Locked mobile phone

[Wicksey]

A friend has become ill and is in hospital and unfortunately has forgotten her PIN number to open up her phone. She kept trying and of course it's now locked. She says she knows where the PUK number is in her flat, although I've had a quick look there and as she's had loads of SIMS and phones over the years and kept them all and various paperwork, I'm not sure I'll find it.

Someone has suggested taking it to the provider outlet (I think it may be Vodafone) but I'm not sure they can fully unlock it without her PIN number? Even if I find the PUK won't we still need her PIN, or is that reset? She said she's not written it down so we're a bit stuck now

[Wicksey]

Enrique has kindly given me a link to find out who the provider is and it looks like Hits.

[elusive]

If its the SIM thats locked when /if you get into it you can take the lock off so you only have to unlock the phone as per norm

[Wicksey]

So if I get the PUK and put that in to unlock the SIM will it not need the security PIN to open the phone? I'm not sure she will ever remember what the PIN was.

Udate: seems I can set a new PIN once the PUK has been entered

[chrissiehope]

If it has to be a PIN at all, make it a brthday if she can remember that, or just 0000

[Wicksey]

Yes I was thinking that too Chrissiehope.

[chrissiehope]

Well, you know what they say about great minds....

[Wicksey]

Well, you know what they say about great minds....

[Wicksey]

I've managed to obtain the PUK for the locked phone and whilst at the hospital the nurse put that into the phone, then put in a new PIN twice and the phone appeared to open. However it then asked for a PIN number and when we put in the new one it said wrong PIN. It appeared that the phone was set on flight mode, would the new PIN register if that was the case? Surely that means the SIM was switched off?

I have brought the phone home to try again but we don't have a mobile phone signal at the house, does this make a difference? I removed the SIM and replaced it, entered the password incorrectly 3 times so I could then start again. I did the same as the nurse did but got the same result, not being able to unlock the phone fully to view apps etc.

I tried entering the PIN several times but then a message came up saying I've entered the wrong PIN 10 times, please try again in 30 mins. My own Samsung phone is nothing like this, I just put in the PIN and it opens, but this Motorola seems to request another one and it also had a message about being able to enter a fingerprint once the PIN is entered. I do not have the original card the SIM came on, nor any information about the phone other than it's Motorola Android. I don't want to lock the SIM completely as it has all her photos and info on it.

Failing any info from the experts on here, will a phone shop be able to assist, although I've found them rather unhelpful in the past and just seem to be phone sales people.

[Lyric]

The bloke in the Moviestar shop next to the Marijuana shop on the Costa seems quite switched on. I'm switching to WA for an alternative.

[Enrique]

Hi Wicksey,

I did say not to set a PIN when you got back into the phone. As this a "special" case this would be the best option .

Go to place were you can get a good provider signal.
Go through the procedure to get to the PUK screen.
When set PIN screen come up put in a PIN
Once in the phone go to Settings ->Security and remove # on Android 7 it's SIM card Lock settings
Power the phone off
Power the phone on and it will go directly in.

Hope you get it sorted.........

[Wicksey]

It won't let me go any further and open the phone without entering another pin. This is exactly what has happened from the start.

Screen said "locked, need PUK" and keypad visable. Entered PUK and OK, next screen "enter desired PIN", did this twice and OK, then goes to what appears to be a phone home screen but no icons etc showing and is asking for another PIN (see below*).

We turned the phone off and back on. Opening screen shows keypad and "Unlock for SIM 1"

Enter our new PIN which appears to be accepted and then it goes to next *screen showing a padlock. At bottom it says "unlock for all features and data".

Swiped to get keypad up, and it says" Enter PIN to enable finger print" more info says:

Upon power up
For security reasons your PIN is required after restarting. Your fingerprint can be used after this"

If I try using the new PIN we have set it says wrong PIN number. So we cannot open up the phone at all to get to settings etc.

The phone owner uses a PIN to get into the phone as she told me she'd put the PIN in incorrectly 3 times and was locked out (in one of her more lucid moments). Not sure if she used fingerprint as well, she's not mentioned it.

[Enrique]

Hi Wicksey,

Best to get down to the phone shop mentioned in a previous Post.

[Wicksey]

I took it to the phone shop but he said that without the second PIN to unlock the phone, he couldn't do anything. He said the SIM can be put into another phone OK but obviously everything would be lost and we'd have to start again. He said that the phone could be reactivated but he would need to put another operating system in it which would wipe off everything on it.

I did eventually find a bit of paper in my friend's flat with the PUK (she called it the YUK number!) and the original PIN, but this does not open the phone.

When I turn my phone on I use a PIN but only the one, whether I am turning it on after it has been switched off, or when it's being 're-awakened' after the screen times out. With this Motorola, it needs the PIN that we set to open it the first time, but then needs the unknown one after that. I've not come across this before.

My friend, who I saw today, has just tested positive for Covid so she's gone into an isolation ward so I can't visit her for a while now anyway.

[Enrique]

Hi Wicksay,
Has the phone a second SIM?

[Wicksey]

No, just the one is in the little drawer in the side of the phone.

[elusive]

Sound to me like the SIM has a pin. Which is normal when you get a new one. When you put it in for the first time it asks for the code that is on the card the sim came on. So you put the pin in then go into the phone settings and turn off the SIM lock so you dont have to put it in everytime you turn the phone properly on in the morning for example when it's been off all night.

Then you have the normal pin etc that locks you phone screen so no one can get into your phone. Without that you would need to reset like the phone guy said

[Wicksey]

No I have set a new PIN for the SIM and that works OK. If you look at the details I posted above it sets out the steps. I turn on the phone, put in the new PIN which is accepted but it then won't let me go further without this second PIN which we don't know. I can't access the settings or anything without it.

The man in the shop said the SIM is unlocked OK but the phone is blocked and needs the security PIN to open it.

[elusive]

Ok i get you. Nothing you can do without the second pin other than as you said above about a phone shop resetting the phone which will wipe everything. Theres lots of info on google about supposedly being able to do it. Maybe see if anything can help on there

[Wicksey]

Enrique is on the case!