Bypass Factory Reset Protection on your Samsung Device

For those of you who don’t know, Factory Reset Protection (FRP) is a security method that was designed to make sure that no one can come and factory reset your phone in case of losing it. Starting with Android Lollipop, FRP is “standard” in vanilla Android and you must admit that the idea behind it is not at all a bad one.

If it’s a feature that can protect our data on a phone we’ve lost, then it’s obviously that is more than welcome. In this case, if someone steals your device, then it seems that the thief won’t be able to just reset it and gain access over your device because they don’t know your Google account password.

But what it happens if you forget your password and Google account details? You are practically stuck and the usual factory resetting won’t work this time on your device (due to FRP). There is no mystery that for activating FRP you must attach a Google account to your device, set a security option, and factory reset your device via stock recovery menu.

If you are the owner of a Samsung device, than the Factory Reset Protection can be bypassed and the problem that you are experiencing will reach to an end. For this procedure to be possible, you need though an OTG drive.

How to Bypass Factory Reset Protection on your Samsung Device:

1. First of all, download ‘bypass Google verify.apk’ for Samsung Devices from here;
2. Now, just turn off your phone;
3. Then, you must enter recovery menu by pressing the usual buttons: Home + Volume Up + Power at the same time;
4. When the screen turns on, you can release the power button and keep holding the home and volume up button;
5. Using the recovery menu, it’s time to perform a factory reset;
6. Turn it back on;
7. At that point, you’ll see a setup wizard. Don’t hesitate to follow the steps shown by the wizard till it asks you to enter the previous Google account details;
8. You have to transfer that APK instead and connect it to the phone;
9. The Samsung handset will launch file explorer even during the setup process;
10. Locate the APK file and install it;
11. You’ll get the option to activate Unknown sources. Do that and install the APK file;
12. Enter into the settings menu;
13. After that, perform the factory reset again, but this time from the Settings menu.

Security is a major concern these days, so we keep looking for tips, apps and advices to take good care of our beloved Android handsets.

Factory Reset Protection (FRP) is indeed supposed to prevent thieves from using stolen Android devices, but it seems that it is easy to bypass on Samsung and even on some Nexus devices running on unpatched versions of stock Marshmallow or even the Android N preview.

So, despite of the idea behind the feature, this is clearly a serious issue with Factory Reset Protection. If phone thieves with no technical skills can bypass FRP, then this affects the entire purpose of the feature.