see a code that will help unlock the phone, as well as the memory card password. This way you can unlock your phone yourself.
Among the many existing ways to unlock a phone, there are well-tested ones that are suitable in most cases for absolutely all models of modern mobile devices. The article will describe several general principles with which you can try to solve a similar problem.
How to unlock your phone using a PIN code?
Blocking a phone due to a forgotten PIN code by the owner, which must be entered after turning on the device, happens most often. To avoid such troubles, immediately after purchasing the device, you should turn off in the settings the function of displaying a mention of entering a code on the screen each time you turn it on. If this option is not an option, be sure to record the code on paper or electronically and save it in an easy to remember place. If the code is completely forgotten and it is not possible to remember it, you can contact your mobile operator’s service center, which will help solve the problem by restoring it.
How to unlock your phone using special programs?
In the case when a special password is used to protect the phone, which one user knows and has forgotten, this is also not a reason to panic. Those cell phone models that can be connected to a computer (and these are almost all modifications) can be reflashed, which in no way affects the further uninterrupted functioning of your phone. This is done in the following way: several small programs for generating an unlock code are downloaded from the Internet, their subsequent use can unlock almost every model. In a similar way, only using other programs, you can easily unlock your phone. Software on some sites is available for free download or for a fee.
How to unlock a phone code using an operator?
It also happens that when purchasing a mobile device, it is necessary to adhere to the previously agreed conditions for connecting to a specific telecom operator, excluding the possibility of using another SIM card. In Russia, this option is not so relevant, but, nevertheless, it needs to be considered. The first thing you need to do is call the telecom operator at the support service and ask a question about possible unlocking, and if they refuse you, then you’ll be on your way to finding a site where you can get a code using the phone’s IMEI. On such sites, most phones of currently popular brands can be unlocked.
How to unlock your phone by contacting a service center?
In most cases, you have to take the last opportunity and take the phone to a service center, where after you pay, as a rule, not too much money, they will try to help you. Well, if this doesn’t help, you have a truly unique phone in your hands, but it’s (sorry, of course) impossible to use.
How can you unlock a phone, for example, Samsung?
You must try to remove the lock using the partial reset code (Custom Eeprom Reset) - *2767*2878#.
But you should not count on the fact that this method will be able to remove the lock of the SIM card or the one performed by the operator. To unlock, try the following:
- remove the SIM card and turn on the mobile device without it;
- enter code *2767*2878#;
- the phone should turn off;
- press the device power button;
- it will not turn on, but the phone will blink intensely;
- after the LED stops blinking, turn on the cell phone again;
- The default code on the phone will be “0000” (“00000000”).