You can keep your phone unlocked in some situations, like when your phone is in your pocket or you're near home. When you use Extend Unlock (formerly Smart Lock), you only need to unlock once with your PIN, pattern, or password.
Important:
- Some of these steps work only on Android 10 and up. Learn how to check your Android version.
- Some of these steps require you to touch the screen.
Let your phone stay unlocked
- Make sure you have a screen lock. Learn how to set a screen lock.
- Open your device's Settings app.
- Tap Security & privacy More security & privacy Extend Unlock.
- If you don't find "Security & privacy," tap Security & location.
- Enter your PIN, pattern, or password.
- Pick an option and follow the on-screen steps.
Manually lock phone when Extend Unlock is on
Important: When Extend Unlock is turned on and active, an Unlock icon is displayed on your lock screen. Extend Unlock will keep your device unlocked for up to 4 hours at a time.
To lock your device again:
- Press the Power and Volume up buttons at the same time.
- Tap Lockdown .
Turn off Extend Unlock
- Open your device's Settings app.
- Tap Security & privacy More security & privacy Extend Unlock.
- If you don't find "Security & privacy," tap Security & location.
- Enter your PIN, pattern, or password.
- Tap On-body detection.
- Turn off Use On-body detection.
- Tap Trusted places.
- Turn off Use trusted places for Extend Unlock.
- Remove all trusted devices. On some phones, you might need to remove trusted faces and Voice Match voices.
Tip: You can turn off your screen lock. Learn more about screen lock settings.
Learn about locking options
Keep your phone unlocked when it's on youImportant: When you're on an airplane or boat, your device may not lock automatically. If needed, make sure to lock manually. Learn how to manually lock your phone.
Turn on-body detection on or off
- Open your device's Settings app.
- Tap Security & privacy More security & privacy Extend Unlock On-body detection.
- Turn Use On-body detection on or off.
How on-body detection works
- After you unlock your device, it stays unlocked as long as it senses that it's on your body. After you put down your device, like if you set it on a table, your device can take up to one minute to automatically lock.
- After you get into a car, bus, train, or other vehicle, your device can take 5-10 minutes to lock.
Important: When you're on an airplane or boat, your device could not lock automatically. Make sure to lock manually if needed. Learn how to manually lock your phone.Learn how to manually lock your phone.
Important: Your device stores accelerometer data about the pattern of your walk to help determine when you're carrying your device. When you turn off on-body detection, your device deletes this data.
Use trusted places
- Turn on Use trusted places for Extend Unlock. Learn how to set up Trusted places on your Android device.
- Turn on Location Accuracy. Learn how to change location settings.
- Let your device use your current location. Learn how to turn on location.
Important: Your trusted location is an estimate
Your trusted location can go out beyond the walls of your home or custom place. It can keep your device unlocked within a radius of up to about 100 meters.
Location signals can be copied or manipulated. Someone with access to specialized equipment could unlock your device.
Add a trusted Bluetooth device
- On your device, make sure that Bluetooth is on. Learn how to turn on Bluetooth.
- Open your device's Settings app.
- Tap Security & privacy More security & privacy Extend Unlock.
- If you don't find "Security & privacy," tap Security & location.
- Tap Trusted devices Add trusted device.
- On the list of devices, tap a device.
- You can keep your phone or tablet unlocked for longer when it's connected to a trusted device, like a Bluetooth watch or car speaker system. We recommend avoiding devices that are always with your phone or tablet, like Bluetooth keyboards or cases.
- Optional: To remove a Bluetooth device, tap the device you want to remove. Then, tap Remove.
- Unlock your device. If it's connected to the trusted device, it will stay unlocked.
Important: Make sure to only use trusted Bluetooth devices.
It's possible that someone could keep your device unlocked by imitating your Bluetooth connection.
If you get a notification on your device: When your device can't determine that you're using a secure connection, you'll get a notification. You could need to unlock your device.
Bluetooth connectivity range can vary. Range depends on factors like your device model, Bluetooth device, and current environment. Bluetooth connectivity can be up to 100 meters. If someone takes your phone or tablet while it's near your trusted device, and if your trusted device has unlocked it, that person could access your device.
Show the lockdown option in your power settings
- Open your phone's Settings app.
- Tap Display Advanced Lock screen display. If you don't find "Display," tap Security & location Lock screen preferences.
- Turn on Show lockdown option. The lockdown button will show in the list of settings when you press the power button.
Turn on Lockdown
- Press the Power and Volume up buttons at the same time.
- Tap Lockdown. This turns off notifications, fingerprint or face recognition unlocking, and Extend Unlock while on your lock screen.
Older Android versions
If you're using Android 9 and below, you might find these options on your device.
Important: This facial recognition is less secure than a PIN, pattern, or password. Someone who looks similar to you could unlock your phone.
Set up and use a trusted face
- In the Smart Lock menu, tap Trusted face.
- Tap Set up and follow the on-screen steps. After you set a trusted face, every time you turn on your phone, it'll look for your face and unlock if it recognizes you.
- Smart Lock doesn't store photos of you. Data used to recognize your face is kept only on your phone. Apps can't see or use the data, and it isn't backed up on Google servers.
Tip: When your phone looks for your face, you'll see the Trusted face . If your phone doesn’t recognize your face, you can unlock your phone with your PIN, pattern, or password.
Improve your phone's facial recognition
- In the Smart Lock menu, tap Trusted face.
- Tap Improve face matching.
- Tap Next and follow the on-screen steps.
Remove a trusted face
- In the Smart Lock menu, tap Trusted face.
- Tap Remove trusted face.
- When asked if you want to remove the trusted face, tap Remove.