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Recently, I set up a new Android phone to review. The process went exactly as expected, and I ended up with a phone configured with the unlock PIN I typically use for review phones. After an update, the phone required the PIN for unlocking, but no matter how many times I typed the PIN, it would not unlock.
Something had gone wrong, and I needed to access the phone for the review. Fortunately, I had encountered this situation before and knew exactly what to do. My only option was to perform a factory reset, which meant I would need to set the phone up again. This wasn't too problematic, as I hadn't had much time to use the device yet. Had the phone been in use for months, however, it could have been a bigger issue.
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Factory resetting an Android device is not all that hard. This is especially true if you use a password manager for all your accounts, which means you do not have to worry about remembering all of those login credentials, as the app can auto-fill usernames and passwords (and do so much more securely than if you were using the built-in password manager to save passwords).
The process worked, and I set up the phone and reviewed it. So, how did I perform this reset, and what can you do to avoid going through the same process? The answer is, "not much." Android used to offer a feature where you could enter the wrong PIN or password multiple times, prompting a recovery email to the associated account. Unfortunately, Google has removed this option.
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Now, if you forget your PIN, pattern, or password, your only option is a factory reset. If you can't unlock your phone to access the reset options in Settings, don't panic. I'll show you what to do.
If biometrics aren't working because you had to reboot the phone after an update or issue, and your PIN, pattern, or password isn't working, here's what to do. Keep in mind, this technique may vary by phone, but the process should be similar across manufacturers.
Hold your power button for a few seconds until you're prompted with the Restart, Shutdown, and Emergency options. Make sure to tap the Shutdown option.
Press and hold the Power button and either the Volume Up or Volume Down button (this choice will vary, depending on your phone's manufacturer). For example, a Pixel device requires the Power and Volume Down button. On Samsung Galaxy phones, you have to use the Power/Volume Up combo.
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When the menu appears, use your Volume Up/Down buttons to highlight Recovery Mode. Use the Power button to select the option. If you land on the "No Command" screen, hold the Power button and then press the Volume Up button, which will open a new screen. From that screen, use the Volume Down button to select "Wipe data/factory reset" and then press the Power button. You'll then be prompted to verify the reset. Use the Volume Down button to select "Factory data reset" and then press the Power button.
In the next menu, use the Volume Up/Down buttons to select "Reboot system now" and press the Power button. It will take time to complete, but once it's done, you can set the phone back up using your Google account.
The good news is that your phone will most likely perform much better than before you were locked out, because the system and app caches have been cleared.
Also: How to transfer data from Android to an iPhone: 2 quick and simple ways
When you do a factory reset on an Android device, it resets everything to exactly how it was when you first purchased the phone, deletes all data (everything!), and gives you a clean slate. This is a good option when your phone is running slowly and you cannot figure out what is wrong. A factory reset should be viewed as a last-ditch option because it deletes all user data.
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Do keep in mind that doing this also wipes out any OS updates, so after a factory reboot you will want to check for an update immediately.
If you have forgotten your Android PIN, it is still possible to unlock your phone if you have set up Smart Unlock, which unlocks your phone when it is near a configured device (such as a WearOS watch). There is also Samsung's SmartThings Find. Unfortunately, the Google Find My Device service no longer allows you to change your PIN or password on your device. The only way to manage this now on non-Samsung devices is to do a factory reset.
No. Once you have done a factory reset, all your data is gone, and you are starting from scratch. There is no way to undo this. You can, however, recover lost data via the Android backup system. During the factory reset, you will be presented with the option to restore data from Google Backup. Make sure to tap Restore during the reset, and then follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
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