How to Reset Android Phone When Locked: A Full Guide

Settings app is not the only way to reset your Android phone to its factory settings. If you forgot the password and are locked out of it, you still have options to factory reset the Android. Here's how.

You're locked out of an Android phone and need to reset it. Maybe you forgot the PIN, pattern, or password; bought a second-hand device with an unknown lock; or the screen is unresponsive and you can't reach Settings.

This article explains how to reset your Android phone when locked. It prioritizes official, account-based methods: using Find My Device (remote erase), Recovery Mode (button-based factory reset), vendor repair/update tools, and computer-assisted methods.

To unlock your phone quickly, check out Higospot Android Unlocker.

Table of Contents

• Remote reset via Find Hub (Google's remote erase)
• Reset via the dedicated third-party tool - fast
• Reset Android via recovery mode
• Manufacturer-specific unlock tools

What happens when you factory reset locked Android?

Resetting an Android phone that is locked (also referred to as a hard reset or a formatting) will restore the device to its original state and remove the lock.

Please be aware that when you perform a factory reset on a locked Android phone, it also erases all personal data, email account, installed apps, and settings. And it can trigger FRP (factory reset protection) tied to the original Google account, which means a wiped device usually still requires the original Google credentials to finish setup.

This article gives a comprehensive guide to factory-resetting locked Android phone and the steps to restore data afterward.

Before resetting a locked Android device

A process of factory-resetting Android phone when locked will results in data loss and return the device to the factory state. Therefore, there are essential checks and preparations you will need to do.

• Verify device ownership and credentials. Confirm that you know the Google Account email and password previously used on the device — you will likely need them to reactivate the phone after a reset because Factory Reset Protection ties the device to that account. If you have forgotten your password, you may recover it via Google Account recovery page.
• Back up data if you can access the phone. If the device is still partially usable, upload your contacts, photos, and important files to cloud storage or save to a computer. resetting Android device that's locked removes accounts, apps, and local files. After the reset, backups let you restore the device to its pre-reset state and recover data.
• Charge and connect. Ensure the battery is above 50% or keep the phone plugged in. Some factory reset processes and reinstallation tools can take an hour or more
• Note model-specific quirks. Reset and Recovery Mode key combinations vary by manufacturer and model; check the manufacturer's support page if possible.

Related: How to reset iPhone when locked

How to factory reset Android phone when locked out

The reset procedure may vary by device model, Android version, and whether the phone is online. Here's how to do.

Remote reset via Find Hub (Google's remote erase)

When your Android phone is powered on, connected to the Internet, signed into your Google Account, and has Find My Device enabled and location visibility on, you can reset it remotely through Google Find Hub service. You will need a computer browser to access the Find My Device webpage, or use another Android device with Find Hub app installed to reset the locked Android phone.

If everything is okay, follow these steps to reset a locked Android phone remotely:

1. On a PC, go to android.com/find and sign in with the same Google Account used on the locked phone. Or visit the dedicated Find Hub app on another mobile.

2. Select the locked device you want to factory reset from the list; if it's online and reachable, you'll see options such as Play Sound, Secure Device, and Factory reset device.

3. Select Factory reset device in the left-hand sidebar.

4. If prompted, enter your Google account to confirm, and then click Reset.

When the phone next connects to the Internet, it receives the erase command and restores to factory state it originally shipped with.

Remote erase is ideal if you can't access the phone physically and want a secure factory reset without visiting a repair shop. It removes data remotely and permanently but will disable Find My Device after the reset; you'll still need the original Google credentials to reactivate FRP if present

Reset via the dedicated third-party tool

It doesn't matter if you phone is offline or doesn't shown in device list in Google Find Hub service. There are a lot of third-party reset tools available to choose from, our favorite is a reputable tool named Higospot Android Unlocker. As the name implies, it is primarily designed for Android users to unlock their phones and tablets when locked out due to a forgotten PIN, pattern or password; a non-responsive screen, or any other glitch that stops you from unlocking the device. The tool supports lock removal for a wide selection of Android devices, ranging from Samsung, Motorola, to Xiaomi.

Additionally, the tool comes with feature to remove FRP lock quickly with a few clicks. This would be helpful for those who have forgotten the original Google or Samsung account credentials to reactivate the device after the reset.

Win Download

To factory reset a locked Android phone, first of all, download and install the Android Unlocker on your PC. Then do the following:

Step 1. Launch the tool, and select Remove Screen Password from the main interface.

Step 2. Select the correct brand (Samsung, Pixel, Motorola Xiaomi, Huawei, etc.) that matches your device.

Step 3. Connect your Android device that's locked to the computer using a USB cable. If the tool doesn't detect it, click the "The device is connected but cannot be recognized?" prompt to fix it.

Step 4. Press Remove Now. The tool will automatically begin removing the screen lock and resetting the locked phone.

The reset process typically takes a few minutes. Once done, your device will reboot without a lock screen and with factory settings restored.

The left thing to do is follow the onscreen instructions to set up your Android phone and restore your data that has been backed up with Google account beforehand.

Related: How to unlock Motorola forgot password

Reset Android via recovery mode

Recovery Mode, an on-device reset without signing in, is the universal fallback for resetting a locked Android device. It is worth mentioning that depending on the type of device and manufacturer, you may be able to use different buttons combination to enter recovery mode in order to reset your Android phone.

Generic Recovery Mode steps (common for many Android phones):

1. Power off the device completely.

2. Optional: Samsung phone needs to be connected with a computer.

3. Use the model-specific key combination to boot into bootloader or recovery (typical combos are Volume Up + Power, Volume Down + Power, or Volume Up + Bixby + Power on some Samsung devices). Release keys when the boot menu appears.

Pixel devices, Samsung, OnePlus, and other manufacturers have distinct boot sequences; consult the manufacturer page for exact key combos when in doubt.

4. Use Volume keys to highlight Recovery Mode and press Power to select.

5. Navigate to Wipe data /factory reset using Volume keys and confirm with Power.

6. Choose Factory data reset to confirm. The factory reset will begin. 

7. When the reset is complete, you should see "Data wipe complete" appear at the bottom of the screen, choose Reboot system now.

The phone restarts to the setup screen and will require sign-in with the original Google account if FRP is active.

Related: How to boot iPhone into recovery mode

Manufacturer-specific unlock tools

Some manufacturers (like Samsung Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo) provide recovery tools or vendor-specific services that can help factory reset an Android phone that is locked if you registered the device with the manufacturer's account.

We'll use a Samsung phone as an example to explain how to remote reset the locked device via Samsung account.

1. Open a web browser, log in to SmartThings Find webpage with your Samsung credentials.

2. From a list of registered devices, select the phone that's locked.

3. Click Erase Data. This option performs a remote factory reset. It will remove all personal data, delete apps and settings, and restore the device to factory condition.

4. You'll be asked to confirm the reset.

The device will reboot and begin the factory reset process. The phone returns to factory settings; it remains on the same Android version unless a reinstall is performed.

For Xiaomi/ Redmi/ POCO users, please head to https://i.mi.com/, sign in and find your locked phone, and reset it; Huawei official has its remote erase service through https://cloud.huawei.com/.

How to restore data from backup

When you're resetting the locked Android phone, it returns to its factory settings. You will want to recover your data and settings from a recent backup. Here's how to restore your device from backup with Google account.

1. Turn on the reset phone.

2. Connect to Wi-Fi.

3. Sign in to the Google account that was used for the backup

4. When prompted to copy apps and data, choose to restore from a Google backup.

5. Select the specific data you want to restore, such as apps, call history, SMS messages, and settings.

6. Tap Restore and wait for the process to complete.

The steps for restoring data after a reset may vary slightly depending on the type of device and version. For detailed instructions, please refer to the manufacturer's support site. 

Related: iPad security lockout

After the reset: setting up securely

After you've reset an Android phone that is locked successfully, go through the initial setup process, sign in with your Google Account during setup to restore what you backed up. If you used Google's automatic backup, much of your data should reappear when you link the account.

You will also want to set a strong lock method (PIN, pattern, or password) and enable Find My Device so you can remote-erase if the device is lost or stolen. And keep Google Account recovery options (secondary email, phone number) up to date to avoid activation headaches later.

If preparing the phone for resale, leave the device at the initial setup screen after a factory reset and confirm your accounts were removed before handing it over.

Conclusion

Resetting Android phone when locked s achievable through several paths: remote erase with Find Hub, Recovery Mode factory reset, or manufacturer unlock tools. You can even use the dedicated third-party utility like the reputable Higospot Android Unlocker to accomplish the task. Always prepare first — confirm Google Account credentials, back up what you can, and keep the device charged.