Methods to Bypass Android Lock Protection
Mobile phones and tablets can contain a lot of private data or sensitive information the user would not want to fall into the wrong hands. Unfortunately, it might happen if the device is not protected. No doubt some users do not think anyone would ever try to gain access to their phones or believe the lock screen can fully protect their privacy. The truth is, having a password or unique pattern may not be enough. Therefore, in this blog post, we will talk about how it is possible to bypass Android lock screen and how likely it is someone could successfully unlock your device while using the methods we will describe. What's more, at the end of the article, we will discuss what to do to make sure your device and privacy are protected.
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How to bypass Android lock screen?
It appears there are several ways to access one's phone without having to guess its password or pattern. However, all of these methods require particular conditions, so their success is not guaranteed.
As you might be aware, users who lose their Android devices can track them using Find My Phone. The feature even allows wiping the device to prevent strangers from obtaining the owner's private information. On the other hand, this could also make it easier for someone to access it. Fortunately, you can use the described services only by logging in to your Google account, which means people who have no access would be unable to wipe your Android phone or tablet to gain control over it.
What if your device is protected not with an Android password, but with a pattern? After failing to guess it, hackers could click the Forgot Pattern option displayed after 30 seconds when failing to unlock the phone in 5 attempts. Again, the feature would ask to login to the user's Google account, which means if the people who might try to get access to your device do not have such information they would be unable to change your created pattern. In fact, even a factory reset may require to login to the owner's Google account if the phone was released in 2016 or later as it is the year when Android phones got an anti-theft feature named Factory Reset Protection. On the other hand, if the phone or tablet was made in 2015 or earlier, a factory reset could grant someone access to such a device. The good news is this feature allows you to wipe the device.
Next group of methods does not require providing the phone owner's Google account password. For instance, Android password or pattern can be bypassed by booting the phone into Safe Mode. It works if the lock screen application is a third-party tool. Booting into Safe Mode will disable the third-party lock screen application. Afterward, all someone needs to do, to gain access, is uninstall the screen lock application and restart the device. Moreover, if the device is encrypted and has Android 5.0-5.1.1, it is possible to crash the lock screen. It appears all one needs to do is tap the Emergency call option on the screen, type random characters and then copy-paste them until the field is filled. Then, the one trying to bypass the lock screen would have to go to Settings and fill the box for entering the password with random characters until the lock screen crashes.
Does this mean picking a strong Android password is not essential anymore?
As you see in many cases, strangers can get into phones or tablets only by having some additional information like your Google account's login credentials. It means that while it is possible to bypass Android lock screen, it is not a particularly easy task. Therefore, there is no doubt having a complex Android password is still vital if you want to protect your device. All of the listed ways to access device without Android password or pattern might not work for your device, which means the only way to get in would be to guess the passcode or pattern. Consequently, we would recommend picking strong and unique passwords. A secure password should be as long as possible, as the more characters you use, the more combinations there are to try. Also, it is advisable not to use any words describing you, like your name, your favorite vacation place, or any other information that could be obtained from your social media profile.
How to protect your Android device?
First of all, you should always keep an eye on your phone or tablet. In other words, if no one can obtain the device, they will not be able to try any of the listed methods to bypass the Android lock screen. Still, even the most cautious person could lose a phone, or it could be stolen from him. At first, you could try to find it by using the earlier mentioned Find My device service. It allows the user to track, lock, and even wipe the device remotely. Thus, in case there is no hope to get the device back you could at least make sure no one will be able to misuse the information available on it. As we said earlier, the situation might change if thieves obtain both the device and your Google account's login credentials as several of the methods for bypassing the Android password depend on having such data. This is one of the many reasons why it is so crucial to secure your Google account.
In conclusion, while there is a chance someone could get access to your device, it is quite unlikely if you take extra precautions we mentioned in the blog post as well as pick a nearly impossible to guess passcode or pattern for unlocking the device's screen.
