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Samsung Smart Lock Not Working

Samsung Smart Lock is a great feature that makes it more convenient when using your phone in a place where it is virtually guaranteed someone won’t take your phone and have access to everything on it. Like many things on smartphones and computers sometimes the Smart Lock feature won’t work at all. So, in this article I will explain how to get it working again.

Close all apps that are open in the background, do a soft reset of your device, make sure that your location is enabled, and that your location is set to the right place in Google Maps. If none of these work, then set up a Bixby routine in place of using Smart Lock.

Close up view of Android phone apps

Generally, it’s only a few minor tweaks that can stop it from working correctly. However, you do need to check each of them one by one until you identify what is causing the issue. Below, I will provide step by step instructions for how to perform each of the checks. I’ll explain in easy to follow instructions, so whether you’re brand new to using smartphones, or are very experienced with Samsung devices you’ll be able to do each of the steps.

Samsung Smart Lock Not Working

The Smart Lock feature on Samsung devices is more convenient than disabling and enabling the security settings to require a pin, fingerprint, or retina scan. Therefore, it’s a really good feature to use provided it works. Here’s a brief outline of why it isn’t working.

Apps that are open in the background can have a glitch and prevent it from working. So closing them and doing a soft reset of your phone can fix it. The location setting on your device might also be disabled so your device doesn’t know when it’s at the trusted location to turn on Smart Lock.

It can be frustrating to try each troubleshooting step and they don’t work. So, it’s best to know ahead of time that you will need to try multiple steps. The first step you try can fix it, but it may not be fixed until you try the very last step. With that said, here’s a list of the steps you should take in order from the most likely to work to the least likely.

Important: After doing each of the steps try to use Smart Lock and see if it’s now working. As each of the steps has the potential to fix the issue with the Smart Lock not working. Also, none of the steps will delete any data, or change anything on your phone unless it’s clearly stated in the step with some warnings about performing the step.

1. Close all background apps

Most people leave their smartphone on permanently and it doesn’t ever turn off unless you accidentally drain the battery completely and it shuts off. Everytime you open an app, it will generally stay open in the background. It will be running and sending and receiving info over the internet to keep the app updated. You may have noticed that when you open it, it’s exactly where you left it when you closed it.

Unless, you close it yourself manually it will remain open. When an app is open for a long time it will eventually have an issue. This issue can interfere with the Smart Lock feature. Particularly if you have the ‘Maps’ app open or the ‘Settings’ app open for a week or more.

Simply closing it manually will start the app again. And any glitches that it had won’t affect it.

2. Do a soft reset of your Samsung device

A soft reset closes all of the processes on your Samsung device. If it’s not one of the apps that are running the background that has caused the issue, then doing a soft reset closes all processes that are running not just the background apps.This has a similar effect to closing the background apps, and restarts the entire Android operating system (OS). Much like restarting a computer.

A soft reset is different to a factory reset. A factory reset will wipe all the settings. A soft reset simply restarts your whole device. To do that press and hold the power button on the side of your phone until some additional options come up on the screen.

You’ll get 3 options:

  • Power Off
  • Restart
  • Emergency mode

Use the touch screen to select ‘Restart’ and wait for your Samsung device to shut down, and turn back on.

3. Make sure that the location setting is enabled

The GPS location service on your Samsung device can be turned on and off. You may choose to keep it off to save battery, or have switched it off and forgotten about it. The Smart Lock uses your location to know when to turn the Smart Lock on and off. So, if your location is disabled it won’t know where you’re location and the Smart Lock won’t work.

To enable the GPS location on your Samsung device or check that it is enabled, swipe down from the top of your phone to open the quick settings. It will show a range of options such as Mobile Data, and Airplane Mode. One of the settings will be ‘Location’, you just tap on it to enable it. If that setting isn’t there then you can also swipe right on that menu to see additional options and the ‘Location’ setting might be on that menu.

If not, you’ll need to go into the Settings app. To do that select the ‘cog wheel icon’ from the same menu you are in now. Then select ‘Biometrics and security’, this will open up a new menu, then tap on ‘Location’, from this menu there is an on off switch at the top of this new menu. In shorthand to make it easier select:

Settings > Biometrics and security > Location > Toggle the location on

4. Trusted devices need Bluetooth enabled

There are two parts to the Samsung Smart Lock one is for when you’re at a certain location and the other is when it’s connected to a specific device via Bluetooth such as a Bluetooth speaker. When your Samsung device is connected to a Bluetooth device it will not require you to input your fingerprint, pin, or scan your irises. A common mistake is to not have Bluetooth turned on, or for it not to be connected to the device via Bluetooth. Generally, you will notice that it’s not connected to Bluetooth because the Bluetooth device will not be able to be controlled with your Samsung device.

But, it’s worth pointing it out, as this can be a simple mistake.

5. For a Bluetooth device make sure it’s a trusted device

For Smart Lock to work for a Bluetooth device it needs to be a trusted device. If you haven’t set it up as a trusted device, it won’t be a trusted device by default as a result of pairing them. And it needs to be done manually.

To do that here’s what you should do:

  1. Open the Settings app from app icons on the home screen. Or by swiping down from the very top of the screen and selecting the ‘cog wheel icon’.
  2. Select ‘Lock Screen’ from the new menu that opens
  3. On the new list options select ‘Smart Lock’.
  4. It will ask you to put in your pin, password or swipe pattern
  5. Select the ‘Trusted devices’ option from the new list of options
  6. This will show a list of your trusted devices, so see if you’ve already added it and forgot.
  7. Tap on ‘Add a trusted device’ and follow the instructions and the info it asks you to provide.

After that it will be a trusted device.

6. Ensure your location is set to the where you are located precisely

It’s possible that the location that you’ve set as a trusted location is slightly off. Also, changing the location from where you are currently to one house away, and then back again can fix this error. Here’s how to check it and change it to another location and back again. Open the Google Maps app on your Samsung device.

Then at the top right there will be your profile picture. Tap on that and some additional options will come up. From these options select ‘Settings’. In the settings menu select ‘edit home or work’.

It will list your locations, such as ‘Home’ or ‘Work’. To the right of each of these options there are three vertical dots which will give you additional options. Tap on the three dots next to the location where Smart Lock isn’t working, and select ‘Edit’. This will bring up a map, and a pin will be where your location is.

Check that it’s in the exact right place, if it is, move it slightly away down one house. It doesn’t matter where you move it to, as you’ll be changing it again straight after, then select save. It should then pop up with a notification that to add it to your trusted places. Click on this notification to go to the trusted places option and add it.

After doing that go back through the same steps above and change it back to exactly where you want the smart lock to work. If when you change it you don’t get a notification to add it to your trusted places, follow the steps in step 6 above. But, instead of selecting ‘Trusted Devices’ select the ‘Trusted Places’ option instead.

7. Use a Bixby routine instead

If you’ve tried all of these steps but Smart Lock is still not working then you should add a Bixby routine instead. This is a feature on Samsung devices that works virtually the same as Samsung Smart Lock. And is an alternative to using Smart Lock that has the same functionality.

Samsung Smart Lock Cannot Update Home Location

Samsung phone standing vertically on wood table

When you set up Samsung Smart Lock you can set a trusted place. When using this feature you can get an error where it won’t update your home location. When this happens here’s what you should do to get it working again.

Do a soft reset of your Samsung device, then try to update your home location again. You may also have the GPS location or data on your device disabled, so check that it’s enabled. If you’re still unable to get it to work then it’s best to set up a Bixby routine instead.

I’ve explained step by step how to do each of these troubleshooting steps above. Refer to steps 2, 3, and 7 for how to do a soft reset on your Samsung device, how to check GPS location is enabled, and how to set up a Bixby routine. The place to check if mobile data is enabled is the same place to check that GPS location is enabled. But, look for the option that says mobile data.

As you may know, once it’s enabled you will get a 3G or 4G icon at the top of your screen next to the bars that show how much cell phone signal you have.

Samsung Smart Lock Location Not Working

Phone with home screen display shown

Smart Lock works at a desired location such as at work or home depending on what you’ve put into the Smart Lock settings. Once you get to that location it will work, however, if it’s not enabling for some reason here’s how to fix it.

Double check you have GPS location turned on, otherwise your device won’t know where you’re located. If you’ve enabled GPS and it’s still working, then do a soft reset of your Samsung device, and change the trusted location to a different location and back again.

I’ve explained how to do each of these steps near the start of this article. Not all of the steps are relevant to this specific issue. Only do steps 2, 3, 6, and 7. Step 7 also covers what to do if you try each of the troubleshooting steps and it’s still not working.

Samsung Smart Lock Wont Remember Safe Places

Hand holding Android phone with a list of apps installed

You add safe places to the settings on a Samsung device, and then whenever you’re at the location it will enable Smart Lock automatically. These safe places are stored permanently until you remove or edit them but if this feature isn’t working and the safe places don’t work you should do the following:

Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on December 28, 2021.

The first thing to check is that GPS location is enabled in the settings on your Samsung device when you’re trying to use the Smart Lock in a safe place. When this isn’t the issue, you should do a soft reset of your device. Finally, if it still doesn’t work, set up a Bixby routine instead.

You may know how to turn GPS on and off, and how to do a soft reset on your Samsung device. But, if not, I’ve included step by step instructions for how to do those steps near the top of this article. I’ve also explained how to set up a Bixby routine. So, scroll to the top and do each of the steps one by one. But, skip step 4.

Samsung Smart Lock Error

Android phone being plugged in and charging

Once Samsung Smart Lock is set up it will generally work perfectly fine. From time to time or if you don’t have some settings enabled you can get an error and it won’t work. Here’s what you need to do if the Samsung smart lock feature on your device isn’t working.

Close all the apps that are running in the background, and do a soft reset of your phone. Make sure the GPS is enabled, and the device or location is added to the trusted devices and trusted locations. If it’s still not working, remove the location and add it again.

Each of these steps have been explained in very easy to follow instructions at the top of this article. Scroll to the top and start with step ‘1. Close all background apps’, and then work your way through each of the steps until it works again, or you get to the last step that explains a work around using Bixby.

Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on December 28, 2021.

Generally, doing a soft reset is the first thing you should try because it has the highest chance of fixing this issue. If it doesn’t check that you have GPS enabled, that the location or device is in the trusted devices/locations, and remove and re-add the trusted device or location.

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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on December 28, 2021.

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