Remove Activation lock (have access to phone, not factory reset)

[bobotech]

I bought a phone from a facebook acquaintance. It works fine now after I did some work on it (wasn't working properly when I got it) and he gave me the 4 digit code to unlock it but I want to do a factory reset on it. I just dont want to bug him for his password because he lives quite a distance from me and i don't feel right asking for passwords for his email account. It is on 6.0.1. It is a Verizon Note 4.

Since I have access to the phone, is it possible to turn off the activation lock somehow so I can do a successful factory reset without having to have him give me the password? Like I said, I already can access the phone itself.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome back! No, you need to know his Google account and password to properly remove his Google account prior to the factory reset. Did he not remove his account before giving you the phone?

This is Google's Factory Reset Protection, so we don't allow discussions of how to bypass security features. Sorry!

 

[Tim1954]

Indeed, it wouldn't be a secure security setup if you could just walk in through a back door and unlock it. He needs to unlock it and remove the account from that device. Should have done it before selling it.

 

[bobotech]

I can unlock it. When he gave me the phone, it wasn't working. I managed to get it working which is why I want to do a factory reset. He got a brand new phone and gave me this one. I was originally thinking I was going to have to do a logic board replacement. I just dont' want to have to drive all the way to him to have him put the password in. I want to clarify, I can unlock the phone, he gave me the 4 digit pin to get into the phone. I just didn't think about the FRP lock until I got the phone working and wanted to factory reset it so I can use it now. So right now I have the phone unlocked and I went in and deleted all his apps and most of his accounts but when I go to settings and security, I can't untick the Reactivation Lock tick box.

 

[anon(632115)]

Ask him to disable FRP lock through his Samsung Account

 

[bobotech]

Ask him to disable FRP lock through his Samsung Account

Ohhh, so he can remotely do that? Then I would do what on the phone? I haven't connected it to a wireless access point or put a active sim card into it yet. What does he need to do? I know that when I go to settings to disable the reactivation lock, it then prompts me for a password for an email account that is his Yahoo account.

 

[anon(632115)]

It is possible to unlock FRP remotely using the Samsung account (Samsung Find My Mobile website). IIRC it can be done over mobile data or wifi.