Can you unlock your Android if you forget the password? You must factory reset your phone to use it again. All recent versions of Android encrypt your phone’s data by default, so you’ll lose any photos, contacts, or other data you haven’t backed up to Google. Your phone will be unlocked and usable again.
If you’ve forgotten the password and can’t get past the lock screen or pattern lock, you have two options. First, use Google’s Find My Device to delete your phone remotely. If Find My Device isn’t on, use Android’s “Recovery Mode.”
Resetting your phone using either method requires your Google account and password. The device will be permanently locked without this information. This security measure prevents thieves from using a factory-reset Android.
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Things You Should Know About Resetting Android
- Make sure you have backed up your important data and files.
- Resetting Android means you will delete everything permanently on your device. So, it is better to create backup data that you can restore later.
- When your Android is locked, Factory Reset is the best way to get it unlocked.
How to Reset Your Android Device Using Find My Device
The first method you can try is by accessing your Google account connected to your device via the Android website. The complete steps are below:
- Go to android.com/find.
- Sign in to your Google account, which is the main profile on your device, if you haven’t already. And, if you have more than one device, at the top left of the screen, select the phone you want to erase.
- Choose Erase Device.
- Delete the device by tapping on the Erase Device button.
- Follow the steps to set up your phone again. Keep in mind that you’ll need to verify the Google account information you used to set up the phone the first time before you can continue.
How to Reset Your Android Phone in Recovery Mode
The steps to enter Recovery Mode differ depending on the manufacturer. These are based on the most common brand and manufacturer.
Samsung Android
Samsung device is one of the giant smartphone manufacturers with millions of users. Here are the steps to reset your Samsung Android phone.
- To turn off your device, hold down the Power button.
- Hold down the Volume Up, Power, and Home buttons at the same time.
- When the device vibrates, only release the Power button.
- A menu will appear on the screen. Release the remaining buttons when you see this.
- Using the Volume down button, select “Wipe data/factory reset.” To select, press the Power button. To delete all user data, press the Power button again.
Samsung Android Without Home Button
Samsung is the most common Android phone used worldwide. The latest released ones come up with no home button. The steps below will help you to reset it.
- To turn off your device, hold down the Power button.
- Hold down the Volume Up, Power, and Bixby buttons at the same time.
- When the device vibrates, release all of the buttons.
- The Android recovery screen menu will be displayed (may take up to 30 seconds). Using the Volume down button, select “Wipe data/factory reset.” To select, press the Power button. To delete all user data, press the Power button again.
| Note: Some users have reported on Android 11, that your device must be connected to power via USB in order to enter recovery mode. |
Huawei Android
If your Huawei phone got locked and needed to reset, follow the steps below:
- To turn off your device, hold down the Power button.
- Hold down the Volume Up and Power buttons at the same time.
- When the startup screen appears, press and hold the Power and Volume Up buttons for 3 seconds. Your phone will boot into recovery mode.
- Select Wipe data/factory reset using the Volume buttons or by touching the screen.
- Use the Volume buttons or touch the screen to select Wipe data/factory reset on the screen that says “Confirm wipe off all user data?“
Android Phones (Google Pixels and Nexus)
Google released their Android smartphones with two popular ones; Google Pixels and Nexus. Both have the same instructions to reset. Follow the steps below:
- To turn off your device, hold down the Power button.
- Hold down the Power and the Volume Down buttons until your phone goes into Fastboot Mode. On the left side of your screen, you’ll see a lot of system info and menu options.
- Use the Volume up and Volume down buttons to move through the menu until you get to Recovery Mode, then press the Power button to choose it.
- You’ll see the Google logo on a white background, followed by the Android logo lying on his back and the words No command.
- Press and hold the Power button, and then press the Volume Up button.
- There will be a new menu with a number of system commands. You can get to “Wipe data/factory reset” by using the Volume buttons, and you can choose it by pressing the Power button.
Sony Android
If you have a Sony phone, here’s what you can do to reset it to factory settings. Follow the steps below:
- Turn off your phone and hold down the Power and the Volume Down buttons at the same time until the Sony screen appears.
- When you let go of the buttons, a System Recovery screen will show up. To move around in the menu, use the Volume Up and Down arrow keys.
- Select “Factory Reset” by pressing the power button.
- Press any of the volume buttons again to confirm by choosing “Yes,” then wait for the device to restart.
HTC Android
Follow the steps below to factory reset a locked HTC phone.
- Turn off your device.
- Hold down the Volume Down button, then hold down the Power button.
- When the HTC logo shows up on the screen, let go of all the buttons.
- Press the Volume Down button to choose “Factory reset,” then press the Power button to continue.
| Note: When the factory data reset is done, the device will restart normally. To set up the device, just follow the instructions on the screen. |
How to Reset Android Using Android Device Manager
When an Android phone is locked for a variety of reasons, Android Device Manager is typically used to unlock your Android phone. However, this unlocking device is the best way to your phone which also has the ability to be Run, Locked, and Wiped.
When your phone is lost or dropped, this is strongly advised. You can quickly use the alternatives to escape the predicament after you log in to the Android device manager from a PC.
To clean an Android phone that has been locked using Android Device Manager, follow these steps:
- Start by going to Android Device Manager on your computer or another device.
- Enter your Google login information from the locked Android device now.
- Now a confirmation message with options like Play Sound, Secure Device, and Erase will appear.
- Now select Erase, and all of your data will be removed without any problems. To avoid data loss, you’d better back up your files earlier.
- A message will pop-up to confirm your decision.
- The sidebar messages tell us that the process of Erase is successfully.
Tips
Resetting your Android phone is necessarily needed when it gets slow or does not perform well. Mostly caused by insufficient memory or virus infections. When it is locked and you forgot the password, the methods above are applicable to solve the problem. Good luck!
