Locked out of a Motorola

4 minute read · beginner

Motorola runs close to stock Android and does not add its own account lock, so a locked moto is really a Google Account problem. The catch is that many moto g and moto e models are carrier-locked as well.

Clearing a forgotten lock erases the phone.

Only Google's lock applies

There is no Motorola account that will block reactivation. After a reset, the phone asks for the Google Account that was signed in before, and that is the only account layer to clear.

This makes recovery straightforward once you have your Google Account back.

The likely second problem: a carrier lock

Motorola's budget range is sold heavily through prepaid carriers, so a moto g or moto e is more likely than most phones to also be locked to a network.

That is a separate issue with a separate fix — the carrier, not Motorola, removes it, and prepaid brands usually require six to twelve months of active service first.

The route

Recover the Google Account from a computer.
Check the Google One backup date.
Erase with Find Hub if the phone is online, or the hardware recovery menu if not.
Sign in at setup with the same Google Account.
If it then refuses another carrier's SIM, request a network unlock from the carrier separately.

Stop and get help when

Setup asks for a Google Account that is not yours.
The phone is still being financed through a prepaid carrier.

Official route

Google account recovery, then Motorola support, and your carrier for the network lock.

Who this is for: You must be able to sign in to the Google Account that was on the device.