Pattern Locks Are Unsafe: Secure Your Motorola Moto G Stylus (2023) 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.

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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 Motorola Moto G Stylus (2023) 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 Motorola Moto G Stylus (2023) 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.

Locked Out of Your Android Phone? Here Are 3 Solutions to Regain Access

Android mobiles are the best choice for everyone today because of the cool operating system and so many types of application availability. So users can enjoy everything on their android mobiles. Sometimes while using android mobiles, people faces issues with locking their phone. That means sometimes users lock their phones and forget the password, that time is very bad because they can’t do anything with their phones without unlocking them.

There are different types of ways available to unlock your android mobile some way allows you to unlock your phone by hard reset which is very bad because you will all available android mobile data by this method, but some method allows you to unlock your phone without losing data on some of Samsung and LG models, like Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (Android). We are going to tell you all the different ways in this article.

Part 1: Get Rid of Lock Screen with Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (Android)

Now we are presenting the best way to remove the password from your android phone without losing any data from the Motorola Moto G Stylus (2023) device. Wondershare Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (Android) is software available officially from Wondershare to remove forgotten lock screen passwords from your phone. It allows you to remove all types of passwords from your phone without losing anything. It works for all android devices easily and there is no need for any technical knowledge to use it. Furthermore, it unlocks your phone easily when the question comes to your mind that I locked myself out of my phone. You just need to do a few clicks only to remove the password from your screen, and your mobile will be unlocked and used again without losing anything.

4,008,672 people have downloaded it

safe & secure

Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (Android)

Get into your Android Phones within Minutes When you are Locked out

• Pattern, PIN, password, fingerprints & face screen lock can all be unlocked.
• Easily remove the lock screen; No need to root your device.
• Bypass Android FRP lock without a PIN or Google account.
• Provide specific removal solutions to promise good success rate.

4,008,669 people have downloaded it

How to unlock a locked out android phone easily with android lock screen removal

Step 1. Navigate to Screen Unlock

Firstly, you need to download and install this awesome software on your computer. After installing, run it on your computer. Click on the Toolbox and Select Screen Unlock > Android option.

Select the Motorola Moto G Stylus (2023) device brand that you want to unlock the screen.

Step 2. Confirm your device information

Connect your phone to your Mac or PC, and select your model from the list. Then click “Next”.

Note: This tool can remove the Android lock screen only for some Samsung and LG devices in this list without losing data. For other devices, you have to use the “100% Remove Screen Lock”, which can remove the lock screen by erasing data.

Step 3. Enter the download mode

• Now you need to enter the download mode on your phone. Follow the on-screen instructions to enter.

Step 4. Recovering device process

Dr.Fone will start downloading of recovery package to remove the lock screen from your android mobile. Wait for some time until it’s complete.

Step 5. Remove password completed

Once the recovery package is downloaded it will unlock your phone automatically. Now you can access your phone easily without any problem and without losing any data.

Remove Android Screen Lock

Part 2: Get Rid of Lock Screen by Hard Reset

If you have locked your android phone and forgot the pattern or password or any other type of password, then you can unlock it by doing a factory reset of your phone by using hard to reset it. This way enables users to reset all settings of their phones such as passwords, Gmail accounts, Wi-Fi passwords messages everything. So users will get a phone like new after reset. That means you will lose all of your data, your Wi-Fi passwords etc. You can’t get your data back again after resetting in this way. It will not unlock the only phone, it will wipe all your android mobile data as well.

How to unlock lock screen by hard reset

Step 1. Get into recovery mode

If you are unable to access your phone because it’s locked, then firstly power off your phone. When its power is off, then you need to press the volume down and the power key together to enter the boot screen. Hold these both keys for some time together. After some your android mobile will vibrate, then you can release both keys.

• Now you are entered into the recovery mode on your phone.
• on this screen, choose “Wipe data / Factory Reset” just like the below picture by pressing the volume down hard key.
• After going there, press the power key to select this option.

Step 2. Factory reset to enter your android phone

So many options will open on the next screen now. Now use the volume down key and go to the option “Yes – Delete all user data” on the menu which is there in front of you. Press the power key now to start reset of all settings and your android mobile data.

Step 3. Reboot system now

Once you have selected “Yes –delete all user data” it will reset all things and delete all of your data from your phone as well. Now select “reboot system now” on the next screen to start your phone. That’s it, you have successfully unlocked your phone now but lost everything from your phone that you can’t get back.

Part 3: Get Rid of Lock Screen with Lock Screen Bypass App

Users can unlock their lock screen with an android lock screen bypass app, this app enables you to unlock your android phone. You can use it by paying $4.99. But the problem is that this app will only work when your device is already unlocked, you can’t use it when it is locked. It means that it can help you to clear the password and reset it again, only you can’t use it on a locked phone. This application mostly works for all android users, but we don’t take guarantee that it will work for you or not. You must need the internet while using this method.

Step 1. Download and install the screen bypass app

Download and install a lock screen bypass app by running it on your laptop from the Google Play Store on your Motorola Moto G Stylus (2023) devicewhich is locked. You need to install the application on your mobile remotely now. Once it is started installing the app once installing icon you will see it on mobile.

Step 2. Plug charge with your android phone

After finishing the installation of the application, you will see the application installed icon on your mobile. Now you need to plug your charge with your android phone to activate and watch the lock screen on your android phone and to activate the lock screen bypass the pro application.

Step 3. Activate the app

Once your charger is connected, you need to click on the activate button. This button will automatically come on the mobile screen after connecting the charger. When you click on the Activate button your application will be activated successfully.

Step 4. Remove lock screen password

After clicking on activate, click on Remove lock Screen Password to unlock your phone.

Step 5. Remove completed

Now it will remove the password from your phone and unlock it. You will see the home screen of your device now on your mobile.

Wrap it up

We have discussed 3 different ways above to unlock the locked screen of android mobiles all these three methods will work for you, but there are some differences in every method. If you follow the second method which is resetting your phone then you will lose everything on your phone and the first method will help you to unlock your phone screen without losing a single file from your android phone, the third way is not reliable because it doesn’t work on all android devices. So finally we can say android lock screen removal software from Wondershare is the best choice for you to unlock your phone screen when the question comes to your mind locked out my phone and how I can unlock it without losing data now.

Still Using Pattern Locks with Motorola Moto G Stylus (2023)? 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 Motorola Moto G Stylus (2023) 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 Motorola Moto G Stylus (2023) 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 Motorola Moto G Stylus (2023) 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.

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