Unlock an Android phone if you've forgotten your PIN


There are various ways to unlock your device.
I have described some steps;

Google Find My Device

Google's Find My Device feature is a service that allows you to locate, lock, or erase your Android device remotely in the event that it is lost or stolen. The service uses your device's GPS location to help you track it on a map, and also allows you to display a message on the lock screen, play a sound, or remotely lock or wipe the device to protect your data.

To use Find My Device, you must first ensure that the feature is enabled on your device. You can do this by going to the Google settings app on your device, and then tapping on Security & location, and then Find My Device. Once the feature is enabled, you can access it by going to the Find My Device website (https://www.google.com/android/find), or by using the Find My Device app.

To locate your device, simply sign in with your Google account and you will be able to see its current location on a map. You can then choose to play a sound, lock the device, or erase its data.

Additionally, Google also recently combined "Find My Device" with "Find My Phone" to introduce "Google's Find My" where you can track, secure, and connect to your phone, tablet, and laptop via one single app.

It's a good idea to set it up on your device as soon as you got it, in case of lost/theft. It can also help you locate your device if you misplaced it at home or office.

Check if Smart Lock is enabled

Smart Lock is a feature in Android that allows you to automatically bypass the lock screen on your device when certain conditions are met. These conditions can include being in a specific location (such as your home or office), being connected to a specific Bluetooth device, or even using your voice to unlock the device.

To check if Smart Lock is enabled on your device, you can follow these steps:

Go to the Settings app on your device.

Tap on Security & location.

Tap on Smart Lock.

Enter your device's PIN, pattern, or password to confirm your identity.

On the Smart Lock screen, you will see if any of the Smart Lock options (On-body detection, trusted devices, Trusted face, Trusted places, Voice match) are enabled.

It is worth noting that depending on the device's manufacturer and version of Android it might be on different location and might be called differently, in that case you should check the documentation of your device or look it up on google with your device's name and the term "smart lock"

If Smart Lock is enabled, you'll see a toggle switch next to the specific Smart Lock option that is currently enabled. You can turn off the Smart Lock feature for that option by tapping on the toggle switch to turn it off.

It's a good idea to regularly check on Smart Lock setting and make sure that it's only enabled for trusted devices and location to ensure that your device is secure.

Samsung’s ‘Find My Mobile’ Services

Samsung's Find My Mobile service is similar to Google's Find My Device feature and allows you to locate, lock, or wipe your Samsung device remotely in the event that it is lost or stolen.

To use Find My Mobile, you must first ensure that the feature is enabled on your device. You can do this by going to the Settings app on your device, then Biometrics and security, then Find My Mobile. Once you're in, you need to log in with your Samsung account.

Once the feature is enabled, you can access it by going to the Find My Mobile website (https://findmymobile.samsung.com/) and logging in with your Samsung account.

You can locate your device by checking its location on the map, you can also make the device ring remotely, lock the device, or erase all of its data.

In addition to these basic features, Find My Mobile also allows you to:

view the device's battery level and network status
set up custom PIN or password for the device's lock screen
set up the option to receive notifications when the SIM card is changed.
You can also set up in the "Protection of Personal Information" to prevent the data being seen by a potential thief, like hiding your Gallery, or Samsung pay history or Samsung account Information.

It's a good idea to set up Find My Mobile on your Samsung device as soon as you get it, in case it gets lost or stolen. It can also be helpful if you misplace your device at home or in the office.

The Factory Reset

A factory reset, also known as a hard reset or master reset, is a process of restoring a device to its original manufacturer settings. This means that all data, including installed apps, files, and personal settings, will be deleted from the device.

A factory reset is typically used as a troubleshooting step to fix problems with a device that cannot be resolved through other means. It can also be used to restore the device to a clean state before selling or giving it away.

To perform a factory reset on a Samsung device, you can follow these steps:

Go to the Settings app on your device.

Tap on General Management.

Tap on Reset.

Tap on Factory data reset.

Tap on Reset.

On the next screen, you'll be prompted to confirm that you want to delete all data from your device. Tap on Delete All.

Wait for the device to complete the reset process, which may take several minutes.

Please note that if your device is locked or you can't access the settings, you may still factory reset the device by using hardware button.

As the factory reset erase all the data on your device, before you perform a factory reset, it's important to back up any important files and data that you don't want to lose. You can back up your data to the cloud or an external storage device, depending on your preference.

Also, If you are using a Samsung device that has an Android version higher than 7.0, please note that Factory reset protection (FRP) is enabled by default. This means that after factory reset, the device will require the last Google account used on it before factory resetting it.

Bypassing a non-stock lock screen with Recovery Mode

Recovery mode is a bootable partition on an Android device that allows you to access a recovery menu where you can perform advanced actions such as factory resetting the device, clearing the cache partition, and installing software updates. It's a useful tool for troubleshooting and fixing issues with the device.

In some cases, you may need to bypass a non-stock lock screen, such as a pattern, PIN, or password, in order to access recovery mode. The specific steps to do this may vary depending on the device and the lock screen you are trying to bypass, but here is a general process that you can follow:

Turn off your device by holding down the power button until the power menu appears, then tap Power off.

Press and hold the power button, volume up button, and home button (or the Bixby button if your device has one) at the same time. Keep holding these buttons until you see the recovery mode screen.

Use the volume buttons to navigate through the recovery menu and the power button to select an option.

You should now be able to access the recovery menu and perform the actions that you need.

Please note that If a Factory Reset Protection (FRP) is set on the device, it will still prompt to enter the previous Google account even after the factory reset.

Also, the key combination and the sequence to enter the recovery mode may vary between different devices and manufacturers, So you can check your device's manual, or look it up online with your device name and the term "recovery mode" to make sure you're using the correct key combination.

I, Hope from this article you get more information!