How to Unlock a Network Locked Google Pixel Fold Phone?

Revolutions in the telecommunication industry have introduced advancements in smartphone features and utilities. The other side of the coin is, however, not as appealing. Thanks to the different carrier services, network locking is the commonest issue of recent mobile launches. Users have reported of Google Pixel Fold phones refusing to work with different carriers.

The issue limits the smartphone’s functioning to the specific carrier from whom the Google Pixel Fold device is purchased. Consequently, there are annoying connectivity problems that restrict seamless mobile usage. The problem aggravates in geo-restricted regions where the carrier options are quite limited. This scenario puts forward the need for Google Pixel Fold network unlock solutions.

Part 1: What Does It Mean When Your Google Pixel Fold Phone is Network Locked?

In the simplest words, a network-locked Google Pixel Fold phone means that your device has become carrier-specific. It will now work only with the network provider from where the phone was purchased. Another problem is that there is no automatic unlocking even after the expiry of your contract with the carrier service. Having a network-locked Google Pixel Fold phone poses undesired connectivity issues.

1. Why is my phone locked to the network carrier?

Smartphones are network locked by carrier services to prevent customers from switching to a different carrier. Reasons for switching can be the availability of better plans, discounts, etc. Another cause of locking the phones to specific carriers is preventing them from theft and unauthorized usage.

2. Is it legal to unlock it?

Unlocking your network-locked phone is legal in every sense. It is however advisable to contact your service provider for addressing the concern. The only downside of unlocking such phones is the loss of device warranty assured at the time of purchase.

Part 2. How to Unlock a Network Locked Google Pixel Fold Phone?

When looking for affordable solutions to address the Google Pixel Fold SIM unlock task, you can follow the methods discussed below:

Method 1: Use Network Unlock Code

The safest way to unlock a network-locked Google Pixel Fold phone is through the network unlock code provided by the carrier service. Here’s what you should do:

1. Contact Your Network Provider

Contact your network provider to receive the network unlock code if you are the actual buyer of the Google Pixel Fold device. Your carrier’s customer service will guide you with the Google Pixel Fold unlocking process using the code. Drop your worries about the expired contract as that’s not a problem in unlocking your phone.

Listed below are some popular carrier service providers in the USA with the applicable phone models. You can have a look to find out yours:

Carrier Providers	Mobile Phones
Verizon	Google Pixel Fold 8, Google Pixel Fold 8 Pro
T-Mobile US	Google Pixel Fold Nord N10, Google Pixel Fold 9
AT & T Mobility	Google Pixel Fold 7T, Google Pixel Fold Nord N200
Dish Wireless	Google Pixel Fold 8, Google Pixel Fold Nord N10
US Cellular	Google Pixel Fold 8, Google Pixel Fold 8 Pro

2. How to Use Your Network Unlock Code

Take the following steps to unlock your Google Pixel Fold phone with the network unlock code:

• 1. Shut down your Google Pixel Fold smartphone.
• 2. Insert a different carrier’s SIM card into the Google Pixel Fold device.
• 3. Power on your Google Pixel Fold phone.
• 4. One of the SIM lock/unlock code/ SIM network unlock PIN/NCK prompts will pop up.

• 5. Enter the network unlock code received from your carrier service provider. The device is unlocked and can work with all GSM network services.

Method 2: With a Third-Party Service

If you don’t wish to use the carrier unlock code, several third-party services can be availed to unlock a network-locked Google Pixel Fold device. The UnlockScope application is one such utility to proceed with the process. The tool helps to unlock your network-locked Google Pixel Fold phone by sending an unlock code on request. Here’s how you can work with the tool:

Step 1: Download and launch the application on your Google Pixel Fold phone.

Step 2: Select the details of brand, phone model, IMEI number, country, and network. Then, enter your email address and agree to the app’s terms and conditions to continue.

Step 3: Click on the ‘Check Availability and Price’ tab; followed by choosing the price and payment method. Finally, tap ‘Go to Payment’.

Step 4: Make the payment and wait for its acknowledgment. You will receive the code once the payment is successful.

Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (Android)

Unlock Your Google Pixel Fold Phone in a Flash

• Pattern, PIN, password, fingerprints & face screen lock can all be unlocked.
• Bypass Android FRP lock without a PIN or Google account.
• Unlock mainstream Android brands like Samsung, Huawei, OnePlus, Xiaomi, etc.
• No tech knowledge required, Simple, click-through, process.

3,981,454 people have downloaded it

Part 3. What to ask Before Signing a New Google Pixel Fold Phone Contract?

Signing in a new Google Pixel Fold contract has many factors to consider for affordable purchases and consumer safety. When entering into such deals, you should pay head-to-data allowances, upfront costs, price hikes, carrier coverage, roaming charges, contract length, flexibility, etc. A low price is not the only thing that should be taken care of.

Part 4：Bonus Tips: iPhone SIM Unlock to Work on Any Carrier Worldwide

Working with the Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (iOS) application is advisable to quickly unlock your network-locked iPhone. The tool uses a simple and intuitive method to sort out the issue in just a few simple steps. In addition, the app’s responsive interface guides you at every step of the process and ensures complete information security.

Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (iOS)

iPhone SIM Unlock to Work on Any Carrier Worldwide

• Support newly released models from iPhone 5S to iPhone X.
• Move to any network operator within minutes aimlessly without data loss.
• You can unlock an iPhone without an R-SIM.
• Compatible with most carriers, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, etc.

3,981,454 people have downloaded it

How to Unlock Network Locked iPhone with Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (iOS)

To unlock your network-locked iPhone with the aforesaid app, you can take the following steps:

Visit the official Dr.Fone website and download the app to your PC. Install the program by adhering to the on-screen instructions.

Step 1: Launch the app and tap on the ‘Remove SIM Locked’ function in the main interface.

Step 2: Tap ‘Start’ to initiate the authorization and verification process. Next, connect your iPhone to the PC and hit the ‘Confirmed’ button to proceed further.

Step 3: Follow the instructions in the configuration profile sent by Dr.Fone to unlock the iPhone screen. It is necessary to jailbreak your iPhone to remove the SIM lock.

Step 4: Take the following steps for remove all Wi-Fi networks.

Step 5: The following screen displays the prompt window featuring the SIM unlocking process’s progress. After that, you are free to use your choice’s SIM plan and carrier network.

safe & secure

Conclusion

Technology has a pivotal influence on today’s high-tech lifestyles, which is rewarding in several ways, but there are glitches too. The latest ones are the network-locked Google Pixel Fold devices that have become carrier-specific. When looking for effective solutions to resolve the issue, getting in touch with your service provider is the safest option. You will receive an unlock code to make your device work with different carriers. Another way is to use third-party apps to address the concern. If you want to unlock your iPhone. Searching for a reliable one, you can trust the Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (iOS) application for a quick and convenient solution.

Still Using Pattern Locks with Google Pixel Fold? Tips, Tricks and Helpful Advice

They have been along for a long, long time now – pattern locks – the easiest of all smartphone locks. You just swipe your finger across to create an easy pattern lock of your choosing and that’s it, it becomes your new screen lock. No more remembering tedious digits! So, why have these easy pattern locks become outdated, and why do people still continue to use them? Let’s take a dive and find out all about pattern locks.

Part I: Things To Know About Pattern Locks

The first cellphone locks were 4-digit number locks. Then came 6-digit codes, and even alphanumeric ones. Pattern locks were all the rage a while ago. Though pattern locks continue to be used, they are not considered safe to use any longer. What is all that about? Here’s what you need to know about pattern locks, whether you are a seasoned pattern lock user or not.

I.I: What Are Pattern Locks?

Believe it or not, technology has advanced at such a rapid pace in the last two decades that you’d be forgiven if you don’t know what a pattern lock is, especially if you have only ever used iPhones, or Android phones in just the last few years.

Pattern locks are patterns you create on your smartphone and designate as a smartphone lock/ screen lock. There is a 9-point keypad of sorts, and you start swiping your finger from any point to any point for any which way you feel like. Android 13 allows a minimum of 4 points registered. They are easy to create, and easy to use, hence called easy pattern locks.

Pattern locks have only ever been offered on Android devices and were commonplace a few years ago until they were deemed not secure enough for use by modern standards because they were easy to figure out by malicious actors.

I.II: Popularity and Usage

Pattern lock is a feature unique to Android and has been so since the start. Naturally, it is one of the preferred ways users have come to unlock their Android devices over the years. Even though modern Android smartphones come with fingerprint recognition and face recognition technologies, there exists a large subset of users still addicted to and acclimatized with the pattern lock feature, opting over fingerprint and face recognition.

There has been, however, research conducted into the safety and security offered by pattern lock in Android.

I.III: Advantages and Drawbacks

Modern smartphones very nearly contain the entirety of our lives; photo memories, video memories, important documents both financial and personal in nature, banking apps, ID and ATM/ credit cards in the “wallet” apps, and whatnot. A smartphone falling into the wrong hands could very nearly be used to devastate the rightful owner, both financially and otherwise. And this is not a claim out of thin air; spyware/ malware/ phishing attacks are on the rise around the world. Locking the smartphone, once considered optional and an unnecessary hassle, is now an absolute must.

Advantages of Pattern Locks

There is no denying that using an easy pattern lock to lock their smartphone seems enough for most users. Swiping your finger across your smartphone to unlock it feels not only cool and futuristic but safer and more secure than remembering and punching in digits. And, for the most part, it is true, given that 4-digit PINs can only have 10,000 unique combinations!

Disadvantages of Pattern Locks

While very easy to use, security researchers and experts have come to agree that the feature is not in the least safe to use, and that is because of how people use the pattern lock feature (discussed in detail below in part II). Some go so far as to say that most pattern locks can be breached in just 5 attempts or less. Imagine that!

What is more, research has found that humans have an uncanny ability to correctly guess a pattern lock simply by viewing the unlocking! The test comprised showing the test subjects videos of users unlocking their phones from different angles and varying distances, and it was found that around 64% of test subjects were able to correctly guess a 6-point pattern lock in one viewing only, and 80% could correctly guess the pattern after just two viewings. By contrast, only 11% were able to correctly deduce a 6-digit PIN after one viewing, and only 27% after viewing twice. This goes to show just how insecure pattern locks are!

Part II: How People Use Pattern Locks

We might wonder how anyone would be able to guess the correct pattern of our device, but believe it or not, it is possible, eerily easily at that! We are all the same humans, after all! You know how people usually set PINs that could be significant dates in their lives? How they get car registration numbers that mean something to them? The same ‘logic’ applies to their setting pattern locks.

At DEFCON 23, Marte Loge, an M.Sc. Computer Science student, presented something that stunned people around the world. She said, “Tell me who you are, and I will tell you your lock pattern.” What followed was an expert presentation outlining and detailing user behaviors around pattern locks.

These are some commonly created pattern locks by people:

• - shapes of alphabets,
• - shapes of numerals,
• - any other easy-to-make, simple shape.

Marte Loge presented the image below, showing how people naturally gravitate towards creating simple shape patterns, in her research.

To further help you see how easy it might be for anyone to guess your pattern, Marte Loge also presented some statistics.

• - 77% of people started their patterns in one of the 4 corners.
• - 44% of Loge’s subjects started their pattern with the first dot, the top-left one. The next number was 15% for the top-right and 14% for the bottom-left.
• - These percentages did not vary much depending on left-handedness or right-handedness.
• - On average, irrespective of gender, people set 5-point patterns, with 4-point patterns being the most common. This means that the number of combinations on average was 7152 for 5-point patterns and a bogglingly low 1624 for 4-point patterns.

The above data makes it amply clear how using an easy pattern lock is actually worse than using a 4-digit PIN, simply because how people are usually using the pattern lock feature.

Part III: Tips For Using More Secure Pattern Locks

Now, we know how hard it is to break habits cemented over years of use, so in case you must at all costs use a pattern lock only, the least you can do is try and change your easy pattern lock to a better, more secure hard pattern lock.

III.I: How to Create More Secure Patterns

Here are some tips to help you create a better, more secure pattern lock for your smartphone.

• - Avoid using any of the corners to start the pattern.
• - Never use your first initial as a pattern.
• - Never use a digit shape as a pattern.
• - You can pass through the same pattern lines multiple times over. This makes it more difficult for someone to guess your pattern correctly.
• - Use all 9 points on the grid while setting the pattern lock! That simple act takes the possible pattern combinations to over 140,000, significantly more than 10,000 for 4-digit PINs, and vastly superior to paltry 1624 for a 4-point easy pattern lock!

III.II: Forgot Your Pattern? Unlock Your Google Pixel Fold Without Pattern Lock With Dr.Fone

Supercharged with the information above, you went ahead and changed your easy pattern lock to a hard-to-guess pattern lock. Only problem is, your brain is habituated to that old pattern, and you’ve suddenly forgotten what the new pattern was! Well, worry not; Wondershare Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (Android) will help you unlock your phone without pattern lock !

Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (Android)

The Best Tool to Unlock Your Google Pixel Fold without Pattern Locks!

• Remove all Android screen locks (PIN/pattern/fingerprints/face ID) in minutes.
• Bypass the FRP lock of Samsung without a PIN or Google account.
• Everyone can handle the lock screen without any tech knowledge.
• Provide specific removal solutions to promise good success rate.

4,008,669 people have downloaded it

Download the newest version of Dr.Fone from the Wondershare website and launch the app.

Step 1: Go to Toolbox > Screen Unlock and click Android.

Step 2: Click Unlock Android Screen.

Step 3: You will see a list of supported manufacturers on the next screen. Select yours.

Step 4: Now, follow the onscreen guide to prepare your device for screen unlocking.

After completing the process, when the Next button becomes available, click it.

Your device will be successfully unlocked.

Note that this method wipes all data on the Google Pixel Fold device. There is no way around it. You may be able to unlock select older Samsung devices without data loss. Check this list for those devices.

Closing Words

Pattern locks are outdated and not safe to use an easy pattern lock – there are no two ways about it. As such, our recommendation is to start using a 6-digit PIN along with biometric or face recognition. However, we do understand that sometimes, you simply cannot use biometrics or face recognition. For those instances, we recommend that you use this guide and create a more secure pattern lock for your device. In case you forgot your pattern, there is always Wondershare Dr.Fone – Screen Unlock (Android) to save the day.

Pattern Locks Are Unsafe: Secure Your Google Pixel Fold Phone Now with These Tips

Pattern locks have been available for about as long as people can remember, and they have been hugely popular with people thanks to how easy it is to simply swipe your screen and unlock your smartphone, as against, say, keying in the 4-digit PIN/ 6-digit PIN. However, pattern locks are easy to crack, and today, we bring you all you want to know about pattern locks and how to create a hard pattern lock. Further to this, we also tell you how to move beyond pattern locks and what to do in case you forgot the hard pattern lock you just set and are unable to unlock your smartphone.

Part 1: What You Need to Know About Pattern Locks

Pattern lock is an Android-only feature that makes it easy for users to have a modicum of security on their smartphones. Most users do not prefer using and remembering a PIN to unlock the smartphone. Creating a pattern makes it easier, somehow.

There is a 9-point grid on which you swipe your finger from point to point, in any direction, and when you take your finger off, that pattern you swiped becomes the key to unlock your smartphone.

Pattern locks were exceedingly common only a few years ago, and they are not recommended for use any longer due to concerns (mentioned later in the article).

1.1: Popularity and Usage

Old habits die hard, or so they say, right? That’s because it is true. We are creatures of habit, and pattern locks have been around for a long, long time. We are accustomed to pattern locks. So, even with even easier technologies such as fingerprint recognition and face recognition, we tend to gravitate towards the familiar old pattern lock.

The only thing is, there is a reason why pattern locks are no longer the preferred option to use for unlocking your smartphones. As it happens, that reason is security, and it can be very easy for humans to take a swipe (pardon the pun) at your pattern lock. And guess what? The research conducted suggests that they would get it right with an unsettling accuracy.

1.2: Advantages and Drawbacks

With on-the-go lifestyles, our smartphones have become indispensable and contain some of the most sensitive aspects of our lives – IDs, credit and debit cards in digital wallets, photo and video memories, business documents – you name it, the smartphones have it, on the go. This has opened our lives up to the public at large, and if someone steals our smartphone or, best case, finds it, the only barrier preventing them from being privy to all that wealth of our sensitive information is that screen lock – the pattern lock that we set on our smartphones. That’s it – the single pattern lock stands between malicious actors and our data. You might be beginning to realize just how crazy this is.

Advantages of Pattern Locks

There are two advantages to using pattern locks. One, they are better than nothing. Two, they are easy to use. And that’s about it. There is no third advantage to pattern locks. We might think we set a hard pattern lock that nobody could guess, but, as research proves, we might be thinking too low of human prowess.

Disadvantages of Pattern Locks

Security, or rather, the lack of it, is the lone disadvantage of using a pattern lock. What good is a pattern lock that can be easily deciphered? Sure, they are easy to use, and they are better than not having anything, but would you really want to protect your life’s data with something that could be, as researchers found out, breached in under 5 attempts? We don’t think you do!

The research found that 64% of test subjects who were shown videos of people unlocking their phones could correctly guess a 6-point pattern lock, that too after viewing the video only once! That number shot up to 80% if they were allowed to see the video again. That is simply astounding and a nightmare for security. When it comes to PINs, only 11% could guess a 6-digit PIN after viewing the unlocking video once, and that number shot up to 27% when they could see the video two times.

Part 2: How To Create a Hard Pattern Lock (Including Remembering Complex Patterns)

Now, if you must continue using a pattern lock, let’s help you know how to create a hard pattern lock that would not be as easy to decipher as easy pattern locks. For that, you should know how people use pattern locks, the kind of pattern locks they create, and the ones that are the most commonly used pattern locks. That way, you can avoid those fallacies and create a hard pattern lock for your smartphone.

2.1: The Pattern Locks People Use Most Commonly

Marte Loge, an M.Sc. Computer Science student, gave a presentation on pattern locks at DEFCON 23 and made a bold claim. She said, “Tell me who you are, and I will tell you your lock pattern.”

She presented the following statistics to support her claim:

• - In her research, she found that 77% of people started with one of the 4 corners when creating a pattern lock.
• - 44% of people started with the top-left dot and 15% with the top-right, while the bottom-left was preferred by 14% of her test subjects.
• - People set 5-point pattern locks on average, and most users were content with a 4-point pattern.

These are some of the most common pattern locks people create:

• - patterns in the shapes of alphabets,
• - patterns in the shapes of numerals,
• - patterns in any other simple shape, such as square, triangle, star, etc.

To understand how this is a security nightmare, the possible combinations for a 4-point pattern are a measly 1624, whereas by adding just 1 more point to the pattern and creating a 5-point pattern, the number of possible combinations becomes 7152, an increase of 5528 combinations. In stark contrast, creating a 9-point pattern would give you over 140,000 possible combinations!

2.2: How to Create a Hard Pattern Lock

Knowing what most people do when creating a pattern lock, it becomes easy to avoid those mistakes and instead create a hard pattern lock for oneself.

• - Do not start creating a pattern lock from any of the 4 corners of the grid.
• - Never use your first initial as your pattern lock.
• - Never use the shape of a numeral as your pattern lock.
• - Use all 9 points on the grid to create your pattern lock, and contrary to popular belief, you can go over the connecting lines several times, creating a hard pattern lock that would not be as easy for people to decipher!

Part 3: Going Beyond Pattern Locks

You might think that now that you have set a hard pattern lock, you are good to go. Hardly. Technology has evolved, so have methods to break into your device.

Step 1: Set a 6-digit PIN

The minimum you should do today is set a 6-digit PIN to unlock your phone. Consider this a necessary investment into the safety of your data residing on your smartphone.

Step 2: Use Fingerprint Recognition (or Face Recognition on Apple Devices)

All modern smartphones released over the last decade have come with fingerprint recognition. Using fingerprint recognition requires you to set a 6-digit PIN and then set a fingerprint to unlock your device. You can set additional fingerprints, too.

This way, your device is the most secure it can be today. In case your fingerprint is not recognized for any reason, the phone falls back on the 6-digit PIN that you can enter and unlock your phone.

While face recognition is available on both Android and Apple devices, it is truly secure only on Apple devices. This is why Apple iPhones released after the iPhone X in 2017 have come only with Face ID. They fall back on a minimum 6-digit PIN (called Passcode in Apple world) to unlock in case the face does not get recognized in the first attempt.

Part 4: How To Unlock Phone If Hard Pattern Lock Forgotten

Just in case you set a hard pattern lock and promptly forgot that abstruse pattern you just set, we have a tool for you to quickly unlock your phone in case of a forgotten hard pattern lock: Wondershare Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock.

Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (Android)

Remove the Hard Pattern Lock on Your Google Pixel Fold If You Forgot!

• Remove all Android screen locks (PIN/pattern/fingerprints/face ID) in minutes.
• Bypass the FRP lock of Samsung without a PIN or Google account.
• Everyone can handle the lock screen without any tech knowledge.
• Provide specific removal solutions to promise good success rate.

4,008,671 people have downloaded it

Download the latest version of Dr.Fone from the Wondershare website and launch the app.

Step 1: Click Android under Toolbox > Screen Unlock.

Step 2: Click Unlock Android Screen.

Step 3: Select your device manufacturer.

Step 4: Prepare your device to unlock the screen.

When the greyed Next button becomes available, click it and wait for your device to be unlocked.

All data on the Google Pixel Fold device is wiped under this method. Select Samsung phones may be unlocked without data loss. Check this list for devices that may be unlocked without data loss.

Closing Words

Whether it is an easy pattern lock or a hard pattern lock, the fact is that pattern locks are antiquated and a security nightmare. A minimum 6-digit PIN must be used, and using fingerprint recognition is the preferred way to go for Android devices. Using fingerprint recognition will require that users create a 6-digit PIN. On Apple devices launched after 2017, there is Face ID, Apple’s marketing term for face recognition. If you did indeed still set a hard pattern lock, only to promptly forget it, use Wondershare Dr.Fone – Screen Unlock (Android) to seamlessly unlock your phone right now.

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