Did you know that PRIV includes Factory Reset Protection?
Provided you set up a Google account on your device, if you ever misplace your PRIV, Factory Reset Protection can prevent someone who finds it from being able to reset, and use your device as their own.
To help you, and BlackBerry administrators managing PRIV devices in their environments, here’s an overview of how this feature works, and three important things you’ll want to know!
There is one very important thing to keep in mind though: if you do not set a screen lock, anyone who finds your device can perform a factory reset on your device by going to Settings > Backup & reset and tapping Reset Phone. For this reason we strongly recommend using a screen lock which can also prevent someone from accessing your personal information.When you complete the PRIV Setup Wizard, provided you signed into your Google account, Factory Reset Protection is enabled. Simply put, after the device is reset, the only way to set it up again is by entering the previously used Google account.
To add a Google account to your device and set a screen lock, complete the steps below:
- Go to Settings > Accounts
- Tap Google (if shown) and verify that your account appears
- If your Google account does not appear, tap Add Account
- Go to Settings > Security > Screen Lock
- Select Pattern, Picture, PIN, or Password
- Follow the prompts to set your new screen lock
After enabling Factory Reset Protection, here are three important things you need to know.
1 – Trusted versus Untrusted Factory Resets
If Factory Reset Protection is enabled, unless a trusted factory reset is performed, the next time you setup the device you will need enter the previously used Google account. As a result, if you plan on selling your device, or giving it someone else temporarily you must perform a trusted reset first.
To do this, go to Settings > Backup & reset and tapping Factory data reset.
As mentioned earlier, if you do not set a screen lock, anyone who finds your device can perform a Factory data reset and use your device as their own. If you do have a screen lock set, you will need to enter this to perform the Factory data reset. For this reason we strongly recommend the use of a screen lock.
For more detail about the differences between these reset methods, review What is a trusted, versus untrusted reset, and why does it matter? in the FAQ below.
2 – Buying a PRIV second hand
If you plan on purchasing PRIV second hand, you will want ensure that the device does not have factory reset protection enabled as this will prevent you from setting up the device as your own. In order to do this, ask the seller if a trusted reset was performed on the device. To verify, the seller can complete the setup wizard and, provided the following message doesn’t appear, the device can be setup by another person:
“This device was reset. To continue, sign in with a Google account that was previously synced on this device.”
Should you purchase a device second hand that displays this message, the only option is to contact the point of sale and request their assistance or a refund. BlackBerry cannot assist in these situations so please perform due diligence before purchasing a device second hand.
3 – Changing or resetting your Google password
If you need to change or reset your Google password you will not be able to complete the PRIV setup process if your device has been factory reset within the last 24 hours. This is regardless of whether a trusted, or untrusted reset was performed. As a result, if you need to factory reset your device for any reason, do not change or reset your Google account password until you complete the setup wizard.
To learn more about Android Device Protection and the 24 hour period click here.
Tip: Not a fan of entering your device password constantly, but you want to ensure Factory Reset Protection is enabled? Consider using Smart Lock which will automatically unlock your device based on your current location such as being connected your home Wi-Fi, devices you are connected too such as your vehicles Bluetooth system, or just by having the device on your person, aka On-body detection. Find out more here!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How can I verify Factory Reset Protection is enabled on my PRIV?
Provided you added your Google account when you set up PRIV initially, or afterwards by going to Settings > Accounts, Factory Reset Protection is enabled on your device.
To ensure your device and personal information is secure we strongly recommend the use of a screen lock in addition to adding a Google account to your device.
Q: How do I turn off Factory Reset Protection?
To turn off Factory Reset Protection you will need to remove your Google account.
Keep in mind that doing this will prevent you from using other Android Device Manager features such as locating, or remotely locking, and factory resetting your PRIV.
Q: What is a trusted, versus untrusted reset, and why does it matter?
A trusted reset occurs when the device owner performs a factory reset by going to Settings > Backup & reset and tapping Factory data reset.
If you do not have a screen lock, anyone who finds your device can perform a factory data reset and use your device afterwards which is why we recommend the use of a screen lock. To add, this is considered a trusted reset since it is assumed the device owner is performing the factory data reset.
To prevent this scenario from occurring, please consider the use of a screen lock, something we strongly recommend.
An untrusted reset occurs when the device is factory reset as a result of: entering the device password wrong 10 times, the device OS was reloaded, the device was erased using Android Device Manager, or your administrator remotely reset your device. Compared to a trusted reset, these four factory reset methods are considered untrusted resets since the device owner did not perform the factory reset themselves.
As a result, if an untrusted reset is performed the device cannot be setup again unless the previously used Google account is entered during the Setup wizard.
Q: After performing a trusted reset, I am unable to set up my device despite using my Google account which was previously setup on the device. Why is this happening?
If you reset, or changed your Google account password, you will need to wait 24 hours from the time of the password reset or change before you can use this Google account to setup your device. This 24 hour time limit cannot be lifted or modified so please keep this in mind if you are plan on changing your Google account password in the future.
To learn more about Android Device Protection and the 24 hour period click here.
Q: What should I do if I’m giving my device to someone else?
In this scenario, perform a trusted factory reset of your device which will allow another user to setup the device as their own.
To do this, go to Settings > Backup & reset and tapping Factory data reset.
If you perform an untrusted reset and give your device to someone else, they will not be able to set it up as their own.
Q: I am a BlackBerry administrator in my company and a former employee performed an untrusted reset on a company provided PRIV. As a result, the device is stuck at the setup wizard with the following message; “This device was reset. To continue, sign in with a Google account that was previously synced on this device.”
In this scenario, obtain the IMEI of the PRIV by opening the slider, flipping the device over and looking under the slider bezel as per the image below.
After obtaining the IMEI, if you are a BlackBerry administrator please contact BlackBerry Technical Support services for assistance.
If you are an end user, please contact your point of purchase or IT administrator for assistance.
Q: I bought a second hand PRIV and the following message appears in the Setup Wizard, “This device was reset. To continue, sign in with a Google account that was previously synced on this device”. How do I complete the setup wizard?
This message indicates an untrusted reset was performed. As a result, the previously used Google account must be entered to continue setting up the device. In this scenario, you will need to contact your point of purchase to request a refund due to the device being locked as a result of Factory Reset Protection.
BlackBerry cannot assist in these situations so please perform due diligence before purchasing a device second hand.
Got a question? Leave a comment and let me know!
To learn about PRIV by BlackBerry or troubleshoot an issue, there are several great options available to help. Visit http://blackberry.com/privsupport for access to product documentation, how-to demos, tips and tricks, YouTube videos, support forums, knowledge base articles, Twitter support, and contact information for your region.