Forgot Your Phone Password? 6 Ways to Unlock [2023]

If you own a smartphone, you’ve probably forgotten its password at least once! But that’s okay because 78% of Android and iPhone users forget their passwords and have to reset their phones. 

While forgetting your password may seem like a big deal to many, you’d be surprised to know that there are plenty of ways to unlock your Android device, even after you forgot your phone password.

And this article is all about how to unlock an Android phone after forgetting the password.

Further Reading: How to Unlock Android Pattern Lock if Forgotten>>

Are You Sure You Forgot Your Phone Password?

This may seem like a weird question, especially for someone locked out of their phone. But believe me, before putting your device through the procedures of unlocking it, why not rack your brain and see if you remember it?

We know you must’ve already tried it; however, just one last time, try entering all the possible passwords or PINs you usually use. Maybe go and do some chores around the house, come back and pick up your phone, and see which keys you subconsciously press.

If this trick goes in vain, you have most certainly forgotten your Android password. This calls for unlocking your device using the following tried and tested ways.

6 Ways to Unlock Screen Password

While Google has taken its security measures up a notch, you can still unlock your device if you forgot your password. Below, we have discussed 6 foolproof ways to unlock an Android device in case of a forgotten lock screen password. So, let’s get started! 

Way 1: Unlock Android Phone with Lock Removal Tool (Easy&Fast)

The first method we’ll recommend to you is to use a professional Android unlocking tool: DroidKit – Android Phone Toolkit. 

But why DroidKit? Because it is a complete Android tool kit designed to solve several Android-related issues. For example, you can use it to remove the lock screen password, recover data, and repair Android system, etc. And you can learn more about what DroidKit can do for you in Android unlocking below:

• It can unlock all Android screen locks – Including PIN, pattern lock, digit passcode, fingerprint, or other screen locks.
• 20,000+ models of Android phones & tablets supported, including Samsung, LG, Huawei, Google, HTC, etc.
• You can unlock your Android phone with no need to ROOT. No worry about data leaks anymore.
• DroidKit simplifies the difficult unlocking process for everyone. There is no need for technical knowledge.
• DroidKit can also help you recover data with or without backup, fix common system issues, bypass FRP lock, extract data from Google account, and more.

Next, you can get DroidKit for free on your computer, and learn how to unlock any phone password with the simple steps below:

Steps on How to Unlock Android Phone Using DroidKit:

Step 1. Download and install DroidKit on your PC, and click “Screen Unlocker” mode.

Step 2. Connect your Android device to the PC using a USB cable. Click “Start” to continue.

Step 3. DroidKit will detect your device and prepare the configuration file. Click “Remove Now” to continue.

Step 4. Follow the on-screen instructions to put your Android phone in Recovery Mode.

Step 5. After that, DroidKit will start the unlocking process immediately. Wait a minute, you will see Screen Lock Removal Completed page below.

After successfully removing the lock screen, your device will restart, and you can access it without entering any password or PIN. 

Way 2: Unlock Phone with Smart Lock

Another way to unlock your Android device if you’ve forgotten your password is via the Smart Lock feature. However, you must enable this feature on your device to work. Luckily, if your Android phone has the Smart Lock activated, you can easily unlock your device by:

• On-body Detection
  This Smart Lock feature keeps your phone unlocked when carrying it in your pocket or holding it.
• Trusted Places
  This feature unlocks your phone using your location. Your phone will automatically unlock when you’re near or at the trusted place you added to Smart Lock.
• Trusted Face
  The trusted face feature unlocks your phone using facial recognition or Face ID.
• Trusted Devices
  You can unlock your Android phone by connecting it to a trusted device via Bluetooth.
• Voice Recognition
  Smart Lock also helps unlock your device using voice match.

But, as mentioned earlier, you need to have Smart Lock enabled on your device for it to work. And to enable it, you need your Android password, which you have forgotten. Therefore, we’ll move on to the following method.

Way 3: Unlock Android Phone Password via Find My Mobile (All Android Versions)

Not everyone has Smart Lock enabled on their phones. In such a case, you can unlock your Android device using the “Find My Mobile” feature. Samsung launched this feature, but it works on all Android devices and versions. 

However, for this method to work, your Android device, the one you’re locked out of, must be connected to the internet.

• Go to the Find My Mobile website from any PC or device, and log in using your Samsung account.
• You will see your locked device under “My Devices” with a menu on the right.
• Click “Unlock” to remove the screen lock from your device.

• Press “Unlock” again to confirm your selection.

This will unlock and restart your Android device without a password.

Way 4: How to Unlock Android Phone by Using the Forgot PIN Prompt

You can unlock your device using the forgot PIN prompt if you have an older Android phone with version 4.4 Kitkat or earlier. However, Google discontinued this method in the later Android versions.

Here’s what to do:

• Enter the wrong password or pattern several times until you get the “You have made several unsuccessful attempts. Try again in 30 seconds” message.
• Now tap “Forgot Pattern,” after which the device will ask you to enter your Google account information.
• Once you sign in to your Google account, you can change your lock screen password by going to the “Screen Unlock” settings.

Way 5: How to Unlock Android Phone Password via ADB

Another way to unlock your Android phone is via ADB. But, this method is a bit technical and has certain limitations. For instance, it only works if:

• You have enabled “USB Debugging” on your device.
• Your phone is not encrypted.

And there’s no guarantee that it will surely unlock your Android phone. However, there’s no harm in giving it a shot.

Here are the steps for it:

• Use a USB cable to connect your Android device to your PC.
• Open the Command Prompt and type “adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.key.”

• Now reboot your Android phone. When it turns back on, your device will have no lock screen password.

This method temporarily removes the screen lock password; you can set a new pattern or password before rebooting your device.

Way 6: Unlock Android Phone via Factory Reset

The last method on our list is the most common way to unlock an Android phone in case you’ve forgotten the password: The factory reset method. However, as you are locked out of your device, you’ll have to reset it via Recovery Mode.

Here’s how to go about it:

• Press and hold the volume down and power buttons on your Android phone for a few seconds until you feel it vibrate. 
• A system menu will appear on the screen, which means your device has entered Recovery Mode. Use the volume up and down buttons to select the “Wipe Data/Factory Reset” option from the menu.

• Press the power/home button to confirm your selection. 

This will factory reset your Android device; you can access it without a password.

Now that you know all 6 ways to unlock your Android’s locked screen, let us take you through some tips to avoid this issue in the future.

Preventing Android Lockouts in the Future

So, you finally unlocked your Android phone using one of the methods discussed earlier. However, how do you ensure you won’t forget your password or pattern again? 

For this, we have put together some tips to prevent Android lockouts in the future:

1. Write down your lock screen password or pattern on a piece of paper, your PC, or another device. This way, if you forget it again, you can find it and use it to access your device.
2. Keep your device signed in to your Google account, and enable the Smart Unlock and Find My Device features. 
3. Set your device to back up automatically, so you don’t have to worry about losing your data in case of remotely resetting your device. 

The Bottom Line

Getting locked out of your Android device due to a forgotten password is common. However, successfully being able to unlock the device can be tricky business. But, using the 6 methods discussed in this article, you can unlock it in a jiffy without much hassle. 

What’s more, as you can see from the methods above, DroidKit can be your best choice to unlock your Android phone. With DroidKit, you can re-enter your device almost immediately. So, don’t hesitate to give DroidKit a free try now.