Tutorial  Updated

How to unlock an android phone which you don't know the password / have family link / FRP Without any requirements [No Root]

(Only tested on motorola phones so this probably wouldn't work with other brands/versions (Let me know))

These steps are for android 11/12.
*I'll soon try to help someone unlock a Samsung phone that they bought from someone that stealed it, so compatibility may get larger soon.

But the cases are:
  • You forgot your password
  • Have Family Link
  • Says that you need to connect to your google account (SKIP TO STEP 2)
  • You (accidentally?) bought a stealed phone
Personally, i had a phone that had a google account with family link and a password.

What you need :
Nothing except the phone! (Not even rooted, unlocked or anything like that)

Step 1: Formatting the phone
You should keep in mind that this step will erase everything from your phone.

  1. Reboot your phone, hold the volume down button until you see the fastboot menu.
  2. Scroll with the volume buttons until you see "recovery menu" and press the power button to access the recovery menu.
  3. This step can vary over phones, just tell me your phone model if it doesn't work and I'll tell you the keys.
  4. Hold the power button and volume down button together, then while still holding, press volume up. You should see a list of recovery options. With the same way as fastboot, scroll to Wipe data / Factory reset , then follow the instructions to wipe "your" phone.
Now the phone reset, you can try opening it normally, it could work normally, or ask you to login with a previously used google account.
If this is your phone you should know it and everything should be fine. But if you are in the family link problem or got someone else's phone, then let's go to the next step.

Step 2 : Bypassing Google lock
  1. If you have android 12, go do right now the Android 12 bonus steps written at the all bottom of the tutorial.
  2. At the "Hi There" welcome screen, tap "emergency call", tap on emergency information (two times), tap the edit pencil, tap the owner , tap the icon and press "choose an image".
  3. In the files app, press the menu at the left (open from), long press google photos. Tap permissions, contacts then "see all apps with this permission".
  4. Tap the search bar and search for "settings". Search for the settings app. It should be almost at the bottom of the searching results. It may not appear the first time. Then, tap the settings app. Scroll to "Accessibility", Scroll down to accessibility menu and activate the accessibility menu shortcut.
  5. Go back to the settings menu and select "Apps & notifications". Tap on the three dots at the top right and select " show system apps " Tap the app "Android Setup". Force stop it and disable it. There is another Android Setup app too, force stop it. It can't be disabled. Now, do the same thing for the app "Google Play services".
  6. Go all back to the Hi There welcome menu and press start. When it will say "Checking for updates..." go back with the return arrow. At the "choose wifi" screen, open the accessibility menu by swiping two fingers from all down of your screen to up. Press the "Assistant" bubble and enable google play services. Go back and skip wifi setup.
Complete the setup and then the phone is unlocked!

But then, make sure you set up a lockscreen, add a new google account (not a family link one) and then, format the phone again as step 1, because the phone will have a lot of bugs since the setup isn't correctly done.

Then that's it!


Bonus steps for android 12

If you have android 12 , you need to activate talkback (in vision settings) , open google assistant (say "google assistant"), press both volume buttons to disable talkback and type "Google" to the assistant to open google. In google, type "Open settings" to open the settings app.
Now go back to the bypassing google lock instructions and skip to the step 3 at "Scroll to accessibility".
 
Last edited by MXRD4K1LL4,
  • Wow
Reactions: The Real Jdbye

KleinesSinchen

GBAtemp's Backup Reminder + Fearless Testing Sina
Member
GBAtemp Patron
Joined
Mar 28, 2018
Messages
4,411
Trophies
2
XP
14,847
Country
Germany
–– I can't say anything regarding this method – working or not – and on how many devices it might be applicable. The topic a such is aggravating and if your method works, it is a good idea to post it ––

This is an eternal fight of finding/closing some loopholes related to "assistive technology" (accessibility options) included in Android and/or other methods of gaining temporary access to normal operation.
Some sites advise some strange app to be installed in the process which is supposed to remove the flag.

You should have omitted the part "Or how to steal a phone" in the headline. Even if joking, it is a bad idea to advertise illegal activities. Sadly just mentioning "bypass FRP" or similar will automatically trigger some people and bring them to answer: "You are a thief! No support!". For the same reasons – as far as I know – the whole topic is banned from discussion on XDA Developers.

In my opinion the "Google Lock" has done far more damage than good. The following scenarios seem much more likely/numerous than stolen phones (which by the way is only attractive for high end and new devices):
  • "I set up this phone years ago and don't even know my Google account. I didn't know it would ask for credentials after forcefully factory resetting with recovery."
  • "I bought this used phone but can't use it due to Google lock. Seller also doesn't know the account data." (Or seller won't answer anymore)
Most people aren't interested in technical details. When they set up a brand new phone, they are asked to sign in with Google or create a new account and they obey. In the most cases they simply create a new account. People won't even consider that it is possible to set up the phone without providing any data to Google at all (by tapping on a tiny "not now" or "skip" which is more or less hidden).

I witnessed this in live (and couldn't prevent it since I didn't realize what was happening on time). A non tech-savvy person asked me for help setting up his new phone (and transferring data from a still working phone with heavily cracked glass). Besides knowing virtually nothing about Android phones, I agreed and tried my best after gathering some information online.
Then… I asked for the Google credentials (as he is using stuff that relies on Google Play Services). He went away with the phone, rummaged through some paper and came back five minutes later. I thought he found the data. But no: He just created a new Google account while I was five meters away.

Now you will know what happens if this phone is ever forcefully reset.
=========

I don't think FRP is a hurdle for any thief (as it is enforced client side right on the phone). Thieves will know how to bypass this. And even if they couldn't, I am still convinced this will hit more legitimate users than thieves (as far as I know the Apple lock is enforced server side and therefore cannot be bypassed easily, if at all). But this isn't helping a victim. If a phone is stolen, it is gone, no matter if the crook who took it can actually use it.

FRP just contributes to electronic waste.



===========
Despite having smartphones (for learning purposes) I would never trust them. A phone without full access (unlocked bootloader and root) is not trustworthy. The opposite of what manufacturers and banks say.
It doesn't make sense to sign in with Google anyway. Getting rid of all Google apps increases battery running time by several(!) hundred percent.
 

MXRD4K1LL4

Well-Known Member
OP
Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2022
Messages
139
Trophies
0
XP
377
Country
Canada
Bonus steps for android 12

If you have android 12 , you need to activate talkback (in vision settings) , open google assistant (say "google assistant"), press both volume buttons to disable talkback and type "Google" to the assistant to open google. In google, type "Open settings" to open the settings app.
Now go back to the bypassing google lock instructions and skip to the step 3 at "Scroll to accessibility".
I added the instructions for Android 12.:)

I made this fast so it isn't really clear like the other instructions..
 
Last edited by MXRD4K1LL4,

Site & Scene News

Popular threads in this forum

General chit-chat
Help Users
    Sonic Angel Knight @ Sonic Angel Knight: :ninja: