Forgetting your phone’s password or PIN could lead to severe consequences; your smartphone might end up locked for up to five years. Android 17 is set to introduce a new lock screen feature where repeatedly entering an incorrect PIN or password increases the likelihood of the phone being locked for an extended period. Google plans to implement robust lock screen protection in its upcoming operating system.
Entering the Wrong Password Could Prove Costly
Mishaal Rahman, Community Engagement Manager for Google’s Android mobile operating system, confirmed on the social media platform X that the limit for incorrect PIN or password attempts is being reduced in Android 17. Entering an incorrect PIN or password can result in a prolonged lockout.
According to the post, entering the wrong password six times will lock the phone for one minute. Seven incorrect attempts will lock it for six minutes, and eight attempts will lock it for 25 minutes. Entering the wrong password 12 times results in a 24-hour lockout, while 19 incorrect attempts could lock the phone for up to five years.
- 6 incorrect attempts: Phone locked for 1 minute.
- 7 incorrect attempts: Phone locked for 6 minutes.
- 8 incorrect attempts: Phone locked for 25 minutes.
- 12 incorrect attempts: Phone locked for 24 hours.
- 19 incorrect attempts: Phone locked for 5 years.
- 20 incorrect attempts: Phone locked permanently.
Previously, the phone would lock for one minute after 10 incorrect attempts. It would lock for six minutes after 20 attempts, 25 minutes after 50 attempts, 24 hours after 110 attempts, and five years after 1,800 attempts. Phone to be permanently locked
In the new operating system, the phone will be permanently locked if an incorrect PIN or password is entered 20 times. Additionally, Google has introduced a “duplicate guess detection” feature for users; this ensures that repeatedly entering the same incorrect password will not count towards the limit. Sometimes, passwords get entered accidentally; this feature has been added to prevent such issues.
Google’s new Android 17 will be rolled out soon. The tech company unveiled it at the recent Google I/O event. Currently, the beta version of Android 17 has been rolled out for Google Pixel smartphones.
