Unlock your ZTE Nubia Z9 mini

OS: Android 5.0.2 (Lollipop); nubia UI 2.8

CPU: Octa-core (4x1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4x1.0 GHz Cortex-A53)

Display: 5" inc

Camera: 16 MP, Single

1. Use the Tenorshare 4uKey for Android app.
2. Make a hard reset (factory reset).
3. How to use a low battery to unlock a phone locked with a graphic key.
4. Delete 'gesture.key' and 'password.key' using Aroma File Manager.
5. Restore access to your smartphone using your Google Account.

1. Use the Tenorshare 4uKey for Android app.

Connect your phone to PC with USB cable and open Tenorshare 4uKey for Android.
Press the Remove button in the menu that appears on the PC screen.
The removal of the phone screen lock will begin. Confirm the deletion, click OK.
Wait until the operation is completed, and then put your smartphone into recovery mode according to the prompts on the computer screen.
Click the Next button, then follow the steps recommended by the program to restore the device to factory settings and reboot it. After rebooting the smartphone, the screen lock will be disabled.

2. Make a hard reset (factory reset)

To get started, turn off your phone.Simultaneously press and hold for about 10-15 seconds one of the button combinations:
Volume down button + Power button;
Volume up button + Power button;
Volume down button + Power button + Home button;
Volume down button + Volume up button + Power button.
Select Recovery using volume up/down buttons to navigate through the menu and confirm selection by pressing the power button.
Using the volume up/down buttons to navigate through the menu options, select Wipe data/factory reset. and press the power button.
Confirm the reset and reboot your phone

3. How to use a low battery to unlock a phone locked with a graphic key.

You need to discharge the battery. To speed up the process, make sure that the screen is constantly lit.
When the battery has a few percent left, the phone will report this and open the menu with power settings, that is, it will unlock the phone.
You need to open security settings and disable phone lock.

4. Delete 'gesture.key' and 'password.key' using Aroma File Manager.

You need to turn off the phone and remove the tray with the memory card.
Transfer the Aroma File Manager program using a computer to the phone's memory card. Insert the memory card back into the phone.
Using the combination of volume and power buttons, boot your smartphone into recovery mode.
In recovery mode, follow the path Install zip -> Install zip from sdcard -> Choose zip from sdcard, go to the archive folder with this program and select it.
After starting the program, you will need to go to the folder /data/system and delete the files 'gesture.key' and 'password.key' (for Android 4.4 or lower) or 'getekeeper.password.key' and 'getekeeper.pattern.key' (for Android 5 or higher)
Reboot your smartphone. The screen lock will be released.

5. Restore access to your smartphone using your Google Account.

After several unsuccessful attempts to unlock the phone, the message Forgot password? will appear. Click on it.
Choose the option - recovery with a Google account. You will need to enter your Google Account username and password.
Remove the screen lock from the settings.

Thomas Nilan
Smartphone Expert

Thomas Nilan is a mobile phone expert with in-depth knowledge of the Android and iOS operating systems, who understands the settings of various hidden features that allow you to expand the capabilities of your smartphone, as well as get information about what is going on inside the phone for future repairs. He is an authority in his field, which has allowed him to become a ghostwriter for several technology publications, and he enjoys writing small mobile applications for testing smartphones.