Lock screen pattern changed on its own, possible bug

[EGercke]

I unlocked my phone normally several times today using my pattern. Five minutes after I had unlocked it, I picked it back up and drew my pattern and it said it was incorrect. I tried several more times with no change. I was able to unlock the phone using my fingerprint, but I have no idea how my pattern changed without my permission. If my phone dies or restarts for any reason, I will need the pattern to unlock it, as you can't use fingerprint on start up. (I've had the same unlock pattern since my last phone, so I'm sure I am putting it in correctly.)

Has anyone else encountered this bug? Is there any way to create a new pattern using my fingerprint? Finally, how should I go about reporting this to Samsung?

Thanks.

 

[stevecr25]

Yes!

Same thing happened to me... S7 working great for first few days when suddenly it didn't accept my unlock pattern. I've been using the same pattern for awhile and unlocked the phone a few times that morning. After a few reboots it finally accepted my pattern again. Immediately disabled it and now using pin instead.

 

[EGercke]

Yes!

Same thing happened to me... S7 working great for first few days when suddenly it didn't accept my unlock pattern. I've been using the same pattern for awhile and unlocked the phone a few times that morning. After a few reboots it finally accepted my pattern again. Immediately disabled it and now using pin instead.

Did you just restart again and again until it worked? If it worked for you I might try it instead of the factory reset.

 

[bascherz]

I've had lock screen issues with my LG V10, but not quite like yours. I use a pattern, not a password or fingerprint. Sometimes the screen is locked and I fail the pattern and the phone gets unlocked anyway. Usually, this is associated with having first touched a notification with the screen locked. What happens after the pattern fails (trace shows in red), is that the screen appears as it does when it's not locked and I just swipe and I'm in the application whose notification I touched. The LG V10 has a fingerprint reader on the power button, but I haven't programmed it since I heard it's not that great. This is a major security issue in my opinion, and I haven't read any other posts anywhere about it. So I don't know if it's specific to LG, the V10 or Marshmallow (it started with Marshmallow).

I can start a new thread if you believe our lock screen problems are unrelated (enough). Just let me know.

Bruce

 

[bluefire2128]

Same thing happened to me. I'm THE ONLY one to ever use my phone and I went to open it and it was saying my pattern was invalid. I was able to use the thumb print pattern still though. However when I went to change the pattern in my settings I entered what used to be my pattern and it locked me out of my phone for an hour. I don't know how to change it.

 

[EGercke]

Same thing happened to me. I'm THE ONLY one to ever use my phone and I went to open it and it was saying my pattern was invalid. I was able to use the thumb print pattern still though. However when I went to change the pattern in my settings I entered what used to be my pattern and it locked me out of my phone for an hour. I don't know how to change it.

Saw you had the same issue, so wanted to let you know. I restarted the phone and the old pattern started working again. Another person with this issue said that they had to restart several times, but it did work. So I'd give that a try, worked for me. Good luck!

 

[Mb619]

It just happed to me. I restarted it and it accepted my pattern. I now have it set with pin instead.

 

[survival3]

Had the same issue as well! Samsung Galaxy S7, suddenly stopped recognizing my screen unlock pattern. Same solution as well; Restarted my phone and the problem went away.

 

[GChriss]

Is there a way to disable the pattern feature if you are able to navigate the phone? Got locked out of Marshmallow on my MOTO G 3rd gen. phone after a pattern change; I was surprisingly able to just reboot into an unlocked phone. I've turned on adb debug access while I still have the opportunity.

 

[brobbeh]

I just had that issue. I was able to unlock with the pin, and reset the pattern and it now works again but it was freaky.

 

[moisha]

Same happened here. This morning the lock pattern on my S7 edge is forgotten by the phone.. Reboot doesn't help.

 

[sheken]

have the same problem today. i didn't change my pattern and it happened again. before i was using a PIN and I ended up factory reset and by this time I wouldn't want to do the reset factory settings as the last option.

 

[Tylerp34]

The pin was also randomly stop working, I have mine set to pin and it did the same thing.

 

[CMM Guy]

Me too!!!! Wtf!!

Mine has locked as well and I swipe the wrong pattern until it gives me the option to put in the back up pin but when I go to correct the swipe it wont let me in. I have tried everything all of you have suggested except the factory reset, I just can't believe that Samsung hasn't put out a fix for this yet.

 

[Gudsson]

Here is how you fix it

Method 1. Use 'Find My Mobile' feature on Samsung Phone
All Samsung devices come with "Find My Mobile" feature. In order to bypass Samsung lock screen pattern, PIN, password and fingerprint, you can just follow the below steps to get it done.
• First of all, set up your Samsung account and log in.
• Click "Lock My Screen" button.
• Enter new PIN in the first field
• Click "Lock" button at the bottom
• Within few minutes, it will change lock screen password to the PIN so that you can unlock your device.

tell me it work ??

 

[marlon5yeah]

Just an update to help out someone who might be going through this. This recently happened to me on my s6 edge.
Like the above comment suggests, go to "Find My Mobile". Once signed in, select the "UNLOCK MY DEVICE" option , (selecting the "Lock My Screen" option does not allow you to change the lock screen type afterwards).
Selecting Unlock my device will immediately unlock the phone and erase any lock screen patterns, fingerprints or pins that you might not remember, thus allowing you to set them up again!
Hope this helps!!

---------- Post added at 08:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:35 PM ----------

Also, one more thing. Doing the above ^ seemed to have solved a problem I was having with "Smart Lock" not working. So just as an FYI, going through that process might help you with that.

 

[Lively420!]

This just happend to my gf's s4 also she sent a text and then went to reply again a few moments later and her pin was invalid and it locked her out of her phone for 30 seconds, she just had to restart it once and it worked with the old pin again.

 

[jp-galaxy]

I just had that issue. I was able to unlock with the pin, and reset the pattern and it now works again but it was freaky.

same issues here, pattern just stopped working. im positive im using the correct pattern.

i can login with my pin, but i cant reset the pattern as it keeps asking for the current pattern.

how can i reset the pattern or change to pin / fingerprint?

ive restartted 2x and trying a 3rd now....

 

[GreyGnome]

> Use 'Find My Mobile' feature on Samsung Phone

No this didn't work. It still requires my pattern, and tells me I'm doing it wrong...

It DID let me into the phone, which was nice. But the pattern problem persists...

...Update: I restarted the phone, and it came up and accepted my pattern.

 

[pissedoffsamsunguser]

This just happened to me on my phone and my tablet. I wound up having to do a factory reset on both! Way to go Samsung. These are the last Samsung devices I'll ever buy.