How to Unlock a Google-Locked Phone

I bought a phone and its locked. I don’t know the password nor the Google account. How can I open it?

-Quora

Purchasing a second-hand phone or performing a factory reset on a locked device can lead to a Google verification page or an FRP (Factory Reset Protection) lock, blocking access to your phone and Google services without the original email and password.

Quick answer

Yes, you can unlock a Google-locked phone if you know the previously synced Google account, can recover the account, or use a supported FRP bypass method. If you still have the Google account and password, the official free method is the safest choice. If you bought a used phone or cannot verify the previous account after a reset, a PC-based FRP bypass tool like DroidKit can be a practical option for supported Android devices.

Can You Unlock a Phone That’s Google-Locked?

A Google-locked phone occurs when Factory Reset Protection (FRP), an Android security feature, is activated after a factory reset, requiring the original Google account and password to unlock the device. FRP enhances security through screen locks and data encryption and can also be triggered remotely via Google’s Find My Device if your phone is lost. When locked, you’ll see a verification screen stating, “This device was reset. To continue, sign in with a Google Account previously synced on this device.”

Unlocking the phone is simple if you know the original Google account and password. However, if you bought a second-hand phone, forgot the password, or cannot contact the previous owner, you may need another solution to bypass the FRP lock or remove the previously synced Google account from Android.

You can also learn more from this Android FRP bypass guide if you want to compare more FRP lock removal methods for different Android devices.

Which Method Should You Choose?

Before trying any method, check which situation matches your phone. This can help you avoid wasting time on a method that does not fit your case.

Your Situation	Recommended Method	Free?	Best For
You know the previously synced Google account and password	Unlock with Google account	Yes	Official and safest unlock
You forgot the Google password but still own the account	Google Account Recovery	Yes	Users with recovery email or phone number
You bought a used phone and do not know the previous Google account	DroidKit FRP Bypass	Free download available	Supported Android devices locked after reset
You are using a Samsung phone or tablet	Samsung-specific FRP guide or FRP tool	Depends on method	Samsung users stuck on Google verification

How to Unlock Google-locked Phones

Method 1. Unlock Google-locked Phone Without Google Account & Password

If you cannot unlock your Android device, you might erase your locked phone. However, to use your device again, you need your Google Account password.

What if you don’t know the device’s Google account & password? This time, you need a professional FRP bypass tool- iMobie DroidKit, which is an excellent choice for unlocking a Google account after a reset, compatible with various Android phone and tablet models. Supporting both Windows and Mac, DroidKit offers regular updates and works with over 10 Android brands, including Samsung, Xiaomi, and OPPO. It provides tailored bypass solutions for each device model and Android OS (versions 6–15), ensuring seamless access to your device.

For Samsung users, you can also check the Samsung FRP bypass guide for more brand-specific solutions.

What Can You Get after Google Lock Removal:

• Regain full access to your phone immediately.
• Remove the previous Google account from your device.
• Log in to another Google account of yours to enjoy all Google services.
• The whole process is done by yourself and on your computer with the protection of SSL-256 encryption.
• All content on your device will be erased after the Google account is removed successfully.

Steps to Unlock Google-locked phone:

Step 1. Free download and launch the tool on your computer > Choose FRP Bypass.

Step 2. Connect your Google-locked phone > Tap on the Start button > Choose the brand of your Android phone.

Step 3. Choose your device’s brand. Wait for DroidKit to prepare a configuration file for your device and continue.

Step 4. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the corresponding settings > Tap on Reset.

Step 5. After that, DroidKit will start bypassing Google lock. After the bypass process completes, your device will be restarted.

Further Reading: How to Bypass FRP on Samsung >

Method 2. How to Unlock Google Locked Phone with Google Account

If you have access to the Google account and password, follow the tutorial below to unlock your phone for free. You can remove Google account lock for free as below:

Unlock Android Phone with Google Account for Android OS 9.0(Pie):

Step 1. Launch the Settings app on your device and then select Accounts and Backup.

Step 2. In Accounts, find your Google account and then tap Remove Account to disable the FRP.

Unlock Android Phone with Google Account for Android OS 6.0:

Step 1. From Settings, select Accounts > Tap Google.

Step 2. Choose the Google account that you want to remove > Tap More in the top right corner > hit the Remove Account option.

Method 3. Unlock Google-locked phone by Google Account Recovery

If you don’t remember your original Google password, you can try resetting it. The most common method is to verify your identity through a text message or phone call sent to the number linked to your account. If that’s not an option, you can use alternatives such as your recovery email or security questions. Just make sure you still have access to these recovery methods; otherwise, the reset process won’t work.

Option 1. Find the Password via Recovery Email

If the recovery email associated with the account is available, action the following to prove ownership:

1. Go to the Google Account Recovery page and choose the Forget email option.

2. On the next page, enter the recovery email address associated with the Google account, then tap send for a one-time code to that address.

3. Log in to your recovery email and check for the verification code. After inputting the six-digit code, you will be prompted to change a new password.

Option 2. Find the Password by Offering Answers to Secret Questions

When you fail to verify ownership via recovery email, hit the “Try a different question” option at the bottom to answer secret questions. If you correctly select the “Year” and “Month” when the original account was created, you get a chance to set up a new password.

What If You Still Can’t Unlock the Google-Locked Phone?

If the methods above do not work, check the possible reasons below:

Problem	Possible Reason	What to Try Next
You entered your Google account but the phone still asks for verification	The account is not the one previously synced on this device	Try another Google account that was used on the phone before reset
You reset the Google password but cannot sign in immediately	Google may require a waiting period after password reset	Wait and try again later with the recovered account
You bought a used phone and cannot contact the previous owner	The phone is still protected by the previous Google account	Use a supported FRP bypass method or ask the seller to remove the account
Manual FRP methods do not work	Your Android version or security patch may block old methods	Try a PC-based option or compare Android phone unlocking software

For security reasons, FRP is designed to prevent unauthorized access. You should only unlock a phone you own or have permission to use.

FAQs about Google-Locked Phone

Q1: Can I unlock a Google-locked phone for free?

Yes, but only in certain situations. If you know the previously synced Google account and password, you can unlock the phone for free during setup. If you forgot the password, Google Account Recovery is also free, but it requires access to recovery information such as your phone number or recovery email.

Q2: How to Remove Google Account from Phone after Factory Reset?

If you remember the previous Google account and password, you can follow the steps below to remove the previous Google account after the factory reset:

• On the setup screen after resetting the phone, connect to Wi-Fi.
• When prompted, enter the Google account email and password that was previously synced to the phone.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.
• Once inside the phone, you can remove the account via: Settings > Accounts > Google > Select the account > Remove Account.

However, if you don’t have the previous Google account credentials, don’t worry, iMobie DroidKit FRP bypass tool can help you bypass Google account verification to regain access to your Android.

Q3: How to Remove Google Smart Lock on a Phone?

You can follow the steps to turn off Google Smart Lock on Android:

• On your Android device, open “Settings” and then go to “Security and Privacy”.
• Select the “More Security Settings” option.
• In the next screen, choose the “Trust agents” option.
• Toggle the slider to turn off the “Extend Unlock” option.

The Bottom Line

That’s all about how to unlock a Google-locked phone with or without a Google account. If you know the previously synced Google account, the official sign-in method is the safest free option. If you forgot the password, Google Account Recovery is worth trying first.

If you cannot verify the previous Google account after a factory reset, especially on a second-hand phone, iMobie DroidKit can be a practical option to bypass Google lock on supported Android phones and tablets. Free download DroidKit and follow the guided process to regain access to your device.