Thebest Android smartphonesship with factory reset protection, a security measure that aims to protect your device after it is stolen. The feature ensures that when your phone is reset through recovery or other means, you must enter your linked Google account’s password during the initial setup to continue further. Samsung has now introduced a similar feature on theGalaxy Watch 6, Watch 5, and the Watch 4 series with One UI 5 Watch.
Samsung allows you to use a pattern or PIN lock on your WearOS-based Galaxy Watch for added protection. But on older versions of One UI Watch, it was possible to bypass this security measure by factory resetting the wearable. OnWear OS 4-based One UI Watch 5, if you use a pattern or PIN lock and reset your watch, you must enter it again during the initial setup process.
This excellent security measure ensures your Galaxy Watch cannot be used by anyone else if stolen or lost. It’s an added layer of protection that could come in handy in unfortunate scenarios. But what if you accidentally forget the pattern or PIN?
Thankfully, you’re able to bypass Samsung’s factory reset protection using your Google account (viaSamMobile). As a part of the recovery process, you must confirm your identity using your phone’s biometric scanner or by entering the linked Google account’s password.
If you don’t remember the password of your Google account and reset it, you will presumably have to wait for 48 hours before your Galaxy Watch can be unlocked. At least, this is how the feature works on phones. This security measure ensures a thief or hacker cannot reset your account to gain access to your stolen watch. And if you don’t have access to the last paired smartphone, there’s not much you can do.
Wear OS 4 finally makes it possible to pair your smartwatch to another device without doing a factory reset. So, this factory reset protection security feature is even more important.
It is unclear if this change is a part of Wear OS 4 or One UI 5 Watch. If it’s the former, the feature will also make its way to thebest Android watches, including the upcomingPixel Watch 2.
There’s a possibility that this new security option is linked toWatch Unlock, which will use your watch to unlock seamlessly. While the feature was initially spotted in testing on the Pixel Watch, it will apparently alsoarrive on Galaxy Watch models running Wear OS 4. Google is expected to announce Watch Unlock alongside the Pixel Watch 2 at itsMade by Google event on October 4th.
The new factory reset protection feature is available on all Galaxy Watch 4 or newer models running One UI Watch 5 and Wear OS 4.
