You can set up a screen lock to help secure your Android phone or tablet. Each time you turn on your device or wake up the screen, you’ll be asked to unlock your device, usually with a PIN, pattern, or password. On some devices, you can unlock with your fingerprint. Important:
Set or change a screen lock
Important: To ensure your automatic and manual backups are encrypted with your screen lock, use a PIN, pattern, or a password. Learn how to back up or restore data on your phone.
- Open your phone's Settings app.
- Tap Security.
- If you don’t find “Security,” go to your phone manufacturer’s support site for help.
- To pick a kind of screen lock, tap Screen lock.
- If you’ve already set a lock, you’ll need to enter your PIN, pattern, or password before you can pick a different lock.
- Tap the screen lock option you’d like to use. Follow the on-screen instructions.
Screen lock options
No lock
- None: Your phone stays unlocked. This gives no protection, but you can get to your Home screen quickly.
- Swipe: Swipe your finger across your screen. This gives no protection, but you can get to your Home screen quickly.
Standard locks
- Pattern: Draw a simple pattern with your finger.
- PIN: Enter 4 or more numbers. Longer PINs tend to be more secure.
- Password: Enter 4 or more letters or numbers. A strong password is the most secure screen lock option.
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You can keep your Pixel phone unlocked in some situations, like when your phone is in your pocket or connected to another device you use often. When you use Smart Lock, you only need to unlock once with your PIN, pattern, or password. The features you can use depend on your device.
Important:
- Some of these steps work only on Android 10 and up. Learn how to check your Android version.
- Some of these steps require you to touch the screen.
Let your phone stay unlocked
- Make sure you have a screen lock. Learn how to set a screen lock.
- Open your phone's Settings app.
- Tap Security Advanced settingsSmart Lock.
- Enter your PIN, pattern, or password.
- Pick an option and follow the on-screen steps.
When you turn on your screen after you’ve unlocked your phone, a pulsing circle around the Lock
To lock your phone again, touch and hold Lock
Turn off Smart Lock
Learn about locking options
Lock your phone when Smart Lock is on
Manually keep phone locked while automatic unlock is on
- On your phone's lock screen, tap Unlock .
- Your phone will stay locked until the next time that you manually unlock it with your PIN, pattern, password, or fingerprint.
Remotely lock phone with Find My Device
You can remotely lock your phone from another phone, tablet, or computer. Learn how to find, lock, or erase with Find My Device.
Keep your phone unlocked when it's on you
Turn on-body detection on or off
- In the Smart Lock menu, tap On-body detection.
- Turn Use On-body detection on or off.
How on-body detection works
- After you unlock your phone, it stays unlocked as long as it senses that it’s on your body. After you put down your phone, like if you set it on a table, your phone can take up to one minute to automatically lock.
- On some phones, on-body detection learns the pattern of your walk. If it detects a walk that's very different, it could lock your phone. If your phone locks after walking, unlock the phone and it will learn the changes in your walk.
- After you get into a car, bus, train, or other vehicle, your phone can take 5-10 minutes to lock.
Important: When you're on an airplane or boat, your phone could not lock automatically. Make sure to lock manually if needed. Learn how to manually lock your phone.
Important: Your phone stores accelerometer data about the pattern of your walk to help determine when you're carrying your phone. When you turn off on-body detection, your phone deletes this data.
Keep your phone unlocked when it's at a trusted place
Use trusted places
- Let your phone use your current location. Learn how to turn on location.
Tip: Trusted places works best with Wi-Fi.
Important: Your trusted location is an estimate
Your trusted location can go out beyond the walls of your home or custom place. It can keep your phone unlocked within a radius of up to 80 meters.
Location signals can be copied or manipulated. Someone with access to specialized equipment could unlock your phone.
Stop showing notifications on your lock screen
Turn on lockdown
Important: Lockdown will only work until you unlock your phone. If you want keep using lockdown, turn it on each time you want to use it.
- Hold the power button for a couple seconds.
- Tap Lockdown. This turns off notifications, fingerprint or face recognition unlocking, and Smart Lock while on your lock screen.
Keep your device unlocked when connected to a trusted device
Add a trusted Bluetooth device
Important: Make sure you're secure when using trusted Bluetooth devices
It's possible that someone could keep your phone unlocked by imitating your Bluetooth connection.
If you get a notification on your phone: When your phone can't determine that you're using a secure connection, you'll get a notification. You could need to unlock your phone.
Bluetooth connectivity range can vary. Range depends on factors like your phone model, Bluetooth device, and current environment. Bluetooth connectivity can be up to 100 meters. If someone takes your phone while it's near your trusted device, and if your trusted device has unlocked it, that person could access your phone.
Related resources
- Set screen lock
- Unlock with your fingerprint
- Lock phone when it's automatically unlocked
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