🔒 How to Lock an Android Phone Remotely (Step-by-Step Guide)

To lock an Android phone remotely, install Lock My Devices on it, choose a secret user code, grant Device Administrator Permission and save. From then on you can tap Lock All Devices on any phone with the same code, or enter the code on the website’s lock page, and every device in that group drops to its standard Android lock screen.

The whole setup takes a couple of minutes per device, and it’s best done before you need it. Below is the full walkthrough, plus what to do after the lock.

What you need before you start

• An Android phone or tablet running Android 7.0 or newer.
• A screen lock (PIN, pattern, password or biometrics) already set on each device. Remote locking brings up that lock screen, so it only protects you if one exists.
• An internet connection during setup.
• A user code you’ll remember but nobody else can guess. If you’re unsure, read our guide on how to choose a strong user code.

Lock My Devices is a one-time purchase with no subscription, and it doesn’t ask you to create an account. You can download it from Google Play.

Step-by-step setup on each device

Repeat these steps on every phone or tablet you want to lock together:

1. Install and open the app. On launch it asks you to verify with your fingerprint, face or device PIN. No biometric data is stored by the app.
2. Enter your user code on the User Code screen and tap Continue. Use exactly the same code on every device you want in the same group.
3. Tap “Grant Device Administrator Permission” on the main screen and confirm in Android’s dialog. This is what allows the app to trigger Android’s built-in “force lock”. Without it, the device can receive a command but can’t lock itself.
4. Check the main screen. It shows UserCode: … with the code you chose, so you can confirm you typed it correctly.

That’s it. Each device saved with the same code now belongs to one group. There’s no pairing, QR code or sign-in involved; the code itself is what ties the devices together. You can read more about this on the how it works page.

Option 1: Lock from the app

If you have another device with the app installed (say, your tablet at home while your phone is missing):

1. Open Lock My Devices and verify yourself.
2. Tap Lock All Devices.
3. Every device saved with your code locks, including the one you’re holding.

Because the sender locks too, simply unlock it with its own PIN or fingerprint afterwards.

Option 2: Lock from any web browser

If you don’t have a second Android device to hand, use a borrowed laptop or a friend’s phone:

1. Open the Lock My Devices lock page.
2. Type your user code.
3. Press and hold the lock button until the confirmation completes. The hold-to-lock step prevents accidental taps.

The website doesn’t store your code, the connection uses HTTPS, and requests are rate-limited to slow down anyone trying to guess codes.

What happens on the locked device

Remember that Lock My Devices doesn’t replace your screen lock; it triggers it. Someone who already knows your PIN can still get in, so keep that PIN private too.

What to do after locking

Locking buys you time. Depending on why you locked, the next steps differ:

• Left it at a friend’s or in the office? Nothing more to do; unlock it when you get it back.
• Can’t find it at all? Use Google Find My Device (now Find Hub) at android.com/find to see its last location, ring it, or erase it as a last resort. Lock My Devices doesn’t locate, ring or wipe, so the two tools complement each other.
• Think it was stolen? Follow our checklist for a lost or stolen phone: change key passwords, call your carrier and report it.

Tips to get the most out of remote locking

• Set it up on every device now, not after something goes missing. You can’t install the app on a phone you no longer have.
• Bookmark the lock page in a browser you can reach from a work computer or a partner’s phone.
• Treat the code like a key. Anyone who knows it can lock (but not unlock or open) your devices. If it leaks, change it on every device through the User Code screen.
• Use the scheduled lock for routines, such as a child’s tablet at bedtime. See scheduled screen lock for kids.

Limits worth knowing

To set honest expectations: Lock My Devices locks devices, and that’s all it does. It doesn’t track location, take photos, block individual apps or erase data, and there’s no remote unlock. If you need those, pair it with Google’s tools. For a full list of what it can and can’t do, see the features page and the FAQ.