How can I recover my Galaxy S5 alternate password?

[AC Question]

Galaxy S5 alternate password

Hi, I don't know if my phn problem is any different from all the posts I have read however I do know that the despite having called the Samsung helpdesk then using the remote device manager via google & email password several times I have been unable to unlock the screen. A confirmation msg appears that the password reset has been sent to my phone but still no access.

I have sent a msg via the above, I have loaded a phn number via the above, both of which work & I am now able to receive calls.

I have no idea why the phoned locked, previously used fingerscan which was troublesome sometimes.

I was overseas & had not used the phn, about 7 days ago I noticed that the alternate password screen was up, like everyone else I have no idea what that was, I figured I would sort it out at home.

The google/android device manager indicates that the phn was online 2 days ago & I'm trying to figure out how that has happened given that I turn only turn on wifi etc when I want to use it so there should be nothing running on my phn to appear online.

All that aside do you have any other procedures to reinstate my phn?

Cheers.

 

[B. Diddy]

Re: Galaxy S5 alternate password

Welcome to Android Central! Sorry, can you clarify--are you unable to unlock the screen due to not knowing the alternate password?

If you fail the unlock enough times, are you prompted to enter your Google credentials? If so, make sure you have 2-factor authentication turned off temporarily on your Google account, because that seems to interfere with this process.

 

[Lost in cyberworld]

Re: Galaxy S5 alternate password

Hi B Diddy,

Correct in the first instance I had no idea what my alternate password was, tried to reset via google/android device manager, unsuccessfully.

Samsung have suggested my phn will have to go to a service centre to be restored to factory settings?

I had no idea what the google 2 factor verification was, on checking the google account (which I have never used) I found they were already turned off.

Cheers

 

[B. Diddy]

Re: Galaxy S5 alternate password

Not sure how to get past this without doing a factory reset. This issue crops up with some regularity--I wish Samsung would figure it out.:-\

 

[Misco Fufu]

Here's a related question: does Samsung have some kind of factory preset password? The situation is this: after whatever the usual number of unsuccessful login attempts is, the phone asked for an alternative password. The Google method failed, giving me the message "because Google has confirmed that your phone is already locked, you won't need the password you just gave us" (or something to that effect). But the thing is, I never set an alternative password. So this isn't a case of me forgetting it, it's a case of my phone asking me for a password I never established.

So that brings me back to my question. Does Samsung have some kind of factory preset alternative password that it will accept in those cases where the user of the phone hasn't set one?