Download Article
Explore this Article
methods
1Using Android Device Manager
2Using Samsung Find My Mobile
3Performing a Factory Reset
4Changing the Current Password
+Show 1 more...
-Show less...
Other Sections
Tips and Warnings
Related Articles
References
Written byNicole Levine, MFA
Last Updated: February 22, 2024Tested
Download Article
To change the password on your Samsung Galaxy Note, select “Screen lock” in the Settings app, enter your current password, and then choose a new one. If you've lost the current password, however, the process is a bit more involved. Learn how to reset the password on any Samsung Galaxy Note, with or without the current password.
Method 1
Method 1 of 4:
Using Android Device Manager
Download Article
1
Open https://www.google.com/android/devicemanager in a web browser. If you set up your Galaxy Note to use the Android Device Manager, you can use it to reset your device's lost password.
2
Sign in with your Google account information. Use the username and password you used to set up your Note.
Advertisement
3
Click your Samsung Galaxy Note on the screen. If you don't see your Note listed, the device is not associated with this Google account.
4
Click “Lock.” If you see “Lock & Erase” instead, tap it and follow the prompts to turn on the remote lock feature. Then, select “Lock” when it appears.
5
Enter a new password and click “Lock.” The password you choose here is the one you'll be able to use to get back into your phone.
- Don't worry about entering a Recovery Message in the provided blank.
6
Sign in to your Galaxy Note with the new password. When you try to sign back in to your phone, you'll see a password blank. Entering the new password should unlock your phone.
7
Open the Settings app on your Galaxy Note. Now that you're back in to your phone, you can set a new password.
- See AlsoHow to Recover a Forgotten Password on Samsung GalaxyComment récupérer mon identifiant et mon mot de passe de mon compte Samsung en cas d’oubli ?What can you do if you forgot the PIN, pattern or password of your Galaxy deviceCode PIN oublié : comment débloquer un smartphone Samsung Galaxy sans mot de passe ?
8
Select “Security” from the Settings menu. You may have to scroll down to see it.
9
Tap “Screen lock” and enter the new password once more. Now you'll see the “Choose screen lock” settings screen.
10
Choose a method for locking your Note. Depending on the age of your Note and your version of Android, your lock options may vary.
- None: This removes the password from your device. When you wake your phone's screen, you will not have to enter a password.
- Swipe: The device won't require a password—just a quick swipe to the screen will unlock the device.
- Pattern: This method allows you to unlock your device by dragging your fingers across a series of dots in a specific pattern.
- PIN: Choose this option if you want to unlock the device by entering a 4 (or more) digit PIN into the phone's dialer app.
- Password: Select this option to unlock the device by typing a 4 (or more) character password (using letters and/or numbers) with the on-screen keyboard.
11
Follow the on-screen prompts to lock save your new locking option. Your new password or locking option will take effect immediately.
Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 4:
Using Samsung Find My Mobile
Download Article
1
Open https://findmymobile.samsung.com/ in a web browser. If you set up a Samsung account when you first set up your Galaxy Note, you should be able to reset your lost password using the Samsung Find My Mobile website.[1]
2
Sign in with your Samsung username and password. When you sign in, you should see your device listed under “Registered Device” on the left side of the screen.
3
Select “Unlock my screen.” This link is on the left sidebar under the “Protect my device” heading. After clicking, you'll see an “Unlock” button at the center of the screen.
4
Click “Unlock.” After a few seconds, the website will show a message confirming that your screen is now unlocked.
5
Open the Settings app on your Note. Now that you're back in to your phone, you can set a new password.
6
Select “Security” from the Settings menu. You'll have to scroll down quite a bit to see this option.
7
Tap “Screen lock” and enter the new password once more. Once accepted, you'll see the “Choose screen lock” settings screen.
8
Choose a method for locking your Note. There are several options from which to choose. If you're using an older version of Android, you may not see all of these options.
- None: This removes the password from your device. When you wake your phone's screen, you will not have to enter a password.
- Swipe: This method also won't require a password—just a quick swipe to the screen will unlock the device.
- Pattern: This method allows you to unlock your device by dragging your fingers across a series of dots in a specific pattern.
- PIN: Choose this option if you want to unlock the device by entering a 4 (or more) digit PIN into the phone's dialer app.
- Password: Select this option to unlock the device by typing a 4 (or more) character password (using letters and/or numbers) with the on-screen keyboard.
9
Follow the on-screen prompts to lock save your new locking option. Your new password or locking option will take effect immediately.
Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 4:
Performing a Factory Reset
Download Article
1
Try using another method first. If you don't remember the lock password for your Samsung Galaxy Note, try using the Android Device Manager or Samsung Find My Mobile first. If you still can't get in, you'll need restore it to its original factory settings.
- This method will erase all the data on your phone or tablet except for what is backed up on the SD card.
2
Hold down the power button and select “Power Off.” When the screen goes black, the phone is off.
- The power button is located on the right side of the phone near the top.
3
Boot into the recovery mode by pressing the hardware buttons. The process is slightly different depending your device, but the buttons are in the same place. The Home button is the one beneath the screen, and the volume buttons are on the left edge.
- Note 3, Note 6, Note 7: Simultaneously press and hold the Volume Up, Home and Power buttons. You can let go of the buttons when you see the “Samsung Galaxy Note [version]” screen appear. In a few moments, you will see the “Android System Recovery” screen.
- Note Edge: Press and hold the Volume Up, Home, and Power buttons. When the phone vibrates, release the Power and Home keys (continue holding Volume Up). When you see the “Android System Recovery” screen, let go of Volume Up.[2]
- Note, Note 2, Note 4: Simultaneously hold Volume Up, Volume Down, and the Power button. When you see the Samsung logo, release the Power button (keep holding the volume button). When you see “System Recovery,” release the other buttons.[3]
4
Use the Volume Down button to select “wipe data/factory reset.” On this screen, the volume buttons act as up and down arrows. Use them to select this option.
5
Press the Power button to start a factory reset. When prompted, confirm that you really want to delete all the data on the device by pressing the Power button. The reset will take a few moments to complete.
6
Press the Power key when you see “reboot system now.” The Note will restart. When it comes back up, you'll notice that there's no more password. Follow the on-screen prompts to set up your device like new.
Advertisement
Method 4
Method 4 of 4:
Changing the Current Password
Download Article
1
Access the home screen of your Galaxy Note. Resetting your current password, PIN, or pattern is easy if you still have access to your device. If you no longer have your current password, try another method.
2
Tap the “Settings” in your app drawer. The icon for this app looks like a gray gear. Once tapped, the Settings menu will appear.
3
Select “Security” from the Settings menu. You'll have to scroll down almost all the way to see this option (under the “Personal” heading).
4
Tap “Screen lock.” If your Note is currently protected by a password or PIN, you'll have to enter it when prompted. Once accepted, you'll see the “Choose screen lock” settings screen.
5
Choose a method for locking your Note. There are several options from which to choose. If you're using an older version of Android, you may not see all of these options.
- None: This removes the password from your device. When you wake your phone's screen, you will not have to enter a password.
- Swipe: This method also won't require a password—just a quick swipe to the screen will unlock the device.
- Pattern: This method allows you to unlock your device by dragging your fingers across a series of dots in a specific pattern.
- PIN: Choose this option if you want to unlock the device by entering a 4 (or more) digit PIN into the phone's dialer app.
- Password: Select this option to unlock the device by typing a 4 (or more) character password (using letters and/or numbers) with the on-screen keyboard.
6
Follow the prompts to lock save your new password. The next time you sign in to your device, you'll be prompted to enter the new password, PIN, or pattern.
Advertisement
Common Questions: Resetting Your Galaxy Note Password
How do you reset a locked Galaxy Note 20?
If your Note is locked and you don't know the password, perform a factory reset. Press and hold the Volume Up and Power buttons until the Android Recovery screen appears, then release the buttons. On the Recovery screen, select Wipe data/factory reset and follow the on-screen instructions.
How do I unlock a Samsung Note without losing data?
If you can't remember your lock screen password, you'll need to perform a factory reset to get back into your Galaxy Note. Since most of your data is synced to your Google account by default, you won't have to worry about data loss unless you've disabled syncing and backups.
Does a factory reset remove the lock?
A factory reset lets you create a new password to unlock your phone. However, if the mobile provider added an activation lock to the phone, a factory reset will not remove the activation lock.
Tips
It can be helpful to write your passwords down and store them somewhere safe.
Thanks
Helpful0Not Helpful0
Enable Android Device Manager on your Note so that you can remotely lock, unlock, or erase your device if it's ever lost or stolen.
Thanks
Helpful0Not Helpful0
Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Name
Please provide your name and last initial
Submit
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
Advertisement
You Might Also Like
Advertisement
References
About This Article
Written by:
Nicole Levine, MFA
wikiHow Technology Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA. Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions. This article has been viewed 98,632 times.
How helpful is this?
Co-authors: 5
Updated: February 22, 2024
Views:98,632
Categories: Samsung Galaxy
In other languages
- Send fan mail to authors
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 98,632 times.
Is this article up to date?
Advertisement