Q - Require passcode after X time

[DarthLuch]

Hello,
New to Galaxy Nexus and Android, former iPhone4 user. Been looking for how to get the equivalent functionality of the iPhone's setting under "Passcode Lock" called "Require Passcode After X minutes". I'd like to know how configure the phone so I have the following:

1) Have a passcode lock.
2) The power button (while screen is on) should turn off the screen, but not immediately lock the phone. While screen is off... Until a certain amount of minutes have passed... Turning on the screen should require an additional action (such as a "slide") to open the phone, but it should not prompt for the passcode until X amount of minutes has passed.
3) After a certain amount of minutes with the screen off, the phone should auto-lock. After this point... When power button is clicked (while screen is off)... The phone should require the passcode to be unlocked (I don't care if a "slide" is required first in this case or not).
4) A Setting such as iPhone's "auto-lock" which turns off screen and locks the phone after X amount of idle minutes.
5) The important part is the time between when the screen is off and the "Require passcode after X minutes" comes due... I'd like an additional action (such as a "slide") to be needed if the phone's screen is turned on (to prevent accidental keypresses) but not require the passcode (until after the elapsed time) to prevent having to keep entering the passcode for times when I power-off screen and then power it on again within a short period (which I do often thanks to my OCD-like behaviour in checking the phone). I believe this is an ideal (and somewhat secure) configuration that I would think most people would want to use.

If someone could help me understand how to set up the phone for this, would be greatly appreciated. Haven't been able to figure it out so far.

 

[MrProph]

1.settings>security>screen lock
2. not sure about this one
3.settings>security>automatically lock
4. see 3 (screen will turn off sooner but wont lock until the time chosen in 3)
5. best i know of is settings>display>sleep and you could select 15 seconds is the shortest amount of tiem...you would have to wait 15 seconds and the screen would shut off and as long as # 3 is set to something higher then 15 seconds then all you would need to do is hit the power button until the alloted time for #3 has passed then you would need to put in the security code #3 highest time is 30 minutes

 

[jpr]

You can do everything except the additional swipe in #2. MrProph gave you most of it - how to set a PIN, how to set the time delay for lock after sleep and how to set the timeout for sleep. The only thing I would add is that in order for it not to auto-lock immediately after pressing the power button when the screen is on, make sure the box under security settings in unchecked that says 'Power button instantly locks.'

 

[sting7k]

Unfortunately the locking system cannot replicate what the iPhone does. You can go to security in the settings and set a time to auto lock with the PIN. Then unchecking the box "Power button instantly locks" will delay the code after you turn off the screen for that amount of time. However if you turn on the screen again within this time you will not get any secondary "slide to unlock", the power button will just turn the screen back on and the phone is open.

What I ultimately have settled on is using the pattern unlock. Even with the pin there is no slider, just the PIN, and the buttons cover up just about the entire lock screen even if you just want to check the time and looks bad. I just have the pattern unlock engage instantly and it is working out. But do prefer the way the iPhone does it.

 

[npgauth]

This is extremely annoying. I also want "slide to unlock" for a certain amount of time before requiring a PIN (or always). With the current "automatically lock" timeout, I end up turning on the phone in my pocket and am worried that I will dial someone unintentionally... I don't understand why anyone would want this over a simple slide to unlock.

ICS at least had a slider before the PIN, which looked nicer and allowed me to open the camera without entering a PIN. Maybe there were some IP issues that made google remove this? Also, CM9 used to allow this feature and hopefully they will implement it in CM10!

Just my 2 cents. I hope this gets fixed.
Nick

 

[sting7k]

This is extremely annoying. I also want "slide to unlock" for a certain amount of time before requiring a PIN (or always). With the current "automatically lock" timeout, I end up turning on the phone in my pocket and am worried that I will dial someone unintentionally... I don't understand why anyone would want this over a simple slide to unlock.

ICS at least had a slider before the PIN, which looked nicer and allowed me to open the camera without entering a PIN. Maybe there were some IP issues that made google remove this? Also, CM9 used to allow this feature and hopefully they will implement it in CM10!

Just my 2 cents. I hope this gets fixed.
Nick

If you turned on the PIN with ICS the slider went away, it wasn't really a slider but a circle. At least it did for me. Same thing would happen though trying to replicate the iPhone's system, I would always end up waking up the phone with the power button before the lock engaged. I'm living with the pattern unlock as it has some security and gives me a slide to unlock always.

 

[npgauth]

This is extremely annoying. I also want "slide to unlock" for a certain amount of time before requiring a PIN (or always). With the current "automatically lock" timeout, I end up turning on the phone in my pocket and am worried that I will dial someone unintentionally... I don't understand why anyone would want this over a simple slide to unlock.

ICS at least had a slider before the PIN, which looked nicer and allowed me to open the camera without entering a PIN. Maybe there were some IP issues that made google remove this? Also, CM9 used to allow this feature and hopefully they will implement it in CM10!

Just my 2 cents. I hope this gets fixed.
Nick

I might have found a solution. It requires buying WidgetLocker ($2.99), but seems to work and replicates the iPhone functionality... I had some trouble with this program in the past, but haven't had any trouble in the past few hours of testing. Also, to get rid of the Navigation bar I think you also have to be rooted.

(1): In Settings->Security set:
>> enable the "Screen lock: PIN"
>> set "Automatically lock" to the amount of time the screen off will delay PIN entry.
>> Uncheck "Power button instantly locks".

(2): Install WidgetLocker (in Play store) and configure the lockscreen to look as you desire. I have left all the default settings except checking Advanced->Root Helper to turn the Notification bar off.

It seems to work as expected:
- WidgetLocker is always enabled when the screen comes on
- If the "Automatically lock" time has expired, unlocking the slider in WidgetLocker leads to the PIN code screen.
- However, if the time hasn't expired, than swiping leads directly to the home screen.

I really wish this was built into the OS, but it seems like a viable workaround.

Hope this helps, Nick

 

[DarthLuch]

Part of the problem/issue is that since I have my mail setup with my work's Exchange server... They force my phone to use a pin or password... The "slide" un-locker is disabled once I'm hooked to their email.

 

[DarthLuch]

Nick,
Thanks so much for suggesting Widget Unlocker. It's definitely the best solution yet, and the closest to mimicking the behavior I described for iPhone.

I also believe rooting is necessary to have the requirement/behavior met... Though not so much for the notification bar... Without rooting, widget unlocker could not disable the back/home/recents buttons, which would otherwise still show on the lock-screen. And yeah, with those buttons there, the phone could still be accidentely opened (while in my pocket, etc). So I also learned to root my Google Nexus as a result of this.

Sometimes I notice this with Widget Unlocker... When you quickly lock and un-lock... It sometimes takes a full second before the Widget Locker kicks in... that means your phone's screen is open (to accidental keypresses) for about one second (which I think has led me to one accidental keypress).

But I'm definitely happy with it, and thank you so much for suggesting it!
-Luch

 

[dbareis]

Part of the problem/issue is that since I have my mail setup with my work's Exchange server... They force my phone to use a pin or password... The "slide" un-locker is disabled once I'm hooked to their email.

You can use alternative software that pin protects the app itself, for example TouchDown: Sync Android/Droid with Outlook/Exchange