Google Activation Lock (Factory Reset Protection or FRP) is a security feature that prevents unauthorized access to a device after a factory reset. To fully remove the lock, you must remove all linked Google accounts before resetting your device.
How to Remove Google Activation Lock on Your Device
If you have access to your device, follow these steps:
Turn on your device and open Settings.
Tap Accounts or Users & Accounts.
Select Google as the account type.
A list of Google accounts linked to the device will appear. Select the first account.
Tap the menu icon (three vertical dots) in the top-right corner.
Select Remove account and confirm by tapping Remove account again.
Repeat the process for all Google accounts on the device.
Note:
Removing an account from the device does not delete any data from your Google account; it only stops syncing to your device.
If you are unable to complete the steps above, you would also be able to remove the Google Account from the phone by accessing your Google account online.
How to Remove Google Activation Lock Online
If you cannot remove the account from the device directly, you can do it remotely:
Log in to your Google account.
Go to Device activity & notifications under Sign-in & security.
Click Review devices under Recently used devices.
Find the phone you want to remove and click the red Remove button next to account access.
Confirm by clicking Remove in the confirmation window.
Verify the phone’s status under Recently used devices; it should display “Access removed.”
Important:
After removing the account online, reset your phone in its Settings. Note that some devices may prompt you to re-enter the Google account info during setup after a hardware reset.
Understanding the 72-Hour Google Lock
If you change your Google password and immediately factory reset your device, a message will appear during setup:
"Please sign in using one of the owner’s accounts for this device."
This means the device is locked for 72 hours for security reasons. You must wait for this period to expire before setting up the device with a new account. This delay is most common on Samsung devices.