Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Lock Screen and Security Settings Guide: Manage Screen Lock Options and Fingerprint Sensor Setup

Creating a screen lock is highly recommended to increase the security in mobile devices like the #Samsung #GalaxyNote5. When screen lock is enabled, you will need to draw the correct screen pattern, enter the correct PIN and password, or scan your fingerprint to unlock your device and gain full access to the control keys, buttons and touchscreen.

This content will help you learn how to set up and customize your phone’s lock screen and make it more secured when locked. In addition to lock screen methods, we also demonstrate how to utilize Samsung’s built-in fingerprint scanner for advanced biometric security for your Galaxy Note 5.

• Accessing Lock Screen and Security Options
• Enabling Screen Lock Password
• Enabling PIN Screen Lock
• Setting a Screen Lock Pattern
• Disabling Unlock Pattern Visibility
• Customizing Lock Screen Notifications
• Hiding Notification Content from Specific Apps
• Using Least Secured Screen Lock Options
• Using Fingerprint Sensor
• Configure and Manage Security Options
• What to do if you forgot your PIN, Pattern, Password, or Fingerprint

In this guide, we will access the lock screen settings to set the method for unlocking your phone and customize lock screen options according to your preferences. The following options are accessible through the lock screen and security menu on your phone.

• Screen lock type – to set your screen lock method.
• Show information – to choose which items to show on the lock screen, like a Dual clock, weather, and owner information.
• Notifications – to display content and notifications on the lock screen.
• Unlock effect – to set the effect displayed when the lock screen wakes up.
• Secure lock settings – to set secure lock functions like Auto lock, and Lock instantly using the Power key.
• Fingerprints – to register your fingerprint(s) on your phone for locking and unlocking.
• Unknown sources – to allow or deny apps installation from other sources than the Google Play store app.
• Other security settings – to configure and manage settings for encryption, password visibility, security updates, credentials, and other available security features on your Galaxy Note 5.

Note: Options may vary depending on the selected screen lock method.

How to Access Lock Screen and Security Options on your Galaxy Note 5

You need to access your phone’s lock screen and security for you to set up your preferred screen lock method. Here’s how:

1. Tap Apps from the Home screen.
2. Tap Settings.
3. Tap Lock screen and security to open the lock screen and security menu.

Available screen options for your Galaxy Note 5 (from least secure to most secure) are none, swipe, pattern, PIN, password, and fingerprints.

How to enable Screen Lock Password on your Galaxy Note 5

Password protection is considered the highest security level available for protecting your phone and data from unauthorized access. To ensure the safety of your device and personal data in it, frequently changing your password is also recommended. Here’s how to set up Password screen lock on your device:

1. Tap Apps from the Home screen.
2. Tap Settings.
3. On the Settings screen, swipe the headings to the left.
4. Tap Personal.
5. Scroll to and tap Lock screen and security.

• You can also follow the prior method we introduced to access lock screen and security settings (Apps->Settings->Lock screen and security).

6. Tap Screen lock type.

• You may need to enter your credentials if you’ve already set up a different type of screen lock.

7. Tap Password.
8. Enter a password (at least 4 alpha-numeric characters).
9. Tap Continue.
10. Re-enter your password to confirm it.

Important Note: Five successive incorrect password entries will prompt you to wait for 30 seconds before you can try again.

How to enable PIN Screen Lock on your Galaxy Note 5

1. Tap PIN from the Screen lock type menu (Apps->Settings->Lock Screen and Security->Screen lock type).
2. Enter a PIN (at least four digits).
3. Re-enter your PIN.
4. Tap OK to save your settings and set PIN as screen lock.

Important Note: Failure to enter the correct PIN in five successive attempts will prompt you to wait for 30 minutes before you can try again.

How to Set a Screen Lock Pattern on your Galaxy Note 5

1. Swipe down the Status bar from the Home screen.
2. Tap the Settings icon located on the upper-rightmost corner of the screen.
3. Scroll to and tap Lock screen and security.
4. Tap Screen lock type.
5. Tap Pattern.
6. Tap and drag on the dots to draw the preferred pattern.

• To redraw the pattern, tap Retry.
• To accept the pattern and proceed, tap Continue.

7. Draw the same pattern again and tap Confirm to confirm it.
8. Enter your backup PIN.

• Your backup PIN will be used to unlock the screen, in case you forget your unlock pattern. The backup PIN must be 4-16 digits.

9. Tap Continue.
10. Enter the same PIN and tap OK to save it.
11. On the Notifications on lock screen window, tap to select the notification content you want to show or hide on the lock screen. Among your options are the following:

• Show content – to show all notifications.
• Hide content – to display a notification is available but won’t tell about the notification until a PIN or password is entered.
• Do not show notifications – to prevent notifications from displaying on the lock screen and prevent the notification bar to be opened.

12. Tap Done, when you’re done with your selection.

How to Disable Unlock Pattern Visibility

If you don’t want the unlock pattern to show on screen when you unlock it, then you can turn off its visibility feature. Here’s how:

1. Tap Apps.
2. Tap Settings.
3. Tap Lock screen and security.
4. Select Secure lock settings.
5. Toggle the On/Off switch next to Make pattern visible. Make sure it’s OFF.

How to Customize Lock Screen Notifications on your Galaxy Note 5

The following steps will help you customize how much information to display for notifications on the lock screen.

1. Tap Apps from the Home screen.
2. Tap Settings.
3. Swipe the headings to the left of the Settings screen.
4. Tap Personal.
5. Scroll to and tap Lock screen and security.
6. Tap Notifications.
7. Tap Notifications on lock screen to continue.
8. Select any of the options to Show content, Hide content, or Do not show notifications.
9. Press the Power/Lock key once to lock the screen.
10. Press the Power/Lock key again to display the lock screen with your new settings applied.

How to Hide Notification Content from Specific Applications on your Galaxy Note 5

You can set certain applications to limit the amount of notification information displayed on your lock screen. For this to happen, you need to set a pattern, PIN, or password screen lock and select Show content as your lock screen notification preference. Here’s how:

1. Tap Apps from the Home screen.
2. Tap Settings.
3. Tap Device.
4. Tap Sounds and notifications.
5. Tap App notifications.
6. Scroll to and tap to select an application you want to hide notification contents from.
7. Tap the slider next to Hide content on lock screen to enable the feature.

• For most applications, you have to enable Block Notifications to block notifications, sounds, and vibrations alerts.
• To push the app’s notifications to the top of the list on your lock screen and notification panel, you may turn on Set as priority feature on your phone.

Using Least Secured Screen Lock Options: Swipe and None

If you want to unlock your phone screen with a simple swipe, just tap Swipe to select it among other lock screen and security options. This option offers the lowest security for your phone though.

If you don’t want to get bothered by any unlocking methods to access your phone screen, then you can disable the screen lock on your phone and turn off your current screen lock setup. Here’s how:

1. Tap Apps from the Home screen.
2. Tap Settings.
3. Tap Lock screen and security to open its menu.
4. Tap Screen lock type.
5. Enter your unlock screen method (PIN or password), draw your pattern, or scan your fingerprint, if necessary.
6. Tap None. The screen will then be disabled.

How to use Fingerprint Sensor on your Galaxy Note 5

The fingerprint scanner has been embedded into the Galaxy S series home button. And now the Galaxy Note 5 integrates a fingerprint sensor that offers an even faster and more convenient security. In order to use this security feature, you have to enable fingerprint scanning and add more fingerprints to your Note 5 device beforehand.

Here’s how to set up fingerprint scanner on the Galaxy Note 5:

1. Swipe down the Status bar on the Home screen.
2. Tap the Settings icon (wheel-like figure) located on the upper-right corner of the screen. Doing so will open the Settings menu.
3. Scroll to and tap Lock screen and security from the given options.
4. Scroll to and tap Fingerprints.
5. Tap Add fingerprint to continue.
6. When prompted with the Disclaimer screen, read and review the information and tap Confirm to proceed.
7. Use the Home key as a fingerprint scanner. Place your finger across the entire Home key.
8. Follow the onscreen prompts to fully scan your fingerprint.

• If prompted with a specific fingerprint placement, then read the information and tap Continue.

9. Enter a backup password.
10. Tap Continue.
11. Re-enter the same password to confirm.
12. Tap OK.
13. You will be prompted to set screen lock type, tap Set to enable fingerprint unlock on your device.

Fingerprint lock is now activated on your Note 5. This means you need to use your registered fingerprint to unlock your device screen.

• To unlock the screen, simply place your registered finger across the Home key when viewing the lock screen.

How to Configure and Manage Security Options for your Galaxy Note 5

Follow these steps to enable Unknown sources feature on phone and access other security settings to configure.

1. Tap Apps from Home.
2. Tap Settings.
3. Scroll to and tap Lock screen and security from the Settings menu.
4. Tap the On/Off switch next to Unknown sources. Doing so will enable installation of non-Google applications on your device.
5. To access and manage other security options for your phone, tap Other security settings.
6. Tap any of the options you want to configure.

Among the available options from the Other security settings menu include the following:

• Encrypt device – to encrypt all data on your phone.
• Make passwords visible – to show password characters briefly as you enter them.
• Security policy updates – to check for security policy updates, manually or automatically.
• Send security reports – to send security reports to Samsung through wireless network for threat analysis.
• Device administrators – to manage your phone administrators and application installation privileges.
• Storage type – to specify a storage location for your credentials.
• View security certificates – to show certificates in your phone’s ROM, including other certificates you’ve installed.
• Install from device storage – to install a new certificate from storage.
• Clear credentials – to delete credential contents from your phone and reset the password.
• Trust agents – to perform certain actions when trusted devices are connected to your Note 5.
• Pin windows – to pin app on your phone screen, preventing access to other features of your device.
• Usage data access – to show apps that have access to your phone’s usage history.
• Notification access – to show apps that have access to the notifications you receive on your Note 5.

What to do in case you forgot your PIN, Pattern, Password, or Fingerprint?

• If you forget your unlock PIN and/or password, you need to contact Samsung support for further assistance on PIN retrieval.
• If you forget your unlock pattern, you can use the backup PIN instead. If you also forget your backup PIN, you can try again five times. After the fifth failed attempt, you can use the option to Unlock via Google, and unlock your phone using your Google credentials.
• If you forget which fingerprint you used to set up the lock screen on your phone, then you can enter the backup password you’ve created when you register your fingerprint on your device.