Hello, beloved readers today I am going to show you on methods on how to remove privacy protect key on Android smartphones. Android has gone through a massive revolution and is quite dynamic. Almost every year Google comes up with a newer version of Android Operating System. This is to make sure that all Android users stay abreast with the new features and improved security patches that come with these versions. Google released a security feature on smartphones running on Android Lollipop (Android 5.0) and above known as privacy protection where you can set a privacy protection PIN on the phone that will just allow your phone to be used only with the SIM card you registered under.
Privacy protection key is set so that in case someone changes your SIM card and inserts a new SIM, then that person will be prompted to enter a privacy protection key to continue using the phone. The contacts that are set to receive an SMS in case of a SIM change will intern receive a text message that the phone has been stolen. That message will come from the number of the SIM card inserted in the phone. With this, the set contacts can now be able to block or unlock the phone. If you have an Android smartphone running Android 5 and above, then you can set the privacy protection settings under security settings. But as always, human beings are always forgetful in nature. At some points, you might set these security settings and then forget that you actually did that and eventually forget your password protect key. Or rather, if you are quite generous and like giving your smartphone to other people, at some point, someone can set this up and never to tell you. In both cases, you might need to enter your privacy protection key anytime your SIM is changed. The moment you get this, it’s always alarming and you will be left dismayed.
Methods on How to remove Privacy protection key from Android
If you did set a privacy protect key on your Android phone, the first time or any time you insert another SIM card other than the original SIM that was inside while you were setting privacy protection setting, the phone will boot and ask you to enter your SIM PIN. After you enter the SIM PIN, the phone will now prompt that you enter privacy protect key. This is now the point where you start panicking that is if you don’t remember setting one up or if you forgot the one you set up. It is always wise to write your privacy protect key somewhere and other important passwords too. The first thing many people try to do is to guess privacy protect key. But your phone will always reject the wrong key whoever much you get it wrong. The second option after now countless guessing without success is to go for the option of formatting the phone. The problem with this option is that you can’t do a factory reset from the phone’s settings since in the first place; you can’t access the phone at all. Then, a hard reset is the next option. The point where now you start realizing how serious the problem is is where you do a hard reset only to be again asked to enter the privacy protect key!!!! I have 3 methods o how to remove privacy protect key on Android.
Method 1: SIM Card
In this method, to be able to remove privacy protect key or to unlock it, you will be required to first insert the original SIM card. By original SIM card, I mean the SIM card that is always in the phone or the one that was inside the phone while this privacy protect settings were being set. On inserting that particular SIM card, your phone will not prompt for privacy protect key. After entering the pin and opening the phone, go to your phone’s security settings and remove privacy protection or change it to the password you can easily remember
Method 2: Use Ox-Sage Software tool
Method 2 involves removing the privacy protection key using a computer. You will need to use a computer to be able to remove Privacy protect key on your Android smartphone. You will need to have a flashing software that can remove privacy protect key. This software is called Ox-Sage. Ox-Sage can do a lot of mobile phone flashing and unlocking. With Ox-Sage tool, you can flash Android ROM of any phone. You can format all kind s of phones both feature phones and smartphones. You can read the pattern on the phone and unlock your smartphone without losing data. You can also read and also remove privacy protect key from Android phones by privacy protection settings. You can download Ox-Sage and run it on your Windows PC. Make sure your anti-virus is turned off because it is, on many occasions detected as a virus though it is not. After downloading Ox-Sage zip file, extract it in a folder of your choice and run it as administrator. Install Ox-Sage Mobile drivers and install them on your Pc. For more information about installing drivers, Read: How to install drivers on Windows 10 PC/Laptop
Now, on Ox-Sage main interface, click on MTK if your smartphone is an MTK. Under MTK, click on “Unlock/Fix’ button. Click now on “Clear Anti-theft.” Now put into consideration that you have the correct drivers installed, switch off your phone, remove the battery and place it back again (if your phone’s battery is removable. If it’s non-removable, just switch the phone off). Connect your data USB cable to your PC now. Click on the “Start button” on Ox-Sage and now, connect your smartphone to your pc by inserting the USB cable to your phone. Ox-Sage will read your phone and start removing privacy protection key. Be patient until you see 100%. On some occasions, you will need to press boot keys on your phone that is volume up or volume down or a combination of both to have your phone connect to Ox-Sage. After the process is finished, disconnect your phone from the USB cable, remove the battery, place it back again and reboot the phone. The phone might take some time to boot or finish the booting process. After it is set, Privacy protection will have been removed and can use your phone with any SIM card.
Method 3: Flash a new Stock ROM/ Firmware
This method requires that for you to remove privacy protect key on your smartphone, you flash a new stock ROM to your phone. You are wondering? Yes. This is how serious forgetting your privacy protect key can get. To do this, you need to download your phone’s stoke ROM or firmware. After that, extract it and open to see the files inside. If your phone is an MTK phone, you will need SP Flash tool which is the flashing tool for MTK phones. If your smartphone is an SPD smartphone, then you will need Upgrade Download tool or also known as SPD upgrade tool. On MTK, open the SP flash tool, load your files by selecting the scatter file provided within the firmware. The SP Flash tool will in turn load all the files in your firmware as shown below.
Now, click on the “Download” button and switch your phone off and remove the battery. (if it is removable. If not, don’t remove the battery). Place the battery back; connect your phone to your PC with the USB cable. Flashing will begin. Wait until complete. Remove the phone from your PC, remove the battery and insert it back, then boot the phone. For more information about Flashing MTK smartphones, Read: How to Flash a New Android ROMOR or Firmware Using SP Flash tool
For SPD Smartphones, just like in the above case with MTK, download and extract your firmware. Use SPD Upgrade tool to load your firmware in pac format. Unlike MTK, it is just one big file called a pac file. Connect your phone to your PC just like the above case with MTK. Wait as your phone is flashed until it indicates “PASS.” And remove your phone now. Reboot it again and privacy protection key will be gone. For more information about flashing SPD smartphones, read: How to flash SPD smartphones using UpgradeDownload tool
NOTE:
All of the above methods will solve your problem. Make sure to check which model your phone is before downloading and flashing it. A wrong firmware will brick your phone and we are not responsible for any damages caused to your phone. Lastly, Ox-Sage will only remove privacy protection from only MTK smartphones. Kindly check your phone’s features online to be exact if it is MTK or SPD. Thank you all for reading. Check out for more articles coming soon.
