A25 5G phone, Remote Lock option has disappeared...

[Members_SABtKp0]

...from Settings/Security & Privacy/More security settings/Theft Protection

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UPDATE

TLDR: removing Google account from the phone and then signing back into it immediately fixed the problem. What a waste of everybody's time.

More details: I removed (i.e. signed out) my Google account on my A25 5G (for other reasons) and then I signed back in. After 10 minutes I noticed that the Remote Lock option has reappeared - and works (tested from the website). I later repeated for my partner's A25 5G and it immediately showed the Remote Lock. On my phone the ASKS security software has changed from version 20230714 to 20240926 but my partner's phone already had that, so it's possibly irrelevant.

And what's with the "solved" on this forum? (a) it wasn't until now, and (b) the original poster should decide that, not contributers. What nonsense.

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Remote Lock was there, then it wasn't when I checked again. My partner's identical phone still has it. After a few hours, their phone lost Remote Lock option also, so negates my ASKS comments below I think. I restarted mine, didn't fix the issue. All our security setting are the same. I note that the ASKS software release date is different, and this is related to theft protection functions. Specifically ASKS v8.4 is Release 20240926 on my partner's, and 20230714 on mine. But why was Remote Lock there and then not? Why do two identical phones have different ASKS software releases? See photos.

Update: Samsung have found the same on Android 14 One UI 6.1 devices, but Android 15 One UI 7 devices do have the Remote Lock option. They think it's Google, and it might be temporary. Anyway, it's not my device specifically, thanks to them and people reporting here.

older ASKS on right (mine)No Remote lock on right (mine)both softwares up to date

[ukraina2]

I have the A25 5G. Mine is showing the same as yours, without the remote lock.

It seems like you made security updates on different dates, I don't know if that's the reason why. There's a new March security update for the A25 5G which was released today, but that hasn't added the remote lock feature. I don't know whether or not I had that before.

[arianwen27 · Accepted solution]

Hey, sorry for my previous reply; I was totally wrong. It seems that option has been removed. If you check for Google Play system updates, you'll probably find an update that removes it from your other device. It's no longer on my S25U either.

My guess is an exploit or flaw was found with it

[lance78]

My a55 is the same as the one in green case

[Members_SABtKp0]

I guess your guess is right! I never saw an update on my partner's phone, the Remote Lock just disappeared and I couldn't see any change to updates. Thanks.

[Members_SABtKp0]

Those updates were only one day apart in late Feb! But both phones ended up with no Remote Lock with no indication why. I wonder if it was Google Play Services, I had a theory that it had updated in the last few days. On one phone I uninstalled the app back to the factory version, but it just made other theft protection disappear as well. It then didn't offer to update back to the current version, but mysteriously did it in the background. Yes, I now have the 1st March update, three week delay seems a bit poor of Samsung. Thanks.

[arianwen27]

Hey, me again. Seems some update has happened and it's back, remote lock is back and working. Can only assume whatever was wrong with it has been fixed so they enabled it again

[ukraina2]

There has been a Google Play System update, but I still haven't got Remote Lock.

[arianwen27]

List of things to make double sure. Reboot phone, check for normal google play updates, check for galaxy store updates, check for google play system updates, check for system updates. Check if remote lock has appeared. If it still doesn't appear, you might just need to wait. If I got it back, it might just take some time. Oh and I assume you have phone number verification enabled.