For security reasons, users keep their Android phones and tablets locked with a passcode or a pattern. But in a day, they have to open their devices for at least 100 times. And every time, they have to enter that code or pattern to access screen. In case you forget the pattern, you know how difficult it is to unlock forgotten pattern lock (password) on Android. You wish you had some trick to unlock your Android phones.
Unlike iPhone, not all Android devices come with Touch ID feature to unlock the screen. And therefore, Android users tend to go without passcode or pattern, leaving their smartphones vulnerable to security breaches.
After the launch of Android Lollipop 5.0, smartphones got an extra layer of security in the name of Smart Lock. Android has bolstered its own facial recognition feature, which was earlier not strong enough to protect the device. The new Android 5.0 Smart Lock feature is now available with a new feature; you can now use your Android phone with a trusted Bluetooth device to unlock your smartphone. This looks a bit strange, but it is a fact that you can unlock Android phone with Fitbit or any other Bluetooth enabled device.
How to Unlock Android Phone with Fitbit
As a substitute of Fitbit, you can use any trusted Bluetooth device.
Step #1: You need to set up a passcode or a pattern on your Android device first. If you haven’t set up a passcode or a pattern, follow the steps:
Settings → Personal → Security → Screen Security → Screen Lock.
Follow the on-screen instructions to set up or create new passcode or pattern.
Step #2: Enable Smart Lock
Until and unless you enable Smart Lock on your Android device, you cannot use a Smart Lock feature with a trusted Bluetooth device.
- Launch Settings on your Android phone/tablet.
- Choose Security in Personal section.
- Tap on Advanced menu and select ‘Trust agents’.
- You need to ensure that ‘Smart Lock’ option is turned on.
- In the Screen Security section, select ‘Smart Lock’ and type in the screen lock PIN, password, or pattern that you have created in the first step.
Step #3: Set Smart Lock to Identify Your Fitbit as a “Trusted Bluetooth Device”
You can ask the Smart Lock to unlock your Android phone/tablet when a trusted Bluetooth device of your choice is close by.
To set Smart Lock to trust Fitbit (or other trusted Bluetooth devices), you have to ensure that Bluetooth on your Android device is switched on.
Now select ‘Trusted devices’ from the Smart Lock menu. Next, choose ‘Add trusted device’ and then select ‘Bluetooth’.
Next, you should select your Fitbit (other other Bluetooth devices or Bluetooth enabled fitness trackers used by you) from the list of connected Bluetooth devices.
Point to Ponder
You have to pair your Bluetooth device with your Android phone/tablet so that it can be used as a Smart Lock Trusted Bluetooth Device.
Step #4: Remove previously allowed trusted Bluetooth device in Smart Lock
- Select the device from the list of ‘Trusted Devices in Smart Lock’ menu.
- Select ‘remove the device’ from the list and tap ‘OK’.
Remember, you cannot afford to leave your Android phone/tablet and the trusted Bluetooth device unattended as someone else can access your Android phone without your knowledge.
If you are using the latest Fitbit Charge 2, you can protect it with the best Fitbit Charge 2 bands.
There is another cool way to unlock your Android device; you can set up face unlock on Android phone. But the method is quite tedious and therefore, you may wish to avoid it.
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