Don't Update Your Galaxy Phone (Yet)
Before you jump in on the next update for your Samsung Galaxy S7, Galaxy S6, Note 5, or Note 4, pay heed: there's an issue. Users with a variety of Samsung smartphone updating to the first release of Android 6.0 Marshmallow have been experiencing a unique issue. Passwords on the device – be they text based or fingerprint based – seem to be lost or distorted as the newest update is installed. But what about you? Will you see the same issue? Should you be fully freaking out at the moment, or is there something you might do to avoid this mess?
To avoid the problem outlined above – and recounted in several locations such as Reddit and XDA Developers – you'll want to remove the password and/or fingerprint login for your Samsung device before you initiate said update.
Part of the mix-up likely has to do with Marshmallow's initiation of encryption being on by default for all devices of certain specifications or greater. You need to enter a password, pin code, or pattern unlock every time your device is booted – unless you turn this feature off.
UPDATE: It would appear that this issue is not limited to Samsung smartphones – which makes sense, since the issue at hand is almost certainly having to do with this Android update VS Samsung's implementation of device unlocks. As such, the device in question shouldn't matter – it's whether or not you have a password on the device in the first place.
According to one mobile device repair consultant, the following devices are amongst those that can be affected:
• Galaxy Note 4
• Galaxy Note 5
• Galaxy S5
• Galaxy S6 / edge / edge plus
• Galaxy S7 / edge
For those of you that find yourselves on the wrong end of this update/password situation, there's a relatively simple fix. Head over to FindMyMobile.Samsung.com and lock your device, then unlock – easy peasy.
Of course you'll need to have had a Samsung account to find your mobile device with this tool in the first place. If you're heading in to an update soon, you'll want to make sure you sign up for a Samsung account before you do – if you want to use this tool.
If all else fails, contact Samsung VIA Samsung Customer Support.
Let us know if you've experience this issue with your device, and if you've been able to get back in to your device without resetting the whole thing or contacting Samsung for a fix.