Keeping your smartphone locked whenever you are not using it is a smart idea, but if you forget the unlocking password, PIN, or pattern, you might be unable to access your contacts and data. Since a forgotten password could happen to anyone, learning how to unlock any Android-based device without it is definitely a smart move.
Introduction
Unfortunately, it’s not rare for a legitimate owner of an Android smartphone to lose access to the device due to not knowing the correct password and thus being unable to unlock it. This often happens right after you change the screen passcode and do not write it down, so the next time you try, you don’t know the correct combination. Buyers of second-hand phones sometimes receive a phone that’s been locked but not the password that removes the lock. In some instances, advanced protection mechanisms such as fingerprint identification could simply fail to work properly.
While being locked out of your phone is definitely a problem, some solutions worth trying don’t require you to retrieve the password. Using one of those methods, you can regain control over the device and save your data kept on it. It makes sense to learn a bit more about the available options, so that you can be ready to take action if you ever happen to get stuck at the welcome screen. If you own an Android, knowing how to remove screen lock could become vitally important at any point.
2 Proven Methods for Unlocking Android Phone without Knowing the Passcode
There is no reason to panic or throw away your phone if you happen to lose the password for unlocking the screen. Instead of rash action, you should use one software tool that has proven successful in this role. With the right tool and correct procedure, removing the lock and starting your phone normally might be possible. We present you with two possibilities and explain the exact procedure for phone unlocking in each scenario so that every user can choose the most optimal tool.
Method 1 – Using Find My Device to Unlock Android Phone without Password
Google is well aware of the need to let owners unlock their devices when they forget a passcode or the fingerprint scanning fails, and this is one of the reasons the company introduced a much-talked-about feature – Find My Device. This feature solves several problems, from finding a lost phone and remotely locking it to removing password protection. It’s already present on newer Android-based smartphones but needs to be activated by the user before it can be practically utilized. If Find My Device is active on your Android device, it won’t be too hard to get around the screen lock using this method. Here is the sequence of steps you need to follow to perform this action:
Step 1 – Use another device to go to google.com\android\devicemanager with a web browser.
Step 2 – Sign in using the same Google credentials you used on the locked phone.
Step 3 – Select your device in the Find My Device app, and click on the Lock option.
Step 4 – Enter a temporary password and click the Lock button again.
Step 5 – Now that you have a valid password, you can unlock the phone and set up a new password.
However, this method has some significant limitations and might not be effective in every instance. For starters, the phone has to be connected to a Wi-Fi network and logged into a Google account, and it also needs to have both the Location service and the Find My Device feature active. The user also needs to know the password for the Google account, which isn’t always the case. With so many requirements, it’s no wonder numerous users turn to alternative solutions when they need to unlock an Android phone.
Method 2 – Using DroidKit to Unlock Android Phone If You Don’t Know the Password
Perhaps the most reliable software tool you could try for the purpose of unlocking the screen is DroidKit by iMobie. This powerful and very flexible software supports more than 20,000 different models of Android devices (both smartphones and tablets), covering all major brands. For any phone model on this list, the success rate with screen lock removal is very high, and you can trust DroidKit to perform the job quickly and without bugs. Even if you have the most advanced form of protection, such as fingerprint identification or touch pattern, DroidKit’s practical Screen Unlocker feature won’t have too much trouble getting around it.
Not only that DroidKit has far fewer restrictions than Find My Device, but its screen unlocking procedure is very simple, even for total beginners. Here are the necessary steps you need to take in order to remove the lock and reestablish control over your Android smartphone:
Step 1 – Run the DroidKit application on your computer and select Screen Unlocker from the main menu.
Step 2 – Use a USB cable to connect the locked Android device to the computer, then press Start.
Step 3 – Wait for the configuration file to be prepared, then click on Remove Now button.
Step 4 – Pick the icon with the logo of your phone manufacturer.
Step 5 – Click the Next button, and follow the instructions to complete the removal process.
Step 6 – When the process is complete, and your phone is unlocked, DroidKit will inform you with a congratulatory message.
Final Thoughts
it’s not unusual for Android phone owners to forget the password or fail to get past the initial screen for another reason. Importantly, there are effective remedies for this inconvenience, and they can be applied by anyone regardless of their level of technical knowledge. Using a native Find My Device feature to unlock the device could work, but only if a long list of preconditions is met. Alternatively, you can learn how to unlock Android device using the DroidKit app, and be complete without worries even if you lose the password while your phone is still locked.