What is Factory Reset Protection (FRP) on Google Android devices and what does it do?

Factory Reset Protection (FRP) is a security feature on Google Android devices designed to prevent unauthorized use of your device if it is lost, stolen, or wiped. FRP ensures that only someone with your Google account or screen lock information can use the device. In concept, this is a great idea and should deter criminals from using your phone after they steal it and may even prevent them from stealing your device in the first place.

Problems with this new built-in feature in Android 5.1 Lollipop and above:

You forget your own password or Google account information.
You buy a used phone online, and the previous owner didn’t wipe the device correctly, leaving you unable to use it because of FRP.
Your child plays with your phone and accidentally activates the FRP screen.
You are older, and the person at the carrier store who set up your phone didn’t provide you with your Google account information. Note: I have seen this happen.

There can be many legitimate reasons you may need to bypass FRP on your device so that you can use it again. Unless someone shows you how to bypass FRP, you don’t have many options to get your device working again, unless you can get the OEM to repair it for you, which isn’t likely unless the device is new.

FRP should be a feature that is turned on by the owner and only with many, many warnings that must be read before the device owner can activate it to protect them from these issues. Google, please correct this and make FRP optional.

Note: FRP is activated once you add your Google account to the device and set up a screen lock.

Knowing about all these problems, I have been working on some solutions for those of you with devices you just can’t use. Enjoy.