Forgot the pattern lock on a Vivo, Oppo or realme phone: safe unlock options

Locked out of your own vivo, OPPO or realme phone after forgetting the pattern or PIN? Here are the safe, official ways back in, what each one costs you in data, and why you should stay away from unlock tools.

On current phones there is usually no way to skip a forgotten pattern without erasing the phone. Try fingerprint or face unlock, a second user profile and any old-password option first, then erase the phone through Google Find Hub or take it to an authorised service centre with your bill. After an erase you will need the Google account and password that was on the phone, so recover that before you start.

• 1. Try fingerprint or face unlock first: If the phone still opens with your fingerprint or face, you are in luck. Back up your photos, chats and contacts straight away, then change the screen lock in Settings to something you will remember. vivo specifically suggests backing up first if biometrics still work.
• 2. Check you are on the right user profile: On vivo phones with more than one user, each profile has its own lock. vivo says you can pull down the control centre on the lock screen, tap the profile picture and switch back to the Owner profile before trying again. Also ask family members if anyone changed the pattern.
• 3. Use your old pattern if you changed it recently: vivo says that on Funtouch OS 15, if you changed the lock in the last 96 hours and still remember the old one, you can use the old password to set a new lock. Entering the old one wrongly 5 times disables this option. Some older vivo models also offer a Forgot password option with security questions after 5 wrong attempts.
• 4. Erase the phone with Google Find Hub: If nothing else works, go to google.com/android/find on another phone or a laptop, sign in with the Google account on the locked phone, pick the phone and choose Factory reset device. The phone needs to be switched on, online and signed in for this to work. This permanently deletes everything on the phone, though Google notes it may not wipe a memory card.
• 5. Or reset from recovery mode, where supported: Some vivo models can be reset from recovery mode: switch the phone off, hold Power and Volume Up until the Fastboot screen appears, use Volume Down to pick Recovery mode and Power to confirm, then choose Clear data > Clear all data. Button combinations and menus vary by brand and model, so do not force it if your screen looks different. Family Link parental controls can block this.
• 6. Sign in with your Google account after the reset: After any reset, Android's device protection asks for the old screen lock or the Google account that was already on the phone. On vivo, tap Use my Google account instead and enter that account's password. Without it the phone cannot be used, which is why recovering the Google password first matters so much.
• 7. Visit an authorised service centre with your bill: If you cannot do the reset yourself, take the phone with its purchase bill to an authorised service centre. vivo asks for the phone and proof of purchase, and realme India asks for the phone, proof of purchase and warranty card. The phone will be reflashed, which erases all data. Use the brand's service centre locator and call ahead.
• 8. Restore your data and set a lock you will remember: Once you are back in, restore from your Google backup or the brand's cloud, then set a new pattern or PIN. Add a fingerprint or face unlock as a backup, and write the PIN somewhere safe at home, not on the phone case.