How to Unlock an Android Tablet

This wikiHow teaches how to unlock your Android tablet when you've forgotten the lock screen PIN or pattern.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Unlocking Android 4.4 and Older Tablets

  1. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 1
    1
    Enter an incorrect PIN or pattern 5 times. If you're using a tablet running Android 4.4 or earlier, you can use a built-in bypass mechanism to unlock your tablet. This was removed in Android 5.0 (Lollipop).
    • This method requires that your tablet currently be connected to a wireless network.
  2. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 2
    2
    Tap the Forgot PIN/pattern/password button. If this button doesn't appear after 5 incorrect attempts, your device does not support this method.
    Advertisement
  3. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 3
    3
    Enter your Google address and password. Make sure this is the same Google account that you are signed in with on your tablet.
  4. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 4
    4
    Tap Sign In.
  5. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 5
    5
    Open Gmail on another computer or device. You'll be receiving an email to reset your passcode information.
  6. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 6
    6
    Open the message received from Google. It may be in the Updates tab.
  7. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 7
    7
    Click the link in the email. This will take you to a form to create a new unlock code.
  8. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 8
    8
    Create a new PIN, password, or pattern. This will be your new temporary unlock sequence.
  9. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 9
    9
    Use your new pattern to unlock your device. It may take a few minutes for the tablet to update with the new unlock method.
  10. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 10
    10
    Set a new code. Once you've unlocked the device, set a new code or pattern from the Lock Screen menu in the Settings app.
    11. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Unlocking a Samsung Device

  1. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 11
    1
    Open a web browser on another computer or device. If you have a Samsung tablet that is signed in with your Samsung account, you can use the Find My Mobile online tool to unlock your screen.
  2. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 12
    2
    Visit the Find My Mobile website.
  3. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 13
    3
    Sign in with your Samsung account. You must be signed in on your tablet with a Samsung device, which you were prompted to create when you set up your tablet.
    • If you don't have a Samsung account, you'll need to try one of the other methods in this article.
  4. 4
    Click Unlock my screen. You'll see this on the left side of the Find My Mobile website.
  5. 5
    Click Unlock.
  6. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 16
    6
    Wait for your screen to unlock. It may take several minutes for the unlock signal to reach your tablet.
    7. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Performing a Factory Reset

  1. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 17
    1
    Hold the Power button on the tablet. If you can't unlock your device, your only option is to perform a factory reset. This will remove the passcode, but also erase all of the data on your tablet. You'll be able to restore all of your emails, purchases, app downloads, and settings by logging in again after resetting.
  2. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 18
    2
    Tap Power off. This will turn off your Android.
  3. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 19
    3
    Hold the Volume Down button while the tablet is off. You'll be booting into Recovery Mode. The button combination for entering this mode may vary for your device.
  4. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 20
    4
    Press and hold the Power button while holding the Volume Down button. For many devices, this will boot you into the Recovery Mode launcher.
  5. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 21
    5
    Hold both buttons until the Start menu appears. If the Start menu does not appear and your device boots normally, you may need to use a different button combination to enter Recovery Mode. Search online for "recovery mode" + your Android tablet model.
  6. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 22
    6
    Press Volume Down until Recovery mode appears. The Volume Up and Volume Down buttons will cycle through menu options.
  7. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 23
    7
    Press the Power button to select Recovery mode. The Power button will select the highlighted menu option.
  8. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 24
    8
    Select wipe data/factory reset. Use the Volume Down button to highlight it and the Power button to select it.
  9. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 25
    9
    Select Yes. This will begin the reset process, which will delete all of your data.
  10. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 26
    10
    Wait while your device resets. This may take 20-30 minutes.
  11. Image titled Unlock an Android Tablet Step 27
    11
    Start the new device setup after the reset. After the tablet finishes resetting, you'll be taken through the setup process that you went through when you purchased it. During this process, you'll be able to log in with your Google account and restore your purchases and settings.
    12. Advertisement

Community Q&A

  • Question
    What is the button combo for a factory reset on a Samsung tablet?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    With the device off, press and hold the "Volume Up," "Home" and "Power" buttons. Release the buttons when you see the recovery screen and the Samsung logo. Use the volume buttons to navigate the menu and select "wipe data / factory reset." Press "Home" to choose the highlighted selection.
  • Question
    How do I get past the PIN when I bought a tablet that has a PIN lock?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Press and hold the power key, tap restart (if you need the PIN to shut off the tablet). And as soon as the screen turns completely off (no screen, no backlighting), then press and hold power, turn the volume up and wait till you see the Android utility screen.
  • Question
    How do I factory reset my Android tablet?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Consult Reset an Android Tablet .
Advertisement

You Might Also Like

Hide Apps on Android
How to
Hide Apps on Android
Remove the Emergency Call Button on Android
How to
Remove the Emergency Call Button on Android
Best Tachiyomi Manga ExtensionsHow to Find the 9 Best Manga Extensions for Tachiyomi
Change Number of Rings on Android
How to
Change Number of Rings on Android
Find Your Phone Number on Android
How to
Find Your Phone Number on Android
See if Someone Read Your Text on Android
How to
See if Someone Read Your Text on Android
Disable Parental Controls on Android
How to
Disable Parental Controls on Android
Check the RAM on Android
How to
Check the RAM on Android
Change the Screen Resolution on Your Android
How to
Change the Screen Resolution on Your Android
Connect Android Phone to Computer
How to
Connect Android Phone to Computer
Fix Insufficient Storage Available Error in Android6 Ways to Fix "Insufficient Storage Available" on an Android
Unroot Android
How to
Unroot Android
Access a Shared Folder on Android
How to
Access a Shared Folder on Android
Switch to Portrait or Landscape Mode on Android
How to
Switch to Portrait or Landscape Mode on Android
Advertisement

About This Article

wikiHow Staff
Co-authored by:
wikiHow Staff
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 458,194 times.
How helpful is this?
Co-authors: 12
Updated: September 29, 2022
Views: 458,194
Categories: Android
Advertisement