Still Using Pattern Locks with Samsung Galaxy S23+? 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 So, why have these easy pattern locks become outdated, and why do people still continue to use them?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+ 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+ 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+ 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 Reset Gmail Password on Samsung Galaxy S23+ Devices

Nowadays, along with Windows or Apple devices, Android devices are starting to take its place as one of the most popular, reliable, and efficient technical equipment brands. As a result, the use of Android as an operating system for both PC and portable tools is becoming an extremely hot trend.

Android devices pride themselves on providing their customers with the best features possible. Not only do they support offline features, but Android devices are also capable of offering users with several services online. One of them is the ability to make use of Gmail - a very famous email site nowadays.

Gmail being used directly by an Android tool is a great advantage, but it still contains some small drawbacks that users may have to go through. According to a recent survey, the majority of Android users were likely to wonder if they were able to reset Gmail password on Android devices.

Luckily for you, this performance is possible. In this article, a very informative and detailed description will be delivered to you to help you solve the problem of resetting your Gmail password.

Part 1: Reset Gmail Password When you Forget it

There will be times when you come into the situation of not knowing what your Gmail password is, or you just simply forget it. You want to change your password but you don’t have access to a computer or laptop to perform this task. Now with the help of Android, you can do it through your own Android devices.

Step 1: Visit the Gmail login page from your Android device. Click on the Need helpline, which is highlighted in blue.

Step 2: After that, you will be moved to the Google Account Recovery page. There will be 3 main options which indicate 3 frequent problems. Select the first one, which is entitled “I don’t know my password”. Once you have chosen it, you will be required to fill in your Gmail address in the bar provided. Click on the Continue button as long as you have made sure to finish all these tasks.

Step 3: In this step, you may be asked to fill in a CAPCHA form. Just simply do it and move to the next page. There you had better type in the last password that you are still able to recall if possible, then click on the Continue button to move. Or else, you can skip this step by clicking on I don’t know button.

Step 4: Finally, you will be shown a list of options on how to reset your Gmail password on Android devices. You can either use your alternative email address or your phone number to receive a verification code. Bear in mind to fill in any required information and put a check in the CAPCHA box to submit the process.

Step 5: In this step, a blank bar will appear and it will demand you to type in your verification code. Just do it carefully to make sure there is no error. Once you have done it, a new screen will appear to tell you.

Step 6: After you have done all the previous steps, you will know how to reset your Gmail password directly from your Android device.

Part 2: Change Gmail Password When You Still Know it

Besides not knowing your password, there are still circumstances when you wish to change your current password for various reasons. Just simply follow these steps.

Step 1: Make sure your Android device is connected with the Internet. Then get access to the link myaccount.google.com. After logging into your account (or maybe you have already done this), scroll down, find the Sign-in and security option and choose it.

Step 2: Find the Password option in the list. Tap on it to be moved to another screen. In the menu, type in your new password that you wish to exchange, confirm it and then click on the Change password button.

Part 3: Bonus Tips

Gmail is undoubtedly a marvelous tool to use on Android devices, but have you really understood all the tips and tricks to take the best advantage of it? Below are the 5 most helpful tips that we want to offer you.

Far from your imagination, Gmail on Android devices is capable of allowing you to make use of several accounts at the same time, even if it’s not a Gmail account. This performance not only helps you to organize your work better, but it also increase the efficiency of your job. Just simply log in your Gmail account on Gmail app, click on the down arrow which is placed next to your avatar and name, then choose Add account. You will be moved to another page, choose Personal (IMAP/POP) choice and follow the detailed guide on the screen.
If your Android device is used by only one user, and you are guaranteed about the security of it, try to keep the Gmail logged in. It would help you to avoid wasting unnecessary time to sign in your account every time you need, not to mention that it prevent you from being confused of not knowing your account/password.
You are capable of sorting your mails with a certain level of accuracy once you are fully aware of the features of Gmail app on Android devices. Just click on the email, then choose Settings menu and mark it as “Mark as not important”, “Mark important” or “Report to spam” owing to the priority of your email.
Gmail app provided you with the ability to have conversations online, and whenever a message comes, there will be a sound. In case you are in a vital conference, or you don’t want to be disturbed by the noise, you can mute it. All you have to do is to tap into the conversation, choose the three dots icon then click on the Mute option in the menu.
Enhance the speed and the accuracy of your search with the use of certain phrases. Let’s take an instance to see what Gmail can do for you in this case. If you want to search for the mails which have been sent by a certain person, typefrom:(name of the person on Gmail) in the searching bar. And in case you would love to look for a private message from that person, please type is:chat:(name of the person on Gmail) .

Part 4: Video on How to Reset Gmail Password on Android Devices

Pattern Locks Are Unsafe: Secure Your Samsung Galaxy S23+ 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.