How to Lock Apps on Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra to Protect Your Individual Information

If you are not a fan of having to go through the process of getting through a pattern or password every time you want to use your phone, the good news is that you don’t have to. There are really just a few Apps on your Android device that have sensitive information you don’t want others getting access to. It would really be great if you could lock those apps individually as opposed to locking the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device as a whole.

Well, in light of helping you out, this article will address just how you can lock Apps on your device and not have to type in a code every time you want to use the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device.

Part 1. Why you need to Lock Apps on Android?

Before we get down to the business of locking some of your Apps, let’s look at some of the reasons why you would want to lock certain apps.

• You may simply want better access on your device. Locking certain apps will allow you to easily access the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device and use it without having to remember passwords and patterns.
• If you are a person who is not good at remembering passwords or patterns, simply locking certain apps will help you not get locked out of your entire device which can cause a lot of problems.
• If your device is used by more than one person, locking certain apps will keep the other users out of information you would rather they didn’t access.
• If you have children, you can eliminate the many accidental in-app purchases by locking the apps your children shouldn’t be on.
• Locking apps is also a good way to keep children from content they shouldn’t be accessing.

Part 2. How to Lock Apps in Android

There is always a good reason to Lock Apps on your device and we have two easy and effective methods you can use to do this. Choose the one that you are most comfortable with.

Method One: Using Smart App Protector

Smart App Protector is a freeware that allows you to lock specified applications.

Step 1: Download and Install Smart App Protector from the Google Play Store and Launch it. You may be required to install a helper application for Smart App Protector. This helper will ensure that the many App services running on your device will not be killed by third party apps.

Step 2: The default password 7777 but you can change this in the Password & Pattern Settings.

Step 3: The next step is to add apps to the Smart App Protector. Open the Running Tab on Smart Protector and tap on the “Add” button.

Step 3: Next, select the apps you would like to protect from the pop up list. Tap on the “Add” button once you have chosen your Apps.

Step 4: Now close the app and the Apps chosen will now be password protected.

Method 2: Using Hexlock

Step 1: Download Hexlock from the Google Play Store. Once it is installed, open it. You will be required to enter a pattern or PIN. This is the lock code that you will use every time you open the app.

Step 2: Once the PIN or Password is set, you are now ready to lock apps. You can create multiple lists of Apps to be locked ba_x_sed on your different needs. As an example, we have chosen the Work panel. Tap on “Start Locking Apps” to start.

Step 3: You will see a list of Apps to choose from.  Choose the Apps you wish to lock and then Tap the down arrow in the upper left when you are done.

You can then Swipe to the left to move to other lists such as “Home” and proceed to lock apps in this group as well.

Part 3. 6 Private Apps that you should lock on your Android

There are certain apps that may require to be locked more than others. Of course the choice of which apps you should lock will depend on your own uses and preferences. The following are some of the apps you would like to lock for one reason or another.

1. The Messaging App

This is the application that allows you to send and receive messages. You may want to lock this app if you use your device to send messages of a sensitive nature that you would rather keep private. You may also want to lock this app if your device is used by more than one person and you don’t want other users reading your messages.

2. Email App

Most people use individual email applications such as Yahoo Mail App or Gmail. This is another critical one if you are going to protect your work emails. You may want to lock the email app if your work emails are sensitive in nature and contain information that is not for all individuals.

3. Google Play Services

This is the application that allows you to download and install applications to your device. You may want to lock this one if you are trying to prevent other users from downloading and installing further apps to your device. This is especially valuable if your device is utilized by children.

4. Gallery App

The Gallery app displays all the images on your device. The main reason you may want to lock the Gallery app may be because you have sensitive images that are not suitable for all viewers. Again this is ideal if children make use of your device and you have images that you would rather they didn’t see.

5. Music Pla_x_yer App

This is the Application that you use to play the music on your device. You may want to lock it if you don’t want anyone else making changes to your saved audio files and playlists or don’t want someone listening to your audio files.

6. File Manager App

This is the App that displays all of the files that are saved on your device. It is the ultimate app to lock if you have sensitive information on your device that you would rather not share. Locking this app will ensure that all of the files on your device will remain safe from prying eyes.

Having the ability to lock your Apps is an easy way to keep information out of the limelight. It also allows you to take full control of your device. Try it, it might just be freeing as opposed to locking your entire device.

Still Using Pattern Locks with Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra? Tips, Tricks and Helpful Advice

They have been along for a long, long time now – pattern locks – the easiest of all smartphone locks. You just swipe your finger across to create an easy pattern lock of your choosing and that’s it, it becomes your new screen lock. No more remembering tedious digits! So, why have these easy pattern locks become outdated, and why do people still continue to use them? Let’s take a dive and find out all about pattern locks.

Part I: Things To Know About Pattern Locks

The first cellphone locks were 4-digit number locks. Then came 6-digit codes, and even alphanumeric ones. Pattern locks were all the rage a while ago. Though pattern locks continue to be used, they are not considered safe to use any longer. What is all that about? Here’s what you need to know about pattern locks, whether you are a seasoned pattern lock user or not.

I.I: What Are Pattern Locks?

Believe it or not, technology has advanced at such a rapid pace in the last two decades that you’d be forgiven if you don’t know what a pattern lock is, especially if you have only ever used iPhones, or Android phones in just the last few years.

Pattern locks are patterns you create on your smartphone and designate as a smartphone lock/ screen lock. There is a 9-point keypad of sorts, and you start swiping your finger from any point to any point for any which way you feel like. Android 13 allows a minimum of 4 points registered. They are easy to create, and easy to use, hence called easy pattern locks.

Pattern locks have only ever been offered on Android devices and were commonplace a few years ago until they were deemed not secure enough for use by modern standards because they were easy to figure out by malicious actors.

I.II: Popularity and Usage

Pattern lock is a feature unique to Android and has been so since the start. Naturally, it is one of the preferred ways users have come to unlock their Android devices over the years. Even though modern Android smartphones come with fingerprint recognition and face recognition technologies, there exists a large subset of users still addicted to and acclimatized with the pattern lock feature, opting over fingerprint and face recognition.

There has been, however, research conducted into the safety and security offered by pattern lock in Android.

I.III: Advantages and Drawbacks

Modern smartphones very nearly contain the entirety of our lives; photo memories, video memories, important documents both financial and personal in nature, banking apps, ID and ATM/ credit cards in the “wallet” apps, and whatnot. A smartphone falling into the wrong hands could very nearly be used to devastate the rightful owner, both financially and otherwise. And this is not a claim out of thin air; spyware/ malware/ phishing attacks are on the rise around the world. Locking the smartphone, once considered optional and an unnecessary hassle, is now an absolute must.

Advantages of Pattern Locks

There is no denying that using an easy pattern lock to lock their smartphone seems enough for most users. Swiping your finger across your smartphone to unlock it feels not only cool and futuristic but safer and more secure than remembering and punching in digits. And, for the most part, it is true, given that 4-digit PINs can only have 10,000 unique combinations!

Disadvantages of Pattern Locks

While very easy to use, security researchers and experts have come to agree that the feature is not in the least safe to use, and that is because of how people use the pattern lock feature (discussed in detail below in part II). Some go so far as to say that most pattern locks can be breached in just 5 attempts or less. Imagine that!

What is more, research has found that humans have an uncanny ability to correctly guess a pattern lock simply by viewing the unlocking! The test comprised showing the test subjects videos of users unlocking their phones from different angles and varying distances, and it was found that around 64% of test subjects were able to correctly guess a 6-point pattern lock in one viewing only, and 80% could correctly guess the pattern after just two viewings. By contrast, only 11% were able to correctly deduce a 6-digit PIN after one viewing, and only 27% after viewing twice. This goes to show just how insecure pattern locks are!

Part II: How People Use Pattern Locks

We might wonder how anyone would be able to guess the correct pattern of our device, but believe it or not, it is possible, eerily easily at that! We are all the same humans, after all! You know how people usually set PINs that could be significant dates in their lives? How they get car registration numbers that mean something to them? The same ‘logic’ applies to their setting pattern locks.

At DEFCON 23, Marte Loge, an M.Sc. Computer Science student, presented something that stunned people around the world. She said, “Tell me who you are, and I will tell you your lock pattern.” What followed was an expert presentation outlining and detailing user behaviors around pattern locks.

These are some commonly created pattern locks by people:

• - shapes of alphabets,
• - shapes of numerals,
• - any other easy-to-make, simple shape.

Marte Loge presented the image below, showing how people naturally gravitate towards creating simple shape patterns, in her research.

To further help you see how easy it might be for anyone to guess your pattern, Marte Loge also presented some statistics.

• - 77% of people started their patterns in one of the 4 corners.
• - 44% of Loge’s subjects started their pattern with the first dot, the top-left one. The next number was 15% for the top-right and 14% for the bottom-left.
• - These percentages did not vary much depending on left-handedness or right-handedness.
• - On average, irrespective of gender, people set 5-point patterns, with 4-point patterns being the most common. This means that the number of combinations on average was 7152 for 5-point patterns and a bogglingly low 1624 for 4-point patterns.

The above data makes it amply clear how using an easy pattern lock is actually worse than using a 4-digit PIN, simply because how people are usually using the pattern lock feature.

Part III: Tips For Using More Secure Pattern Locks

Now, we know how hard it is to break habits cemented over years of use, so in case you must at all costs use a pattern lock only, the least you can do is try and change your easy pattern lock to a better, more secure hard pattern lock.

III.I: How to Create More Secure Patterns

Here are some tips to help you create a better, more secure pattern lock for your smartphone.

• - Avoid using any of the corners to start the pattern.
• - Never use your first initial as a pattern.
• - Never use a digit shape as a pattern.
• - You can pass through the same pattern lines multiple times over. This makes it more difficult for someone to guess your pattern correctly.
• - Use all 9 points on the grid while setting the pattern lock! That simple act takes the possible pattern combinations to over 140,000, significantly more than 10,000 for 4-digit PINs, and vastly superior to paltry 1624 for a 4-point easy pattern lock!

III.II: Forgot Your Pattern? Unlock Your Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Without Pattern Lock With Dr.Fone

Supercharged with the information above, you went ahead and changed your easy pattern lock to a hard-to-guess pattern lock. Only problem is, your brain is habituated to that old pattern, and you’ve suddenly forgotten what the new pattern was! Well, worry not; Wondershare Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (Android) will help you unlock your phone without pattern lock !

Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (Android)

The Best Tool to Unlock Your Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra without Pattern Locks!

• Remove all Android screen locks (PIN/pattern/fingerprints/face ID) in minutes.
• Bypass the FRP lock of Samsung without a PIN or Google account.
• Everyone can handle the lock screen without any tech knowledge.
• Provide specific removal solutions to promise good success rate.

4,008,669 people have downloaded it

Download the newest version of Dr.Fone from the Wondershare website and launch the app.

Step 1: Go to Toolbox > Screen Unlock and click Android.

Step 2: Click Unlock Android Screen.

Step 3: You will see a list of supported manufacturers on the next screen. Select yours.

Step 4: Now, follow the onscreen guide to prepare your device for screen unlocking.

After completing the process, when the Next button becomes available, click it.

Your device will be successfully unlocked.

Note that this method wipes all data on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device. There is no way around it. You may be able to unlock select older Samsung devices without data loss. Check this list for those devices.

Closing Words

Pattern locks are outdated and not safe to use an easy pattern lock – there are no two ways about it. As such, our recommendation is to start using a 6-digit PIN along with biometric or face recognition. However, we do understand that sometimes, you simply cannot use biometrics or face recognition. For those instances, we recommend that you use this guide and create a more secure pattern lock for your device. In case you forgot your pattern, there is always Wondershare Dr.Fone – Screen Unlock (Android) to save the day.

How to Unlock Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Bootloader Easily

Do you want to unleash the true power of your smart phone? Do you wish to have complete control over your smart phone? If yes, well, here is the answer; unlock bootloader. For people who are already into the tricks of hacking and rooting smart phones, might be aware of this. But still, there are exciting new developments. Bootloader is a code existing in all operating systems which usually comes pre-locked. So, it is important, if you wish to have a custom ROM installed on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device, or if you wish to have other controls like installing applications which are incompatible, to have the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device bootloader unlocked. But going through with the process of unlocking bootloader and rooting the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device will not help and rather might break the warranty of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device. This definitely calls for a diligent watch on how to unlock HTC bootloader. So, it is imperative as a user to know the process of HTC bootloader unlock. This article serves you with some ways you could follow to unleash the true power of your HTC device. Here’s how you can do it.

Part 1: Why We Want to Unlock HTC Bootloader

For people with HTC device, unlocking bootloader would mean complete authority over the smart phone and you have all the power to control the HTC device by all means. Since, bootloader usually comes pre-locked, unlocking the bootloader is the initial step if you would like to have a custom ROM installed in your device. There are various advantages of HTC unlock starting from gaining rights of control to installing latest custom ROMs in the phone and installing incompatible applications. Moreover, HTC unlock bootloader could boost the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device speed and battery life and also help in making complete backups of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device. You could also have controls to remove bloatware from the HTC device. So, all in all, while there could be certain side effects, if not done properly, there are various advantages of unlocking HTC bootloader. If the process is carried out properly, the Android device could be the perfect smart phone you would like to have.

Part 2: How to Unlock Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Bootloader

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is the flagship device of HTC by all means. With a world of features and offerings, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra truly is a beast. While the phone is very powerful without any modifications, the true potential is yet to be seen and that can only be done if the bootloader is unlocked. So, to have a complete control over the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device, it is important to unlock the bootloader and the process has to be carried out diligently. One of the initial things that needs to be ensured is that the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device is fully charged or atleast 80% mark. Make sure you have the fastboot drivers for the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device configured on the windows machine and the Android SDK. Here are some of the steps which can be followed to unlock bootloader.

Step 1: It is always very important to keep the phone data backed up and more so when you are planning to unlock the bootloader.

As one of the initial measures, backup the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device completely as bootloader unlocking process will wipe all the data off. So, backup all the data like photos, contacts, multimedia files, documents, etc.

Step 2: Go to htcdev.com/bootloader. Ensure that you are registered with HTC and once the sign up is done, log in to HTC dev.

Now, ensure that HTC Sync Manager is installed on the PC.

Step 3: From the bootloader page, select your device using the drop down option as shown in the picture below.

After selecting the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device, click on “Begin Unlock Bootloader”, and then confirm all the dialogue boxes which come your way on screen.

Step 4: Now, you will be presented with four steps to put the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device in bootloader mode. Disconnect the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device from the PC and turn the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device off completely. Press the volume down button along with the power button to switch the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device on in bootloader mode.

Step 5: Use the volume keys of the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device to select Fastboot option along with pressing power button to confirm, after the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device is in bootloader mode. Now, connect the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device to the computer using a USB cable.

Step 6: Go to Fastboot folder on the PC and holding down the shift key, click on any empty space followed by a click on “Open command window here”.

Step 7: In the command prompt window, type “fastboot devices” and press enter. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra will show up in the command prompt.

Note: The drivers have to be installed correctly to see the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device in the command prompt. So, if the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device does not show up, reinstall HTC Sync Manager and try again after restarting the computer.

Step 8: On HTC Dev’s website third page, click on “proceed to Step 9”. Follow the steps listed and then click on submit. The unlock token code for the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device will be mailed by HTC. Download the token and name it “Unlock_code.bin” and place the token in the fastboot folder.

Step 9: Now, in the command prompt window, type the following:

fastboot flash unlocktoken Unlock_code.bin

Step 10: On the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra , one message will appear asking if you want to unlock the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device bootloader.

Use volume keys to select and power button to confirm. Once this is done, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra device will restart once and it’s done. The device is now bootloader unlocked.