Forgot your phone PIN? Google could look to the past to save you from a factory reset

Credit: Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR Android 17 QPR2 Beta 5 includes code for a “Unlock with Google Account” feature, which would let users recover locked-out phones without performing a factory reset. Google previously allowed pattern unlock resets using Google account credentials until Android 4.4, but later removed the feature, forcing everyone locked out of their phone to factory reset. The unreleased feature appears to be optional, which would balance the needs of everyday consumers