NO ROOT REQUIRED: Completely disable and enable your lock screen

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Many of us don't have root and many of us also uninstalled may system apps, including Fire Launcher. That left us with some annoyances. One major annoyance was being kicked to the lock screen whenever we swiped away apps from the recent apps menu. Some people saw annoying flashes. Well this isn't quite a fix, but it pretty much takes care of the problem. You can now remove your lock screen completely and replace it at will and you do NOT need root access.

***WARNING: Touching any other settings on your tablet during this guide can cause a brick!!!***

1. Download and install Settings Database Editor.

2. Plug your tablet into your PC and open an ADB window. Enter the following:
Code:
adb shell pm grant by4a.setedit22 android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS

Step number 2 MUST be done in order for this to work.

3. Open Settings Database Editor and tap on the 'secure' tab at the top.

4. These settings are in alphabetical order. Scroll until you see:
Code:
"lockscreen_disabled"    "0"

5. Change the 0 to a 1. DO NOT CHANGE ANYTHING ELSE

6. Close Settings Database Editor

Now turn off your screen. Now turn it back on. You are welcome! I have a few more tricks coming. Watch for some later!

IF THE ABOVE DOESN'T WORK, TO DISABLE LOCK SCREEN:
Code:
adb shell settings put secure lockscreen_disabled 1

ENABLE LOCK SCREEN:
Code:
adb shell settings put secure lockscreen_disabled 0
 
Last edited:

Drymarchon

Senior Member
Mar 15, 2018
53
11
Google Pixel 5
is there an updated way to do this?

is there an updated way to do this?


edit: kindle fire 8 7th gen, confirmed not working.
 
Last edited:

tobean

New member
May 28, 2016
3
4
Doesn't work on my Fire HD8. But while browsing through Settings Database Editor I have found something useful.

In the "Global Table" tab there's a setting called LOCKSCREEN_AD_ENABLED. Change the value from 1 to 0, save. Turn off screen, turn it on again --> ads are gone!

At least for a while...
 
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gabosius

Member
Mar 12, 2009
34
23
Seems to be working on KFAUWI (Fire 7 7th Gen) on 5.4.0.0.

EDIT: Maybe it doesn't work with 5.4.0.1 and later?

It would be useful for those reporting success/failure to include not just device model, but fw version as well.

EDIT1: After some time playing around the system I have found out that by default it actually does not work, but if Global Table->"device_provisioned" = 0 then lock screen gets disabled, but serial number gets greyed out and developer options get disabled, while adb remains functional.

On 5.6.0.0 even change to "device_provisioned" did not disable the lock screen.
 
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Seems to be working on KFAUWI (Fire 7 7th Gen) on 5.4.0.0.

EDIT: Maybe it doesn't work with 5.4.0.1 and later?

It would be useful for those reporting success/failure to include not just device model, but fw version as well.

There are settings in the "private" class that override some of these lower ones, usually in favor their using their own software. I think most device stock settings are hidden for the purpose of favoring their own software. Though with Amazon, I scratch my head. Why spend the large amount of money, to install a high tech, customizable GPS system on devices, only to spend more money carelessly blocking your Access?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4 using XDA Labs
 

gabosius

Member
Mar 12, 2009
34
23
There are settings in the "private" class that override some of these lower ones, usually in favor their using their own software. I think most device stock settings are hidden for the purpose of favoring their own software. Though with Amazon, I scratch my head. Why spend the large amount of money, to install a high tech, customizable GPS system on devices, only to spend more money carelessly blocking your Access?

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4 using XDA Labs

That's fairly simple, the same goes for one of the iPhones (don't recall which gen exactly) which had two different models of radio chips, one of which did support LTE, but Apple decided to disable LTE support for that gen of the phone altogether.

Now more on the topic, checked the specs of all 7th gen tablets, indeed none of them seem to support GPS officially (for some reason I thought that HD8/HD10 might have it), but if they have the hw, it could be for testing purposes to test proprietary GPS related sw on development devices before introducing it in the next gen? Or simply they decided to drop it somewhere along the way but left the hardware (as we still have Serial/UART on some production devices nowadays, which are used only for debugging in the development stage).

On the other hand, where did you get the info that it actually has GPS related hardware? Because while exploring my device settings I only found a hint on A-GPS support (which is not proven).
 
That's fairly simple, the same goes for one of the iPhones (don't recall which gen exactly) which had two different models of radio chips, one of which did support LTE, but Apple decided to disable LTE support for that gen of the phone altogether.

Now more on the topic, checked the specs of all 7th gen tablets, indeed none of them seem to support GPS officially (for some reason I thought that HD8/HD10 might have it), but if they have the hw, it could be for testing purposes to test proprietary GPS related sw on development devices before introducing it in the next gen? Or simply they decided to drop it somewhere along the way but left the hardware (as we still have Serial/UART on some production devices nowadays, which are used only for debugging in the development stage).

On the other hand, where did you get the info that it actually has GPS related hardware? Because while exploring my device settings I only found a hint on A-GPS support (which is not proven).

Add a few .xml configuration files to start and there is configuration settings in the framework. Look for an app on the tablet with HERE in all caps in the title. That's the APK module making it possible. And yes I figured out a way to modify framework settings
 

gabosius

Member
Mar 12, 2009
34
23
Add a few .xml configuration files to start and there is configuration settings in the framework. Look for an app on the tablet with HERE in all caps in the title. That's the APK module making it possible. And yes I figured out a way to modify framework settings

I see, just checked MT8127 specs, and indeed there seems to be integrated support for GPS with GLONASS, that may be something interesting to play with.
EDIT: HD8/HD10 even have broader support of GPS related technologies according to their SoC specs.

Yeah, I was following root progress thread, even tried Blueborne exploit (the one published by Armis labs on github) on KFAUWI without much success as there is no access to /proc/<pid>/maps. And framework-res.apk mod looks promising only for devices having root, as getting required permissions outside /system is rather problematic.

Yet I was surprised that WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS can be assigned outside /system. :D As I was poking around com.amazon.dcp.permission.DISPLAY_DEBUG_UI for quite some time.
 
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lakitu47

Member
May 10, 2017
35
6
Yet I was surprised that WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS can be assigned outside /system. :D As I was poking around com.amazon.dcp.permission.DISPLAY_DEBUG_UI for quite some time.

Do you have any idea if you can grant something like Activity Launcher the DISPLAY_DEBUG_UI permission? Some of the activities gave me errors when I tried to open them, saying they require com.amazon.dcp.permission.DISPLAY_DEBUG_UI.

The thing is, this appears to be a custom permission added by Amazon, not available in the official Android documentation.

Would Activity Launcher even be capable of launching certain "hidden" activities with this permission granted? Presumably you would grant permission over ADB the same way as WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS?

Any ideas would be great.
 
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gabosius

Member
Mar 12, 2009
34
23
Do you have any idea if you can grant something like Activity Launcher the DISPLAY_DEBUG_UI permission? Some of the activities gave me errors when I tried to open them, saying they require com.amazon.dcp.permission.DISPLAY_DEBUG_UI.

The thing is, this appears to be a custom permission added by Amazon, not available in the official Android documentation.

Would Activity Launcher even be capable of launching certain "hidden" activities with this permission granted? Presumably you would grant permission over ADB the same way as WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS?

Any ideas would be great.

Tried granting it to other apps and it resulted in "com.amazon.dcp.permission.DISPLAY_DEBUG_UI is not a changeable type" the command I used was pm grant com.amazon.dcp com.amazon.dcp.permission.DISPLAY_DEBUG_UI so yes, the syntax is the same with custom amazon permissions. Also execution of dumpsys package com.amazon.dcp shows that app already has DISPLAY_DEBUG_UI permission.

My guess is that it requires root, as even when I am launching activity from adb shell (not in context of activity manager) I get the same error that it requires the permission, and the same goes for some other hidden amazon applications.

EDIT: you can get list of device permissions by executing "pm list permissions" without quotes from adb shell, there are at least a few interesting ones.
 
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Do you have any idea if you can grant something like Activity Launcher the DISPLAY_DEBUG_UI permission? Some of the activities gave me errors when I tried to open them, saying they require com.amazon.dcp.permission.DISPLAY_DEBUG_UI.

The thing is, this appears to be a custom permission added by Amazon, not available in the official Android documentation.

Would Activity Launcher even be capable of launching certain "hidden" activities with this permission granted? Presumably you would grant permission over ADB the same way as WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS?

Any ideas would be great.

That's a great question and one that hasn't been asked before. I can tell you I've been able to, in some apps, modify the manifest permissions. For example, I can use an app to edit the manifest of Jack Pals terminal emulator to add the secure settings permission and have it successfully install etc. I never thought of doing the same with activity launcher and if successful, seeing what happens. This could be very interesting. If you give me a few copies of some of the manifests permissions, I can see if a recompile and install will hold.
 

lakitu47

Member
May 10, 2017
35
6
That's a great question and one that hasn't been asked before. I can tell you I've been able to, in some apps, modify the manifest permissions. For example, I can use an app to edit the manifest of Jack Pals terminal emulator to add the secure settings permission and have it successfully install etc. I never thought of doing the same with activity launcher and if successful, seeing what happens. This could be very interesting. If you give me a few copies of some of the manifests permissions, I can see if a recompile and install will hold.

I attached a text document with ALL of the permissions listed by "pm list permissions" since it was too long to put here.
 

gabosius

Member
Mar 12, 2009
34
23
Give me a few hours to see if I can modify the app. If I can, I'll upload a. APK

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4 using XDA Labs

Questionable whether anything would change, as I don't see where activity launcher would need write secure settings permission.

On the other hand I did some digging on the "not a changeable permission type" message, and this provides some answer on what it might be expecting in order to activate?/assign the permission.
 

lakitu47

Member
May 10, 2017
35
6
Questionable whether anything would change, as I don't see where activity launcher would need write secure settings permission.

On the other hand I did some digging on the "not a changeable permission type" message, and this provides some answer on what it might be expecting in order to activate?/assign the permission.
Interesting. So each permission has a certain "protection" level?
 

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  • 3
    Doesn't work on my Fire HD8. But while browsing through Settings Database Editor I have found something useful.

    In the "Global Table" tab there's a setting called LOCKSCREEN_AD_ENABLED. Change the value from 1 to 0, save. Turn off screen, turn it on again --> ads are gone!

    At least for a while...
    2
    Many of us don't have root and many of us also uninstalled may system apps, including Fire Launcher. That left us with some annoyances. One major annoyance was being kicked to the lock screen whenever we swiped away apps from the recent apps menu. Some people saw annoying flashes. Well this isn't quite a fix, but it pretty much takes care of the problem. You can now remove your lock screen completely and replace it at will and you do NOT need root access.

    ***WARNING: Touching any other settings on your tablet during this guide can cause a brick!!!***

    1. Download and install Settings Database Editor.

    2. Plug your tablet into your PC and open an ADB window. Enter the following:
    Code:
    adb shell pm grant by4a.setedit22 android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS

    Step number 2 MUST be done in order for this to work.

    3. Open Settings Database Editor and tap on the 'secure' tab at the top.

    4. These settings are in alphabetical order. Scroll until you see:
    Code:
    "lockscreen_disabled"    "0"

    5. Change the 0 to a 1. DO NOT CHANGE ANYTHING ELSE

    6. Close Settings Database Editor

    Now turn off your screen. Now turn it back on. You are welcome! I have a few more tricks coming. Watch for some later!

    IF THE ABOVE DOESN'T WORK, TO DISABLE LOCK SCREEN:
    Code:
    adb shell settings put secure lockscreen_disabled 1

    ENABLE LOCK SCREEN:
    Code:
    adb shell settings put secure lockscreen_disabled 0
    1
    Not working for me too (Fire HD 8 2016). Also, you've made a mistake: original setting name is "lockscreen.disabled" (dot, not an underscore).
    1
    I know this isn't the correct forum for this but I tried this on a Fire 7 (2017) and it also does not seem to work.
    1
    Add a few .xml configuration files to start and there is configuration settings in the framework. Look for an app on the tablet with HERE in all caps in the title. That's the APK module making it possible. And yes I figured out a way to modify framework settings

    I see, just checked MT8127 specs, and indeed there seems to be integrated support for GPS with GLONASS, that may be something interesting to play with.
    EDIT: HD8/HD10 even have broader support of GPS related technologies according to their SoC specs.

    Yeah, I was following root progress thread, even tried Blueborne exploit (the one published by Armis labs on github) on KFAUWI without much success as there is no access to /proc/<pid>/maps. And framework-res.apk mod looks promising only for devices having root, as getting required permissions outside /system is rather problematic.

    Yet I was surprised that WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS can be assigned outside /system. :D As I was poking around com.amazon.dcp.permission.DISPLAY_DEBUG_UI for quite some time.