Samsung Galaxy S III Switches to Security and Lock Screen

[Christopher Lonske]

Does anyone have any idea why my Brand New Samsung Galaxy S III is switching screens from whatever screen I am currently on to the Security and Lock Screen?

It seems it may be APP related because when I KILL my apps with the Advanced Task Killer it doesn't happen as often.
ALL the Apps are the same Apps that were on my previous phone (Samsung Captivate) which never did this. There are no NEW Apps on this phone.
Software is current and up to date as it was downloaded within 5min after un-packaging the phone.

Any Help You Can Provide Would Be GREATLY Appreciated!

 

[Trees]

Does the lock screen appear while you're actively using an app(s)? I see that the auto lock is set to go off after five seconds after the screen goes off. How long is the delay for your screen to go off?

 

[Christopher Lonske]

Yes. I can be using and App and this screen will appear. The delay for the screen to go off is 1 minute.

 

[Devinator]

If it's brand new, you can do a factory reset relatively painlessly, right? If you do, and, it still happens, just get it replaced.

 

[Trees]

Yes. I can be using and App and this screen will appear. The delay for the screen to go off is 1 minute.

Is it possible that the app(s) you're using has an issue? I've had a particular launcher crash and kick me back out to the lock screen. Is the app(s) updated and supported for Android 4.0.4 or 4.1?

 

[Feetfixer]

Re: Samsung Galaxy S3 Switches to Security and Lock Screen

My 12 day old Galaxy s3 started this exact problem today. If the phone is at rest and I wake it up, it may start on the Security and Lock screen or it may start on the Home Screen. It randomly and frequently diverts to the Security and Lock screen if I'm reading a page or checking email or really doing anything. If you find a fix for this, please share.

 

[Trees]

Re: Samsung Galaxy S3 Switches to Security and Lock Screen

My 12 day old Galaxy s3 started this exact problem today. If the phone is at rest and I wake it up, it may start on the Security and Lock screen or it may start on the Home Screen. It randomly and frequently diverts to the Security and Lock screen if I'm reading a page or checking email or really doing anything. If you find a fix for this, please share.

A few things to check are in the Display settings. Once there, check your Screen Timeout setting (lowest value = 15 seconds). Another item to check is if the Smart Stay feature is on or off. Smart Stay can check to see if you are reading or checking e-mail. Increasing the Screen Timeout value and enabling Smart Stay may help reduce the randomness.
I think the first part of the symptoms you are experiencing may be the same as the second part, its just that they manifest at different usage patterns. For example, if you were just using your phone and the screen timeout triggered, and then you quickly reactivate the screen by pressing home or power button I have found that the screen will return to the last view you had. So, if you were on the home screen and then experienced a Security and Lock Screen event and basically immediately reactivate the screen it will not return to the Security and Lock Screen but rather your last active view.
Before the problems started, were any changes made to the phone (settings or configuration changes, etc.)?

 

[Feetfixer]

Re: Samsung Galaxy S3 Switches to Security and Lock Screen

Being a brand new phone, I obviously installed some apps. Nothing in the past 5 days except I did install Prey a few hours before it started. I thought this might be the problem and uninstalled it but that did not fix it. I've turned off the phone, removed the battery and SIM card without success. Trying to avoid a factory reset. It does not seem related to the time-out of the screen. I can return the phone to the home screen and not use it for several hours and when I power up to send a text or check email, it will be on the Security Lock screen. I can be checking email, scrolling pages on the web, whatever, and it pops back the the Security Lock screen. If I hit the "back" button, it returns to what I was doing when it switched. I was video taping something last night and right in the middle it popped to the S&L screen. Very frustrating problem.

 

[Trees]

Re: Samsung Galaxy S3 Switches to Security and Lock Screen

The only thing I can think of at the moment is that Smart Stay is not kicking in while you're using the phone, so as a result the Security Lock screen timeout is triggered and the phone goes back to the Lock screen. Definitely empathize with your situation, though. Maybe others on the forum can provide a few more angles to consider.

 

[Huush]

Re: Samsung Galaxy S3 Switches to Security and Lock Screen

Finally, a post related to this problem! This started happening to me today.

Last night when I plugged the phone in to charge, it wouldn't charge and kept beeping as though it was continually docking about every 5 to 30 seconds.

No new apps installed in the past 48 hours.

This morning, same problem. Then when I was trying to use WhatsApp it would switch to the Lock or Security Screen (whichever displays a calendar and weather and a clock - not the pin code screen) whilst I was actually typing. So, I really don't think this is related to the Smart Stay feature as I was interfacing with the device when this would happen. It is also not only occuring from WhatsApp, it occurs in other apps as well.

I then tried rebooting. It froze stating something about Factory Mode: ... and "Downloading... Do not turn off Target!!". After reading up on this and leaving it long enough to determine it had truly frozen, I hard rebooted. Crossed fingers and it started up. It no longer has an issue docking either, but the switching to Security Screen is continuing.

Also, AFTER I have locked the phone and the phone screen is blank, it will now turn the screen back on onto the aforementioned problem screen and after a while go to a screen with just a moving clock and date - much like a screensaver. These two screens stay on - so, will burn through the battery when in a pocket.

So,

1. Issue that the phone is switching to this screen while phone is in use in applications. Physical interaction with the screen when it switches.
2. Issue that the phone switches the screen back on and to this screen when the phone is already locked down.

Any assistance would be awesome.