Smartphone troubleshooting: Unlocking Android and fixing iPhone screens

Users facing mobile device issues such as forgotten security credentials or hardware malfunctions have several recovery options for Android and iOS devices.

For Android users, Google’s ‘Find My Device’ can be used to set a temporary password if the device is connected to the internet. Samsung users may utilize the ‘Find My Mobile’ feature to remotely unlock screens if the setting was previously enabled. Older Android versions may allow access via Gmail credentials after multiple failed attempts.

iPhone users dealing with a ‘white screen’—often caused by failed iOS updates, jailbreaking errors, or hardware damage—can attempt various fixes. While some issues stem from corrupted software, others may be physical hardware failures. In some cases, what appears to be a dead screen may actually be an accidental activation of accessibility zoom features, which can be resolved with specific touch gestures.