Cell phones are prone to being lost or stolen, so using a cell phone locking system that requires a unique numeric password is key to preventing unauthorized use of the cell phone if it falls into the wrong hands. But occasionally, you might forget the cell phone lock password, particularly if it's recently been changed or if the lock feature has not been used recently. Fortunately, there are several ways you can unlock a cell phone after forgetting the password.
Instructions
Unlock a Cell Phone If You've Forgotten the Password
1. Remove the cell phone battery for 2 full minutes; then replace the battery and turn on the phone. Check to see if the phone is still locked. Sometimes, this is all that's necessary to reset the phone's lock feature.
2. Check the cell phone user manual. Look in the index for terms like "lock," key lock," "keypad lock," "reset" or "features" and read the related sections. Some cell phone manuals will provide information on reset the cell phone's lock feature. Often, pressing a certain combination of keys or pressing a certain key while removing the battery will serve as a reset for the lock.
3. Press different keypad combinations in an attempt to unlock the phone using a bypass. Focus on the primary keys: the send button, the end/off button, the menu button, the arrow buttons. Try pressing them in combination--the send button and the menu button, the menu button and each of the arrow buttons, the send button with each number and so on.
4. Search for a reset button and depress it for 30 seconds; then turn the phone on to see if it's been unlocked. The reset button is usually very small, just large enough to be depressed with a pen tip or paperclip. It may be located behind the cell phone battery. Beware that this could erase ring tones, contacts, images and other data on the phone, so use caution when trying this option.
5. Call the cell phone company's customer service line. This number can be found on the cell phone company website or on your cell phone bill. The cell phone company can provide step-by-step help for problems with all of the different cell phone brands and models that are sold for use with their service.
6. Visit one of the cell phone company's retail stores. Each store has a customer service department and like the customer service reps who are available through the customer service line, they are equipped to help solve problems involving the phones that are sold for use with their service. The lock on some phone models can only be reset by the customer service staff using special computer software available only at the cell phone company's retail stores.
Tags: cell phone, cell phone, cell phone company, customer service, phone company, button menu