How to Unlock a Tablet GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Computers, Laptops & Tablets > Tablets

How to Unlock a Tablet

If you've completely forgotten the password, you might need to reset the device

By Jon Martindale Jon Martindale Writer Jon Martindale has been a feature tech writer for more than 10 years. He's written for publications such as Digital Trends, KitGuru, and ITProPortal. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on June 21, 2022 Reviewed by Jon Fisher Reviewed by Jon Fisher Wichita Technical Institute Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA certified technologist with more than 6 years' experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email

In This Article

Expand Jump to a Section Unlock a Locked Tablet Unlock an Android Without the Pattern Lock Unlock an Android Without the Password Frequently Asked Questions

What to Know

Once set up, Android tablets and iPads can use PINs, fingerprints or your face to unlock the device.Tap the sleep/wake button and enter in PIN, touch fingerprint reader or just look at the camera.
This article will explain the different methods you can use for unlocking your tablet and what you can do to get it working again if you've forgotten the login credentials. These instructions should work on all brands of Android tablets, including Samsung, Huawei, and Google, along with Apple's iPads.

How Do You Unlock a Locked Tablet

There are four key ways to lock a tablet: Pattern: You selected a pattern drawn by swiping between a grid of nine on-screen dots. To unlock the tablet, you'll need to swipe the same pattern.PIN: A pincode is a string of four or more numbers. To unlock a tablet with a pin, you'll need to select the same numbers in the same order they were when the tablet was originally set up.Password (Passcode on iPad): Instead of numbers, a password can contain four or more letters or numbers. This could be a memorable word, date, place, or person. To unlock a tablet with a password, you need to input the same password used to set up the device.Biometrics: Some tablets offer finger print or face recognition logins. To unlock the device, you'll need to use the same finger in the same orientation as it was when added, or show the same face as the person who set up the device. To be able to unlock the tablet, you'll need to use the method used when setting up the device.

How Do I Unlock My Android Tablet If I Forgot the Pattern Lock

If you have forgotten the pattern to unlock your Android tablet, your first port of call should be to try everything you can to remember it. If you have written it down somewhere, try to find it. If you really can't remember the pattern on a Samsung tablet, you can use Samsung's Find My Mobile website, but you'll need to know your Samsung account details to login there. Some older Android tablets can use password recovery functions, but if your tablet is only a few generations old, you'll have to factory reset it.

How Do You Unlock a Tablet Without the Password

There is no effective way to unlock a tablet without a password. There are some third-party applications which purport to offer that ability, but you should treat any such claims with extreme caution as you risk giving access to your data to the software's developers. Without the pattern or password, you'll need to factory reset the Android tablet. When it's set back up again, you could always consider turning off Android's lock screen feature to avoid any problems like this again, but doing so is a severe security risk. FAQ Can you unlock an iPad without the password? Unfortunately, if you've forgotten the password for an iPad, your only option is to perform a factory reset. This process wipes all the data from the iPad and returns it to an out-of-box state. Ideally, you've been backing up your iPad to iCloud, but if not, once your iPad is reset, start a back-up routine. How do I unlock an Amazon Fire tablet? Typically, you unlock an Amazon Fire tablet by swiping up on the screen while the device is powered on. You can also go to Settings > Security & Privacy and set up a passcode to secure it a little more. If you forget the passcode, you may be able to reset it with the credentials of the Amazon account you've linked to the tablet; otherwise, you'll have to do a factory reset. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Unlock an Amazon Fire Tablet How to Unlock Google Pixel Without Password How to Get Rid of a Virus on an Android Tablet How to Use an Amazon Fire Tablet Remotely Reset Android Lock Screen Password and PIN How to Unlock a Phone From Any Carrier What to Do When You Can't Remember Your Tablet's Password How to Change the Notes Password on an iPhone How to Fix It When a Tablet Won't Charge How to Fix It When a Tablet Won't Turn On How to Unlock a Samsung Galaxy Watch How to Fix Wi-Fi Authentication Problems on Android How to Lock the Screen on an Amazon Fire Tablet D-Link DIR-600 Default Password How to Use Lockdown Mode on Any Android Phone Linksys E4200 default password Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies