Pattern Locks Are Unsafe: Secure Your Oppo A18 Phone Now with These Tips

Pattern locks have been available for about as long as people can remember, and they have been hugely popular with people thanks to how easy it is to simply swipe your screen and unlock your smartphone, as against, say, keying in the 4-digit PIN/ 6-digit PIN. However, pattern locks are easy to crack, and today, we bring you all you want to know about pattern locks and how to create a hard pattern lock. Further to this, we also tell you how to move beyond pattern locks and what to do in case you forgot the hard pattern lock you just set and are unable to unlock your smartphone.

Part 1: What You Need to Know About Pattern Locks

Pattern lock is an Android-only feature that makes it easy for users to have a modicum of security on their smartphones. Most users do not prefer using and remembering a PIN to unlock the smartphone. Creating a pattern makes it easier, somehow.

There is a 9-point grid on which you swipe your finger from point to point, in any direction, and when you take your finger off, that pattern you swiped becomes the key to unlock your smartphone.

Pattern locks were exceedingly common only a few years ago, and they are not recommended for use any longer due to concerns (mentioned later in the article).

1.1: Popularity and Usage

Old habits die hard, or so they say, right? That’s because it is true. We are creatures of habit, and pattern locks have been around for a long, long time. We are accustomed to pattern locks. So, even with even easier technologies such as fingerprint recognition and face recognition, we tend to gravitate towards the familiar old pattern lock.

The only thing is, there is a reason why pattern locks are no longer the preferred option to use for unlocking your smartphones. As it happens, that reason is security, and it can be very easy for humans to take a swipe (pardon the pun) at your pattern lock. And guess what? The research conducted suggests that they would get it right with an unsettling accuracy.

1.2: Advantages and Drawbacks

With on-the-go lifestyles, our smartphones have become indispensable and contain some of the most sensitive aspects of our lives – IDs, credit and debit cards in digital wallets, photo and video memories, business documents – you name it, the smartphones have it, on the go. This has opened our lives up to the public at large, and if someone steals our smartphone or, best case, finds it, the only barrier preventing them from being privy to all that wealth of our sensitive information is that screen lock – the pattern lock that we set on our smartphones. That’s it – the single pattern lock stands between malicious actors and our data. You might be beginning to realize just how crazy this is.

Advantages of Pattern Locks

There are two advantages to using pattern locks. One, they are better than nothing. Two, they are easy to use. And that’s about it. There is no third advantage to pattern locks. We might think we set a hard pattern lock that nobody could guess, but, as research proves, we might be thinking too low of human prowess.

Disadvantages of Pattern Locks

Security, or rather, the lack of it, is the lone disadvantage of using a pattern lock. What good is a pattern lock that can be easily deciphered? Sure, they are easy to use, and they are better than not having anything, but would you really want to protect your life’s data with something that could be, as researchers found out, breached in under 5 attempts? We don’t think you do!

The research found that 64% of test subjects who were shown videos of people unlocking their phones could correctly guess a 6-point pattern lock, that too after viewing the video only once! That number shot up to 80% if they were allowed to see the video again. That is simply astounding and a nightmare for security. When it comes to PINs, only 11% could guess a 6-digit PIN after viewing the unlocking video once, and that number shot up to 27% when they could see the video two times.

Part 2: How To Create a Hard Pattern Lock (Including Remembering Complex Patterns)

Now, if you must continue using a pattern lock, let’s help you know how to create a hard pattern lock that would not be as easy to decipher as easy pattern locks. For that, you should know how people use pattern locks, the kind of pattern locks they create, and the ones that are the most commonly used pattern locks. That way, you can avoid those fallacies and create a hard pattern lock for your smartphone.

2.1: The Pattern Locks People Use Most Commonly

Marte Loge, an M.Sc. Computer Science student, gave a presentation on pattern locks at DEFCON 23 and made a bold claim. She said, “Tell me who you are, and I will tell you your lock pattern.”

She presented the following statistics to support her claim:

• - In her research, she found that 77% of people started with one of the 4 corners when creating a pattern lock.
• - 44% of people started with the top-left dot and 15% with the top-right, while the bottom-left was preferred by 14% of her test subjects.
• - People set 5-point pattern locks on average, and most users were content with a 4-point pattern.

These are some of the most common pattern locks people create:

• - patterns in the shapes of alphabets,
• - patterns in the shapes of numerals,
• - patterns in any other simple shape, such as square, triangle, star, etc.

To understand how this is a security nightmare, the possible combinations for a 4-point pattern are a measly 1624, whereas by adding just 1 more point to the pattern and creating a 5-point pattern, the number of possible combinations becomes 7152, an increase of 5528 combinations. In stark contrast, creating a 9-point pattern would give you over 140,000 possible combinations!

2.2: How to Create a Hard Pattern Lock

Knowing what most people do when creating a pattern lock, it becomes easy to avoid those mistakes and instead create a hard pattern lock for oneself.

• - Do not start creating a pattern lock from any of the 4 corners of the grid.
• - Never use your first initial as your pattern lock.
• - Never use the shape of a numeral as your pattern lock.
• - Use all 9 points on the grid to create your pattern lock, and contrary to popular belief, you can go over the connecting lines several times, creating a hard pattern lock that would not be as easy for people to decipher!

Part 3: Going Beyond Pattern Locks

You might think that now that you have set a hard pattern lock, you are good to go. Hardly. Technology has evolved, so have methods to break into your device.

Step 1: Set a 6-digit PIN

The minimum you should do today is set a 6-digit PIN to unlock your phone. Consider this a necessary investment into the safety of your data residing on your smartphone.

Step 2: Use Fingerprint Recognition (or Face Recognition on Apple Devices)

All modern smartphones released over the last decade have come with fingerprint recognition. Using fingerprint recognition requires you to set a 6-digit PIN and then set a fingerprint to unlock your device. You can set additional fingerprints, too.

This way, your device is the most secure it can be today. In case your fingerprint is not recognized for any reason, the phone falls back on the 6-digit PIN that you can enter and unlock your phone.

While face recognition is available on both Android and Apple devices, it is truly secure only on Apple devices. This is why Apple iPhones released after the iPhone X in 2017 have come only with Face ID. They fall back on a minimum 6-digit PIN (called Passcode in Apple world) to unlock in case the face does not get recognized in the first attempt.

Part 4: How To Unlock Phone If Hard Pattern Lock Forgotten

Just in case you set a hard pattern lock and promptly forgot that abstruse pattern you just set, we have a tool for you to quickly unlock your phone in case of a forgotten hard pattern lock: Wondershare Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock.

Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (Android)

Remove the Hard Pattern Lock on Your Oppo A18 If You Forgot!

• 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.

4,008,671 people have downloaded it

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

Step 1: Click Android under Toolbox > Screen Unlock.

Step 2: Click Unlock Android Screen.

Step 3: Select your device manufacturer.

Step 4: Prepare your device to unlock the screen.

When the greyed Next button becomes available, click it and wait for your device to be unlocked.

All data on the Oppo A18 device is wiped under this method. Select Samsung phones may be unlocked without data loss. Check this list for devices that may be unlocked without data loss.

Closing Words

Whether it is an easy pattern lock or a hard pattern lock, the fact is that pattern locks are antiquated and a security nightmare. A minimum 6-digit PIN must be used, and using fingerprint recognition is the preferred way to go for Android devices. Using fingerprint recognition will require that users create a 6-digit PIN. On Apple devices launched after 2017, there is Face ID, Apple’s marketing term for face recognition. If you did indeed still set a hard pattern lock, only to promptly forget it, use Wondershare Dr.Fone – Screen Unlock (Android) to seamlessly unlock your phone right now.

Mastering Lock Screen Settings: How to Enable and Disable on Oppo A18

In the modern world, the use of smartphones has become such a common trend that everyone would feel abnormal if they don’t have a smartphone of their own. So big the demand is that all IT companies are trying their best to introduce as well as innovate several excellent brands of smartphones. To support the function of smartphones, by far there have been numerous operating systems existed. Among them, Android is one of the most popular as well as trustworthy OS.

Just like any other smartphone, all Android devices have their ways to protect the data stored inside a smartphone from being corrupted or leaked. One of the simplest and most easy-to-use ways is to make use of the lock screen.

The lock screen has proved to be a traditional yet efficient way to help you protect your Android phones. In this article, we will provide you with an informative piece of writing about everything you need to know when it comes to the Android lock screen, and ways to enable and disable it.

If you have spent time searching and looking for features of your Android devices, you will find the process of enabling a lock screen is a piece of cake.

· Step 1: On the main screen of your Android devices, tap on the gear icon - which is the icon representing the Settings menu. Once you have chosen it, you will see a drop-down menu on the screen. In the options provided, tap on the Security bar.

· Step 2: Under the tab whose heading is entitled Screen Security, tap on the first bar in the list called Screen lock.

· Step 3: Once the step is done successfully, Android will give you plenty of choices about ways to lock your Android devices’ screens. Among these ways, select one particular type which you feel is most convenient as well as free-risk. After that, type in your PIN code to confirm the choice and finally activate your lock screen feature as you wish.

Part 2: How to Disable Android Lock Screen

To certain customers, the lock screen can do more harm than good, and they would prefer to disable the screen lock on their Android devices. This process is also an easy one to follow, as long as you still hold good memory of the security code.

· Step 1: On the main screen of your Android devices, tap on the gear icon. It will directly lead you to the Settings menu of the phone. After that, a drop-down menu will appear with several choices and bars. Among them, tap on the Security option to begin your work.

· Step 2: Under the heading called Screen Security heading, you will be shown 3 choices. Tap on the first one, which is entitled Screen lock.

· Step 3: Once you have done the previous step, a brand new screen will appear and then you will be asked to fill in your PIN code. This is a step that helps guarantee that you are the true owner of the Android device.

Step 4: As soon as you have confirmed the right PIN code in the bar provided, you will then be presented to the next drop-down menu. A similar screen will appear which shows you plenty of choices. Tap on the top of that list, which is a bar called None.

Step 5: In the end, you have successfully disabled the screen lock on your Android devices. You are now capable of using it without any hesitation about the screen lock.

Part 3: Common Problems of Disabling Lock Screen

The process to disable the screen lock on Android may seem easy to handle as well as straightforward to several customers, but there are still some annoying problems that users have to deal with while trying to disable the lock screen.

What are the top 2 common problems?

Below are the two most common problems faced by Android users during their efforts to disable the feature of screen lock.

1. In the Screen Security choice, the None bar can not be chosen.

Description of the problem: There is a sentence below it stated: “Disabled by administrators, encryption policy or credential storage”. All the space of the None option is in white and grey.

The solution to this problem is quite simple. Once you have made sure you are suffering from this nasty one, try to follow these below pieces of advice to see if it is capable of giving you a hand.

Step 1: Open the Settings menu from the main screen. Then tap on the Credential Storage. You will see a drop-down menu like the screenshot below.

Step 2: Continue to tap on the Clear Credentials (Remove all certificates) option. Then next click on the OK button. Wait for some seconds until your Android device has finished the process.

Step 3: To make sure that the previous step has been performed successfully, try looking at the bottom of the drop-down menu. If the Clear Credentials (Remove all certificates) are grey out and can not be selected, then you have managed to do it.

Step 4: Now that the problem is solved, you can feel free to turn back to your Screen lock option in the beginning and disable the feature of locking screen Android as usual.

2. You have mistakenly encrypted your SD card. You want to disable the encryption, only to realize that it requires you to set a new screen lock code. But when you come to the Screen lock menu, all the options but Password have been greyed out.

This is pretty weird, but actually, it is one of the most common troubles that many users have complained about. But to your surprise, the solution is very simple and easy. All you have to do is to reset your password, but with a little change. Your password MUST include at least ONE NUMBER in it. Confirm your new password then you will be able to disable the lock screen Android as usual.

Bonus Tip: Remove Android Screen Lock If Forgotten Password/Pattern

As much as the lock screen can protect the personal information on the phone, it can also cause much trouble if you forget the lock screen password or enter the wrong password too many times. So here comes the need for phone unlocking software . One of the best is Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (Android), which can help us bypass forgotten Android screen locks without any data loss（limited to Samsung and LG series phones）. Other Android brand phones will be wiped out all the data once starting to unlock with Dr.Fone

Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (Android)

Remove 4 Types of Android Screen Lock without Data Loss

• It can remove 4 screen lock types - pattern, PIN, password & fingerprints.
• One-time payment for unlimited use of multiple devices within a specified time period.
• Work for Samsung Galaxy S/Note/Tab series, LG G2/G3/G4, etc.
• Besides, unlocking the screen lock, it also works best to unlock the Samsung FRP lock in devices with Android 5.0 and higher.

3981454 people have downloaded it

Steps on How to Unlock Forgotten Password in Android Phones

Step 1: Launch Dr.Fone and click on Screen Unlock from the primary window.

Step 2: Connect your Android device to the computer via USB cable. The program will recognize the phone directly. Select the phone model or “I can’t find my device model from the list above” to continue.

Step 3: Follow the instruction on the program exactly to set the phone to Download Mode. First, you will need to Power off your Phone. Secondly, Press on Volume Down, Home button, and Power button simultaneously. Thirdly press the Volume up button to navigate until the phone enters Download mode.

Step 4: After you set the phone to Download mode, it will begin to download the recovery package. When the recovery package is downloaded successfully, the lock screen on your Oppo A18 devicewill be removed. You won’t lose any data during the whole process.

7 Ways to Unlock a Locked Oppo A18 Phone

“How to get into a locked phone? I have been locked out of my Android device and lost my passcode!”

If you are also facing the same issue, then you have come to the right place. There are plenty of ways to learn how to get into a locked Android phone when it comes to Android devices. From using a third-party tool to Google’s native solution – the sky is the limit. This post will make you familiar with different ways to unlock a device without knowing its passcode. Read on and learn how to get into a locked Android device.

safe & secure

Part 1: How to get into a locked phone with Dr.Fone?

Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (Android) provides a hassle-free solution to unlock an Android device in minutes. It can remove a device’s PIN, password, pattern, and even fingerprint security without causing any harm to it. Therefore, you would be able to unlock your device without losing your data while using some Samsung or LG Android phones. If you want to break the locked screen with Dr.Fone from other brand phones, including iPhone, Huawei, and Oneplus, it will wipe out your phone’s data after unlocking successfully.

Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (Android)

Get into Locked Phones within Minutes

• 5 screen lock types are available: pattern, PIN, password, fingerprints & Face ID.
• Easily remove the lock screen; No need to root your device.
• Everybody can handle it without any technical background.
• Provide specific removal solutions to promise good success rate.

4,008,669 people have downloaded it

To learn how to get into a locked phone using Dr.Fone, follow these steps:

• Step 1. Go to the official website of Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (Android) and download the tool on your computer. After installing it, launch the interface and click on the option of “Screen Unlock” from the home screen.

• Step 2. Connect your Android device to the computer. Click “Android” > “Unlock Android Screen” and select the Oppo A18 device brand on the list. If your device is listed in the supported list , you can unlock locked phone without data loss.

• Step 3. Now, you need to put your Android device in Download mode. To do this, you need to turn your device off by pressing the Power button. Afterward, press the Home, Power, and Volume Down buttons together. After a while, let go of these buttons and press the Volume Up button to enter the Download Mode.

• Step 4. As soon as your device is not in the Download Mode, Dr.Fone will automatically start downloading its respective recovery packages.
• Step 5. Sit back and wait as the application downloads the package and performs the required steps to unlock your device. In the end, it will notify you by displaying the following message.

That’s it! By following these steps, you would be able to learn how to get into a locked Android phone without losing any data.

Tips: Cannot find your device model in the supported list or your phone is not Samsung? Worry not, as Wondershare Dr.Fone can also help you to unlock other device models (inlcluding Huawei, LG, Xiaomi, etc) in a matter of seconds. Just install this tool on your computer and connect your phone to start the unlock process!

Part 2: How to get into a locked phone with Android Device Manager?

Google’s Android Device Manager (also known as Find My Device) can be used to locate a lost phone, erase it remotely, ring it, and change its lock. You can access it from any other device and use its features remotely.

• Step 1. Firstly, go to the Android Device Manager’s website right here . Log in with the Google account that is already linked to your Android device.
• Step 2. Once the interface is loaded, you can select your phone. It will locate the Oppo A18 device automatically and provide various options.

• Step 3. Choose the “Lock” option to proceed.
• Step 4. This will display a new prompt. From here, you can get the new password for your device and confirm it.

• Step 5. Additionally, if your device is lost, you can display an optional message and contact number on the lock screen. Click on the “Lock” button to save changes and exit the screen.

Part 3: How to get into a locked phone with Samsung Find My Mobile?

If you are using a Samsung device, you can also use its Find My Mobile service to unlock your device remotely. It is an excellent tool that can be accessed remotely and perform a wide range of operations that can be performed on the Oppo A18 device. Follow these easy instructions to learn how to get into a locked Android Samsung device.

• Step 1. Open Samsung’s Find My Mobile website right here on any device of your choice.
• Step 2. Login using the credentials of the Samsung account linked to your existing device that is needed to be unlocked.
• Step 3. On its dashboard, you can access various features associated with your device. If you have multiple devices linked to your account, you can select it from the top-left panel.

• Step 4. From the provided options on the left panel, click on the “Unlock My Screen” option.
• Step 5. Click on the “Unlock” button again to move past the lock screen of your device.

• Step 6. After waiting for a while, you will get the following prompt. From here, you can set up a new lock for your mobile or can click on the “Lock My Screen” option to do the same.

Part 4: How to get into a locked phone using the ‘Forgot Pattern’ feature?

If your device is based on Android 4.4 and earlier versions, you may also use its native “Forgot Pattern” feature to unlock it. Though, you should have access to the Google account credentials linked to the Oppo A18 device beforehand. To learn how to get into a locked phone with this technique, follow these steps:

• Step 1. To get the Forgot Pattern option, enter the wrong PIN/pattern on your device.
• Step 2. This will display the “Forgot Pattern” button on the bottom of the screen. Just tap on it to continue.

• Step 3. On the next screen, you can unlock your device by providing the backup PIN of your device or sign in using the Google credentials of the account linked to the Oppo A18 device.

• Step 4. After bypassing this feature, you can unlock your device and set up a new PIN or pattern.

Part 5: How to get into a locked phone by factory reset?

If nothing else seems to work, then you can also choose to factory reset your device. Even though this will unlock your device, it would also erase its content and saved settings. To know how to get into a locked Android phone, follow these steps:

• Step 1. Turn off your device by pressing the Power button.
• Step 2. Now, you need to put your device into recovery mode. This can be done by applying the correct key combinations, which can differ from one device to another. Some common combinations are: Volume Up + Home + Power, Home + Power, Volume Up + Power + Volume Down, and Volume Down + Power button.
• Step 3. Once your phone has entered the recovery mode; you can navigate with the Volume up and down button and use the Power button to make a selection.

• Step 4. Select the option of “wipe data/factory reset.

• Step 5. This will display the following prompt. Confirm your choice by selecting the “Yes” option.

• Step 6. Wait for a while as your phone will be restarted with factory settings.

Part 6: How to get into a locked phone in Safe Mode?

If you are using a third-party application to lock your device, you can easily disable it by restarting your phone in safe mode. In this way, you can get rid of the respective app without causing any damage to the Oppo A18 device. You can learn how to get into a locked Android phone by following these steps:

• Step 1. Long-press the Power button to activate the Power option on the screen.
• Step 2. If you don’t get the option to restart the phone in Safe Mode, then long tap the “Power off” option.
• Step 3. It will provide the following prompt regarding Safe Mode. Just tap on the “Ok” button to confirm your choice.

Part 7: How to get into a locked phone using Custom Recovery?

Since custom recovery provides a third-party recovery environment, it can learn how to get into a locked Android device. Additionally, you need to flash it via an SD card since you won’t access the phone storage on a locked device.

• Step 1. To start with, you need to download the password/pattern disable file from right here and copy it onto your SD card.
• Step 2. Mount the SD card on your device and restart it in recovery mode by providing the correct key combinations.
• Step 3. From the provided options, choose to install zip from the SD card.
• Step 4. Confirm your selection and let your phone be restarted with no lock screen.

Bonus Tip: General tips for unlocking phone successfully

By following these tips, you can increase the chances of successfully unlocking your phone while safeguarding your data and security.

1. Data Backup: Regularly back up your data that ensures you have a recent backup of all your important data, such as contacts, photos, videos, and documents. This will prevent data loss in case the unlocking process results in a factory reset.
2. Reputable Methods: Use reputable and official unlocking methods whenever possible, such as Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock.

Conclusion

By following these simple steps, you would learn how to get into a locked phone. If you are looking for a trouble-free way to unlock an Android device, then give Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock a try. It is a highly reliable solution to learn how to get into a locked Android phone and unlock your device in minutes with no complications.

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