How to Use Lockdown Mode on Any Android Phone

Lock down your phone quickly and easily

By
Jon Martindale
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Jon Martindale
Writer
    Jon Martindale has been a feature tech writer for more than 10 years. He's written for publications such as Digital Trends, KitGuru, and ITProPortal.
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    Updated on September 20, 2022
    Reviewed by
    Jon Fisher
    Jon Fisher headshot
    Reviewed by Jon Fisher
    • Wichita Technical Institute
    Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA-certified technologist with more than 10 years of experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek.
    lifewire's editorial guidelines

    What to Know

    • Press and hold the power button on your Android phone.
    • Select the Lockdown button. It will be labeled as such, with a padlock icon on it.
    • Enable on Samsung phones: Settings > Lock Screen > Secure Lock Settings > Show Lockdown Option.

    This article explains how to use the Lockdown mode on any Android smartphone. The instructions will work for devices from most major manufacturers, but some Samsung Galaxy phones may need to enable Lockdown from the power menu.

    How to Enable Lockdown Mode in Android

    To enable lockdown mode, you only need to select it from the power options menu.

    1. Press and hold the power button on the side of your Android phone. Hold it down for a few seconds until the Power Options menu appears.

    2. Select Lockdown from the options. It is labeled as such under the button, while the button itself has a small padlock icon.

      Selecting Lockdown from the Android power options menu.

    3. Lockdown mode is similar to locking your phone, but it does so in a more secure manner.

    How to Enable Lockdown Mode on Samsung Galaxy Phones

    Some older Samsung Galaxy phones may not have the Lockdown option within their Power Options menu. Fortunately, you can easily enable it by following these steps.

    1. Swipe down from the top of the screen to open the Quick Settings menu.

    2. Select the Settings cog.

    3. Navigate to Lock Screen.

    4. Select Secure Lock Settings.

    5. There you'll find a number of options to customize your power options menu. Make sure to toggle on Show Lockdown Option. Once that's enabled, you should then be able to activate Lockdown from your Samsung phone's power options menu in the same way as any other Android phone.

    What Is Android Lockdown Mode?

    Lockdown Mode disables a number of the more convenient, but less-secure ways to unlock your phone. When you enable Lockdown mode, the only way to unlock the phone is using the password, pin code, or swipe pattern you enabled when you set up your Android phone.

    Useful unlock options like biometric thumb or facial recognition are disabled, as are any Bluetooth accessories capable of unlocking your phone. The only way to unlock it is with the most secure method, improving the overall security of the device.

    If you want to change any of your unlock methods, check out how to customize your lock screen.

    FAQ

    • How do I get out of Lockdown mode on Android?

      Lockdown mode is disabled when you unlock your Android with a PIN or password. You must re-enable Lockdown mode after each time you use your phone.

    • How do I lock apps on Android?

      To enable screen pinning on Android, go to Settings > Biometrics and security > Other security settings > Advanced > Pin windows. You can also set a password to open apps. In Android 13: Settings > Security > Advanced settings > App pinning > Use app pinning.

    • How do I childproof my Android?

      To set up parental controls on Android, go to Google Play Settings > Family > Parental controls > On. You can also install third-party apps to limit screen time and block access to specific websites.

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