Help prevent others from using your device without permission - Android Help Skip to main content Android Help Sign in Google Help Help Center Community Android Privacy Policy Terms of Service Submit feedback Send feedback on... This help content & information General Help Center experience Next Help Center Community Get started with Android Android Help prevent others from using your device without permission You can set your device to help prevent others from using it if it gets reset to factory settings without your permission. For example, if your protected device got stolen and erased, only someone with your Google Account or screen lock could use it. Note: Some of these steps work only on Android 8.1 and up. Learn how to check your Android version. Set up device protection Add a Google Account on your device: To help prevent other people from using your device if it gets erased, add your Google Account to your device. Learn how to add your Google Account on Android. Set a screen lock: To help prevent other people from using or erasing your device, set a screen lock. Learn how to set a screen lock. Tip: If you don’t have a screen lock set, you might be able to lock your device remotely with Find Hub. Learn how to use Find Hub. Turn off device protection To turn off device protection, remove your Google Account from your device. Learn how to remove accounts. For devices with Android 14 or older: If you have Developer options turned on, you can also turn off device protection from your device's Settings app. Tap System Developer options OEM unlocking. Then, enter your PIN and tap Enable. Expect to verify your ownership after factory reset To factory reset a protected device, you'll need to either unlock your screen or enter your Google Account password. This ensures that you or someone you trust is doing the reset. Expect to unlock your screen or enter Google Account information if you: Erase your device's data using the Settings app: You'll be asked to enter your screen lock before you reset. Reset your device using its buttons: If you reset your device using its buttons (Recovery mode), you'll need to enter your PIN, password, or pattern. You'll also see an option to use the Google Account that was on your device before you reset it. Remotely reset your device with Find Hub: If you remotely reset your device using Find Hub, you'll need to enter a Google username and password associated with the device. Important: You can sign in with any Google Account previously added and synced to the device as an account or user, but not as a guest. If you can't give this information during setup, you won't be able to use the device at all after factory reset. If you can't sign in to your Google Account, get sign-in help. Related resources Set screen lock Add or remove an account Add, switch, or delete users Find, ring, lock, or erase a lost device Reset your device to factory settings Was this helpful? How can we improve it? YesNo Submit Need more help? Try these next steps: Post to the help community Get answers from community members true Help 1 of 14 Find, secure, or erase a lost Android device 2 of 14 Use Google Play Protect to help keep your apps safe & your data private 3 of 14 Find your Android device 4 of 14 Help prevent others from using your device without permission 5 of 14 Set screen lock on an Android device 6 of 14 Pin & unpin screens 7 of 14 Learn about Android security & privacy settings 8 of 14 Sign-in to your applications & websites with passkeys 9 of 14 Protect your personal data against theft 10 of 14 Improve device security with Advanced Protection 11 of 14 Customize your text cursor blink rate 12 of 14 Protect your Android device from USB threats with Advanced Protection Mode 13 of 14 Log your Android device activity with Advanced Protection 14 of 14 Protect yourself from likely scam calls Get to know your Android phone Learn how to use your Android device and get the most out of Google. Get step-by-step guides and instructional videos on how to set up your phone, customize your settings, and use apps. ©2026 Google Privacy Policy Terms of Service Language català‎dansk‎Deutsch‎eesti‎English (United Kingdom)‎español‎español (Latinoamérica)‎Filipino‎français‎hrvatski‎Indonesia‎italiano‎Kiswahili‎latviešu‎lietuvių‎magyar‎Melayu‎Nederlands‎norsk‎polski‎português‎português (Brasil)‎română‎slovenčina‎slovenščina‎suomi‎svenska‎Tiếng Việt‎Türkçe‎čeština‎Ελληνικά‎български‎русский‎српски‎українська‎‏עברית‏العربية‏فارسیमराठी‎हिन्दी‎বাংলা‎தமிழ்‎తెలుగు‎ไทย‎አማርኛ‎中文（简体）‎中文（繁體）‎日本語‎한국어‎ English‎ Enable Dark Mode Send feedback on... This help content & information General Help Center experience Search Clear search Close search Google apps Main menu 12788837896424231906 true Search Help Center false true true true false false false false false