Community Forums

edatlanta · 03-01-2016, 12:55 PM

Google just implemented a new security measure within the past couple of months.

Make sure you know your Google User ID and Password.

If you have to perform a reset of your phone for any reason and don't know your Google info to initialize it after the reset you are screwed. You will have to go to google.com and work through their system to reset your password and when you enter this new password into your reset phone Google takes a phone reset and password reset to mean the phone has been stolen and they lock the phone completely for 72 hours. It can not be released by anybody including your phone carrier.

This just happened to me and I had to go to my carrier and buy a cheapo phone which was activated on my account to get me through the 72 hour period.

When I say "locked down" I'm not kidding.

1bigmess · 03-01-2016, 07:56 PM

That "problem" is perfectly normal for either a factory reset or new device activation. If it was too easy, anyone could use a reset or new device to easily access your account and all that you have in it.

WagonMaster · 03-02-2016, 07:45 AM

I would recommend getting a good password manager. I use LastPass with good results.

CJ7365 · 03-02-2016, 08:01 AM

I guess this would only pertain to people that have a google account instead of ALL android users.

Thread title is misleading

1bigmess · 03-02-2016, 08:29 AM

If I understand this stuff correctly, if you have an Android OS device you have a Google account.

I heartily second the recomendation for a secure password manager like 1Password.

smiller · 03-02-2016, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1bigmess

If I understand this stuff correctly, if you have an Android OS device you have a Google account.

No, they certainly push you in that direction, but it's not mandatory.

Regarding the OP... I don't understand... if you do a full factory reset, how does the phone know that you even have a Google account? I've never heard of this before, I think there might be some misunderstanding going on here.

dpinvidic · 03-02-2016, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smiller

No, they certainly push you in that direction, but it's not mandatory.

Regarding the OP... I don't understand... if you do a full factory reset, how does the phone know that you even have a Google account? I've never heard of this before, I think there might be some misunderstanding going on here.

+1. A google account is something on the Google system side. The phone does try to get info from your google account.
But Google can't control your phone.
Your contacts may get messed up if you have them linked to your Google contacts.

Sorry, I agree, must be some misunderstanding....and your just getting locked out of google for 72 hours but you "should" be able to dial from your phone.

Regards,

Dan

Podivin · 03-02-2016, 10:08 AM

When you do a factory reset on an android device the first thing it asks you is your Google login. If you know that then the device does a good job of loading up lots of 'stuff' that has been saved on Google's servers. Generally it will automatically restore all of your contacts, and depending on how you've set you backup settings, it will also restore all of the apps you've downloaded (this is often a bad thing, because it restores them ALL, not just the ones that were on the device at the time of the reset). In any event, logging in with your Google account goes a long way towards making the device look like 'yours' again, without having to go through a lot of extra setup.
It works the same way when you trade up to a new phone, login with your Google ID and many settings/contacts/apps etc will automatically be applied to the new phone.

Podivin, btw, is Czech for 'geek'. And yes, I'm an android fan.

Davdeb1 · 03-02-2016, 10:13 AM

Couldn't you just do a factory reset and just use your phone without the email until you remembered your Google acct password?
Or, if worst case scenario, just open another new Google acct?

smiller · 03-02-2016, 10:23 AM

As above, not using your Google login will prevent you from restoring the full phone 'personality' from your Google cloud backup but the device itself would still be usable. I think the OP is confusing a Google password reset with basic device operability, they are not the same.

Davdeb1 · 03-02-2016, 05:11 PM

I agree. The best insurance of course is access to your password. In my contacts, I have a 2 letter hint to every password. My passwords are 14 characters long and I only have 4 passwords.

wahoonc · 03-02-2016, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WagonMaster

I would recommend getting a good password manager. I use LastPass with good results.

Ditto!

I paid for the premium accounts for me and my bride. One our banks wants a new password every 90 days and it can't be one of the last 5... what a PITA. Probably should get a new bank, every time my card has been compromised it danged sure HASN'T been because of MY password.

Aaron

edatlanta · 03-03-2016, 04:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dpinvidic

+1. A google account is something on the Google system side. The phone does try to get info from your google account.
But Google can't control your phone.
Your contacts may get messed up if you have them linked to your Google contacts.

Sorry, I agree, must be some misunderstanding....and your just getting locked out of google for 72 hours but you "should" be able to dial from your phone.

Regards,

Dan

Google does totally control your phone. It is their operating systtem.

When I said the phone was locked down I guess no one wants to believe it, but it is "locked down". You can't get past the sign on screen which is there even with the reset.

edatlanta · 03-03-2016, 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Podivin

When you do a factory reset on an android device the first thing it asks you is your Google login. If you know that then the device does a good job of loading up lots of 'stuff' that has been saved on Google's servers. Generally it will automatically restore all of your contacts, and depending on how you've set you backup settings, it will also restore all of the apps you've downloaded (this is often a bad thing, because it restores them ALL, not just the ones that were on the device at the time of the reset). In any event, logging in with your Google account goes a long way towards making the device look like 'yours' again, without having to go through a lot of extra setup.
It works the same way when you trade up to a new phone, login with your Google ID and many settings/contacts/apps etc will automatically be applied to the new phone.

Podivin, btw, is Czech for 'geek'. And yes, I'm an android fan.

Thank you for not telling me I don't know what I'm talking about and my phone should work without an ID and password after a factory reset since Google doesn't control your phone, etc.

I don't disagree with Google's position in implementing this security feature, but it is darned inconvenient when your phone is locked down because you forgot a password. My only purpose in writing the original post was to warn those that might not know their Google sign on and to find out what it is by going to Google.com and going through the password reset procedure. As long as you don't do a phone reset at the same time all that happens is you have to use this new password the next time you boot your phone.

I can assure you I won't forget my Google password again.

Today after 1:03pm is the time I can get back into my phone.