Samsung One UI 9 permanently locks devices after 13 attempts

Technology Jul 28, 2026

Samsung's new One UI 9 update (built on Android 17) is making Galaxy phones a lot stricter about security.

Now, if you enter the wrong PIN or password 13 times, your device will be permanently locked, and only a factory reset can get you back in.

This is a step up from Google's usual limit of 20 tries, and it's all about keeping your data safer from anyone trying to guess their way in.

Escalating lock delays and on-screen warnings

With this update, the first five wrong attempts are limited to 1 minute, and each mistake after that makes you wait even longer.

On-screen warnings will let you know how many tries you have left before things get serious.

The feature just launched on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and will roll out to more devices soon, so keep an eye out if you're using a Samsung phone.