boot to decrypt the device, but then use the fingerprint to unlock. It's
an amazing improvement in user experience.
device or at a trusted location.
Post by Tony FangSo I notice that on Android, if you enable full-disk encryption, you
don't have any options but to use a long password. This makes it very
inconvenient if you are in need to unlock the phone right away.
If I know correctly, Apple also uses full-disk encryption on iOS, but
you only have to enter the pass code once (when the device first starts)
and you can unlock the iPhone after that using your fingerprints.
Is it possible right now to do the same on Android devices?
What you need to do is use ADB from your PC to set the actually
encryption password.
Here are the steps. I am assuming either V 5 or V 6 but there is a
slight change I will note between them.
1: Do a full backup in case you screw up the password somehow. Trust me
it happens. There is no getting it back if you can not get past the
password. You must go into recovery and do a full wipe/factory default
2: Turn on screen lock pin and encryption. Set it with a key pad pin.
Make sure the pin is what you want to really use for the keypin lock
because later changing it will change the encryption password as well and
you then need to reset a individual encrypt password via these directions
again.
3: Turn on debugging option in developer options.
4: For the debugging options set them to Allow Root access to apps and ADB
5: Connect android device to your PC
6: Start terminal and enter: adb shell ( if you do not know how to do
this google instructions)
7: Enter: su
8: pick a nice long secure password for power on boot.
9: If this is Android version 5.xx you will need to first convert the
password to hexadecimal. Just use one of the online tools. If this is
Android 6.xx then you can simply enter the password as its normal ascii
characters.
10: Enter the following commmand in the terminal: vdc cryptfs changepw
password youractualpasswordhere
where the youracutalpasswordhere is where you put your new boot encrypt
password be it the hex version if you are using 5.xx or the exact password
if its 6.xx That word password after changepw is part of the command
you much type the actual word "password" This is a mistake many people
seem to make and then can figure out why it fails. Your real password
is entered just after that.
11: If it has been successful you should see an output of 200 0 0 after
a few seconds ( up to maybe 5-10sec) Sometimes you may just get a prompt
which typically is Ok but if you get anything other then 200 0 0 such
200 0 1 = FAIL
12: log out of adb and reboot your phone. At the password prompt enter
the acsii character password (not the hex version if using 5.xx) It
should boot to the lock screen. There enter your keypad pin. You should
be gtg.
I would double check the hex conversion of the password if you use a
number of special characters with a few conversion tools to make sure they
all agree. I had one that gave me a bad conversion and I had to wipe my
phone. No big deal as I had nothing on it and had backups but so many
think they do not need bkup and then b1tch and whine when they lose stuff
they act like is so important. If it is then why are they too lazy to make
a backup. It one of the reasons so many security setups are purposely
made with backdoors to reset peoples password. Thus decreasing over all
security. Stupid stupid stupid.
You can set a text password for screen lock instead of a keypad pin but I
have only personally used the keypad pin for my screen unlock. Up to you.
Also if you are wanting better security set the option to scramble the
keypad layout. Each time you bring it up the keypad number layout will
change. This prevents someone working out the pin numbers or password via
finger smudges.
BTW unless they have updated them none of the older kitkat encrypt
password changers that use to automate what the steps above do not work on
5.xx-6.xx as the commands are not the same. Just an FYI in case you think
you found a short cut. Make good and sure it shows that it works with the
version of android you are using. Look for a comment stating it working or
better yet a lot of comments.
Good luck.
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