Recently, I created a new android phone To review. The process went exactly as I expected and I ended up with a phone set up with the unlock PIN I usually use for phones in review. After an update, the phone asked for the PIN to unlock it, but no matter how many times I entered it, it wouldn’t unlock.
Something had gone wrong, but I had to get to the phone so I could check it. Fortunately, I had been through this situation before and knew what to do.
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Unfortunately, my only recourse was to reset the phone to factory settings, which meant I would have to set it up again. That wasn’t a huge deal, given that I hadn’t had a chance to do much with the device. If the phone had been in use for months, it might have been a bigger problem.
Restoring an Android device to factory settings is not that difficult. This is especially true if you use a password manager for all your accounts. With this method, you won’t have to worry about remembering all your login credentials and the app will be able to automatically fill in usernames and passwords.
The process worked and I set up the phone and checked it out. But how did I perform this reset? And what can you do to avoid having to go through this process?
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The answer is “not much.” Android used to have a process where you could type in the wrong PIN or password multiple times and then have a recovery email sent to the associated account. However, Google has removed that procedure.
Now, the only recourse left if you forget the PIN/pattern/password is to perform a factory reset. But what do you do if you are unable to unlock your phone to access the factory reset options in Settings?
Don’t be scared because I’m going to show you.
How to factory reset your phone without unlocking it
If biometrics aren’t working because you had to reset your phone after an update or a problem, and your PIN/Pattern/Password isn’t working for you, here’s what to do. Remember that this technique varies from phone to phone, but the process should be similar across all manufacturers.
Press and hold the power button for a few seconds until the Restart, Power off, and Emergency options appear. Make sure to tap the Power off option.
Press and hold the power button and either the volume up or volume down button (this option will vary depending on your phone manufacturer). For example, a Pixel device requires the power button and volume down. Samsung Galaxy PhonesIt’s the Power/Volume Up combination that works.
When the menu appears, use the volume up and down buttons to highlight Recovery Mode. Use the power button to select the option.
At the next menu, use the volume up and down buttons to select Wipe data/Factory reset and press the power button to select. You will then be prompted to accept the wipe. Use the volume up and down buttons to select Yes and then press the power button to select.
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At this point, your phone will reboot and reset to factory settings. The process will take a while, but once it’s done, you’ll be able to set up your phone again with your Google account.
The good news is that your phone will most likely perform much better than before it was locked because the system and app caches will have been cleared.