How to unlock an Android phone or tablet

The Android operating system can be customized extensively, allowing many options for lock screen security. Also, Android phones are made by various manufacturers who incorporate many different hardware and software security solutions. For these reasons, it can be difficult to identify how a particular model may be unlocked. For most smartphones, you can swipe up after turning on the display to initiate the unlock sequence.

Below are some common security methods used to secure an Android smartphone or tablet.

Pattern lock

Pattern locks display several points arranged in a grid. The user must swipe their finger in a pattern, hitting each point in the specified order without lifting it from the screen. Pattern locks are usually three by three and can use every point in the grid once. Pattern locks employ 8-directions of movement, including up, down, left, right, and diagonal.

Pattern locks are a common default lock screen on Android phones and are accessed by swiping upwards after turning on the screen.

Fingerprint readers

When they were released, fingerprint readers were always on the home button of a smartphone. However, after the popularization of small bezels leading to the removal of home buttons, fingerprint readers were relocated or removed. Fingerprint readers may be on the back of the phone below the camera, on the side embedded in the power button, or beneath touch screen glass.

Most fingerprint readers on Android smartphones can unlock the phone without turning on the display using a button, immediately launching the home screen after being pressed.

Facial and iris scanning

Some phones, especially flagship Samsung phones, incorporate multiple biometrics using iris scanning, facial recognition, or a combination of both. These phones often display an icon resembling a face when it's scanning for the phone's owner, indicating you should bring your camera within view of your face to get it unlocked.