After you install Lockwatch, open the app and switch on the alert emails. You can either subscribe to get a free 7-day trial and an ad-free experience, or use all features for free by watching ads. If you don't have a lock screen, you will be asked to set one up.
Once you have set up the alert emails, try locking your phone and deliberately entering the wrong unlock code to test it.
The lock screen is a feature built into your phone. Uninstalling Lockwatch will not remove it. To remove the lock screen, open your phone's security settings, select Lock Screen, and select None.
If you have forgotten your unlock code, try entering an incorrect code 5 times. A "Forgot password" option should then appear, allowing you to reset your unlock code using your Google account.
If this doesn't work, the process may vary by device. Try searching for instructions for your specific model, e.g. "Galaxy S26 forgot unlock code".
When you activate Lockwatch, Android warns that Lockwatch might “erase all the phone's data”. This is due to a permission Lockwatch uses to monitor incorrect unlock attempts. Lockwatch does not contain any code to wipe your phone, so this will never happen.
It depends on the Android device. On some devices there is no way to intercept fingerprint and face unlock events. If the thief tries guessing your backup code, the app will still work.
Android does not allow apps to use GPS if it has been turned off by the user. You need to leave GPS on so that Lockwatch can use it when needed.
If the app is not recognising your subscription, make sure you are signed in to the same Play Store account that you originally subscribed with. You can also try uninstalling and reinstalling the app.
No. You can use all features for free by watching ads, or you can start a subscription to get a free 7-day trial and an ad-free experience.
Lockwatch starts capturing immediately when the wrong unlock code is entered, but waits until 10 seconds have elapsed before sending anything. If the correct code is entered within that time, the alert is cancelled. This avoids sending alert emails when the owner simply mistypes their unlock code.
If the phone is offline, out of range, in airplane mode, or otherwise has no working Wi-Fi or mobile data connection, Lockwatch still captures the alert and saves it locally on the device.
As soon as the phone gets internet access again, Lockwatch will automatically retry sending the saved alert email in the background. This means an alert can still be delivered later even if the phone was offline when the failed unlock happened.
You can hide email notifications from the lock screen using Android's lock screen settings. Alternatively, use your email client to create a filter that automatically marks the emails as read or moves them to another folder.
Check your Spam or Junk folder, as your email provider may be filtering them out. If you find them there, mark them as Not Spam so future emails are delivered to your inbox. Alternatively, try a different email address.
If the phone did not have working internet access at the time of the alert, Lockwatch will save the alert locally and retry automatically once a Wi-Fi or mobile data connection becomes available again.
Some phone manufacturers customise Android in ways that can prevent apps like ours from working correctly. We are unable to fix these issues, but you can try reporting them to your device manufacturer.
We don't have any access to your phone, so we are unable to locate it on your behalf.
If you receive a Lockwatch email with a photo, contact your local police station with the evidence.
Each permission is used for a specific purpose:
