topic Phone is Locked in Galaxy S21

Phone is Locked

beehome1 — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 18:24:19 GMT

I have a Galaxy S21 and the screen is locked. It requires a password, but I never set this up. How do I get into my phone???? It's the only devise I have to communicate!

Re: Phone is Locked

Pianodude58 — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 19:32:11 GMT

If it's asking for a password then one was set up

Re: Phone is Locked

Mujibar — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 19:35:54 GMT

Is it really your phone?

Re: Phone is Locked

beehome1 — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 19:38:05 GMT

Yes it is my phone. I did change a password on an application but I find it strange that a password has now been set up to even get into my phone.

Re: Re: Phone is Locked

Mujibar — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 19:44:08 GMT

Had to ask. We get a number of people claiming they can't get into a device and it turns out to not be theirs.

The password for the app shouldn't affect the device itself. Does anyone else have physical access to it? Family member or co-worker, perhaps?

Re: Phone is Locked

DogGoneIt1989 — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 20:23:08 GMT

Did you try your Samsung account password?

Re: Phone is Locked

Robin621k — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 21:06:43 GMT

If indeed this your device and somehow your device decided you set up a password when you didn't, the only recourse is factory reset via recovery menu.

You will still need the GMAIL account, Samsung account passwords to get into phone.

Re: Phone is Locked

nullandvoid — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 00:19:21 GMT

What application did you change a password on? Was it the secure folder? I understand to use secure folder you need to set up a screen lock password - perhaps try that password to unlock your phone.

I'm afraid the only way to remove or reset a password is to do a factory reset on your device and then restore your automated backup. You may lose some personal files, if you have any, but your contacts, apps, photos, messages and settings will be intact. You will have to log into the same Google and Samsung accounts that you originally set up your phone with, so I hope you remember those passwords or have them written down somewhere. When you reconfigure your phone, make sure you set up multiple methods of unlocking or, as before, use no security on your phone.

Re: Phone is Locked

Robin621k — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 02:49:07 GMT

We would all like an update to your predicament, did you get into your phone that spontaneously created a password?

Re: Re: Phone is Locked

beehome1 — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 03:48:24 GMT

No, no one else has access to it. And I still have not gotten in yet! This is so madening!

Re: Phone is Locked

beehome1 — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 03:49:32 GMT

Sure did and it didn't work. Thank you!

Re: Phone is Locked

beehome1 — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 03:50:20 GMT

I'm going to do the factory reset. When I do this, will it delete Google Chat?

Re: Phone is Locked

beehome1 — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 03:51:11 GMT

I'm going to try a factory reset as nothing else is working. I'll let you know as soon as I do it!

Re: Re: Phone is Locked

Robin621k — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 03:56:14 GMT

All of your Google Messages, yes. If you don't have them backed up.

Re: Phone is Locked

nullandvoid — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 15:31:10 GMT

It should not. Except, perhaps, very old ones that are not still contained on your carrier's server. However, messages are backed up to the Samsung cloud with the auto backup. It doesn't matter which message app you use, the messages are backed up in the nightly backup. However, you might want to download SMS backup and restore before you reset and back up your chats - just in case.