How to Reset Password on Android (2026 Guide)

Your options for an Android password reset largely depend on which phone you own. If you are locked out and can't remember the lock screen password of your Android phone, your options are pretty limited. However, if you own an Android phone from Samsung or Vivo, you may still have the option to reset the password and recover your Android phone. On that note, let's go ahead and learn how to reset password on Android and whether it's possible or not.

Can You Reset Password on Android Phones?

Let's first understand whether it's possible to reset a forgotten password on Android in 2026. If you have forgotten your screen lock, be it PIN, password or pattern, there is no universal way to reset it without erasing your entire phone.

The old trick where you tapped "Forgot Pattern" and signed in with your Google account straight from the lock screen was removed around Android 5.0 Lollipop, which was a decade ago.

Image Credit: ymgerman / Shutterstock

So what actually works without losing data? Only two things and both come with conditions. Samsung and Vivo phones have their own recovery features that let you reset a forgotten lock using a previous password or security questions. And if you set up biometrics or Extend Unlock (formerly Smart Lock) beforehand, your fingerprint, face or a trusted device can let you in.

Now, what works but erases everything? Samsung's SmartThings Find, Google's Find Hub and factory reset via Recovery Mode works. They erase the entire phone and hand you a working phone again. That said, after a wipe, Factory Reset Protection (FRP) gets triggered and you need to sign in with the last Google account that was earlier signed into the device in order to use the phone.

Reset Password on Samsung Phones (One UI 6.1 or Later)

Of all the Android phones, Samsung phones actually let you reset a forgotten lock password without losing any data. It's a built-in feature called Screen Lock Recovery and it lets you in by entering a previous lock screen password. Here are the steps to follow.

1. Enter the wrong PIN, pattern or password 5 or more times on your Samsung phone.
2. The Forgot PIN link will appear on the screen after multiple failed attempts.
3. Now, tap on Forgot PIN and enter the previous PIN, password or pattern.

Image Credit: Samsung

4. Next, tap on OK and choose a new screen lock type.
5. Finally, set your new lock and tap on Continue. Re-enter the same password/PIN/pattern and tap on OK again and that's it.

Image Credit: Samsung

Now here are some caveats. This only works on One UI 6.1 or later and it can be used once per lock type after you change your lock screen password/PIN/Pattern. Importantly, the previous lock is only stored for 72 hours before it's deleted.

So, Samsung has devised this for those times when you changed the password and immediately forgot it. If you try to change the password after 3 days, you won't be able to take this route. Next, if you enter the incorrect old password 3 times, the feature will shut down automatically. 

Reset a Forgotten Password on Vivo Phones

Vivo offers the same approach and lets you verify a previous password to reset the password. Here are the steps to follow on Funtouch OS 15 and later.

1. Enter the wrong password 5 times on your Vivo phone until the Forgot password option appears.
2. Now, tap on Forgot password and choose Verify old password.
3. Here, enter the previous password. Note that you only get 5 tries before this option disappears.
4. On older Vivo phones, you have to answer security questions to reset the password.
5. Finally, set a new lock screen password on your Android phone.

Image Credit: Vivo

Wipe Android Phones Remotely with Google Find Hub

If none of the above methods worked, your best option is to reset the Android phone remotely via Google's Find Hub (earlier called Find My Device). It will factory reset the phone and erase everything, but will also remove the lock screen password from the Android phone. That said, you will have to sign in with the same Google account after the factory reset process in order to use the device.

1. On another phone or computer, open a web browser and go to android.com/find.
2. Sign in with the Google account linked to your locked Android phone.
3. Now, pick your locked device from the list and choose Factory reset device.
4. Confirm the wipe process and you are done.

Wipe Samsung Phones Remotely with Samsung SmartThings Find

If you own a Samsung phone, but the Forgot Password link is not appearing on your phone, there is no other way but to reset your Samsung phone. You can remotely wipe your Samsung phone using SmartThings Find, the same service that is used to track a lost Samsung phone. Note that this process performs a factory reset and erases everything that is not backed up. You will also need to log in to your Samsung account.

1. On a computer or another phone, open a browser and go to smartthingsfind.samsung.com.
2. Now, sign in with the same Samsung account that is logged into your Samsung phone.
3. Now, choose your device and tap on Erase data and confirm. It will wipe everything on your phone.
4. If the phone is offline, the wipe runs the moment it next connects to the internet.

Note that after the full wipe process, Factory Reset Protection (FRP) will kick in and ask for the Google account that was previously signed in before the phone can be set up again.

Factory Reset Android Phones via Recovery Mode

If the phone has no internet, you can directly factory reset the Android phone using Recovery Mode. It will erase all your data and FRP will kick in afterwards. That said, the password will be removed from the lock screen on your Android phone. Here are the steps to follow.

1. First off, power off the phone completely.
2. Now, hold Volume Up and Power buttons together for a few seconds. You should boot into the Recovery screen.
3. If it doesn't work, hold Volume Down and Power buttons together.
4. Now, use the Volume buttons to move to Wipe data/factory reset and press Power to select it.

5. Next, choose Factory data reset and confirm it. Once it finishes, pick Reboot system now.

And that is how you reset Android password. You might come across desktop tools promising you to unlock your Android phone without any data loss. I would recommend staying away from such tools as they don't work and will result in factory reset, which you can do by yourself. Put simply, there is no legitimate way to bypass a secured lock on a modern and fully patched Android phone without wiping it. Finally, if you own an iPhone, you can follow our guide and reset your iPhone in multiple ways.