Locked out of your Android phone?
Reset your Android phone and now it’s stuck on “Verify your account” or “This device was reset”? You’ve met Google’s Factory Reset Protection. It’s frustrating, but it’s usually fixable. Here’s what’s happening and what you can try.
On an iPhone
- On the “iPhone Locked to Owner” or Activation Lock screen, tap the small ⓘ button. The IMEI is shown there.
- Or pull out the SIM tray. On most iPhones the IMEI is printed on it in tiny writing.
- Or look on the barcode sticker on the box it came in.
On an Android phone
- Tap Emergency call on the lock screen and type *#06#. On most phones the IMEI pops up straight away. Nothing is actually dialled.
- Or look on the sticker under the battery or on the back of the phone.
- Or check the barcode sticker on the original box.
What’s going on
Every Android phone with a Google account on it quietly switches on a protection called Factory Reset Protection. If the phone is reset, it won’t finish setting up until someone signs in with the Google account that was on it before.
That’s brilliant if your phone is stolen. It’s much less brilliant when it’s your own phone and you can’t remember which Gmail address you used, or you’ve been handed down a phone that still has someone else’s account on it.
Things worth trying first
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1
Recover the Google account
On another phone or computer, go to g.co/recover. Google will help you find the account and reset its password using your phone number or a backup email.
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2
Wait 72 hours after a password change
If you changed your Google password just before the reset, the phone may not accept the new one for three days. Give it time, then try again.
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3
Ask whoever had the phone before you
They can remove the phone from their Google account’s device list, or simply sign in on the phone for you.
Still stuck? Let us take a look
Our diagnosis checks your phone’s records to confirm exactly what’s holding it: the Google lock, a Samsung account lock, a network lock or something else entirely. It also checks whether the phone has been reported lost or stolen.
Then we’ll tell you, in plain words, what can be done. If we can remove the lock for you, you’ll see the price and every step involved before you agree to anything.
Common questions
Why is my phone asking for an old Google account?
Because of Factory Reset Protection. Once a Google account has been added to an Android phone, a reset doesn’t remove it. The phone asks for that same account again to prove the person setting it up is allowed to.
I changed my Google password recently. Is that the problem?
It could be. After a password change, some phones refuse to accept the new password for up to 72 hours after a reset. If that’s your situation, waiting three days and trying again can be all it takes.
It’s a Samsung and it wants a Samsung account as well. Is that different?
Yes. Samsung phones can carry a second lock tied to a Samsung account, on top of the Google one. Your diagnosis will tell you which one is holding your phone, since the way out is different for each.
The phone was bought on a payment plan. Does that matter?
It might. Some phones sold on finance carry a lock from the lender that switches on if payments stop. That isn’t something anyone should remove for you, and if the diagnosis finds one, we’ll tell you who to contact instead.
Will I lose what was on the phone?
If the phone has already been reset, the contents are already gone, unless they were backed up to your Google account. Getting past the lock gives you a working phone, but it can’t bring back old data.
Let’s find out what’s locking your Android
Start with the IMEI. We’ll do the checking and explain everything we find.
Check my phone