Whether your handing in your phone for a simple screen repair for a delicate unlocking operation, we would ask you for your devices password to access it.
“Why?”
This is a question we hear daily, and we totally understand! Your phone is your life, and what happens on there – stays on there. Here’s why we may need your password.
Testing – If your phone has come in for a repair, we want to make sure that the repair we performed is working as intended. This includes testing the screen as a standard consumer. This may require access to your camera, microphone, phone app and settings. If we don’t have access to these functions we can’t ensure that your repair was successful and warranty may not be provided with the repair.
Unlocking – If you are booking your device in for an unlock, whether it be a Samsung or an iPhone. We require your lock screen password. This is due to the fact that we need to access technician level settings in the device to enable the unlocking process.
Please be aware that with newer Android devices and iPhones, you may require your Apple ID password or Google account password. This is due to something called “Activation Lock” which essentially stops people being able to use the device if stolen. This lock also restricts our ability to access the settings we need to unlock your device. You can do this one yourself in store, just ask a member of staff to connect you to our WiFi network. If you don’t know your password please reset the password and make sure you keep it safe. If you cant remember your iCloud/AppleID password or email address and the Apple website doesn’t help. You will have to take it in store to them with proof of purchase/ownership (receipt or contract details from your provider) to reset it as no one can bypass this lock.
Our alternative process for this is that we may need to perform a factory reset on the device to access the settings we need to test your device after repair. Please keep this in mind if you are not able to provide the password when booking in your device. If you feel more comfortable, you can factory reset your device prior to bringing it into us.
We hope this explains why we need your password when we take in your device. If you would rather not pass over this information please be aware that your device will remain untested and you may experience a delay if the repair seems to be faulty. Please alert staff as soon as possible if you would rather not give your password so we can check these delay times for you.
Still worried? Data protection is on your side! Not only would the technician face a sanction, they may also be dismissed and/or the company may be faced with a fine. Trust us, it’s not worth it! We have no reason to look through your device and neither does anyone else without your specific permission. Your password is stored with us only for the period of your repair via an OFFLINE system (WorkTracer).
We hope this sets your mind at ease, if you have any further questions please let a member of staff know and they will be more than happy to assist!