TeamViewer Host & some Android 10 devices: Cannot see (and get past) lock screen
I have seen this issue on three devices running Android 10 with a native (not the universal) TeamViewer Add-On:
When connecting with the viewer, remotely I see a black screen with a white lock icon. I cannot see the actual Android lock screen, yet the device itself (when having it in my hands) displays the regular Android lock screen.
In other words, what I see through the remote viewer is different from what the end user sees on the device directly. And because the viewer essentially prevents me from seeing the Android lock screen, I cannot enter the lock pattern either. The local user then has to enter the pattern, and once the device is unlocked, I am then able to see the normal Android screen through the viewer.
I have seen this issue on three devices so far -- one Nokia 5.3 and two Lenovo Yoga Smart Tabs (YT-X705F) that were recently upgraded from Android 9 to 10, which is when the problem started.
I assume this is a security mechanism in some Android versions that purposely prevents remote viewers from seeing the lock screen, requiring the local user to unlock it instead.
The only workaround so far has been to turn off the Android lock screen security completely. But I find that to be a sub-optimal solution.
Answers
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Same issue here, I have had this for a while and it is very irritating.
I have this happening on Samsung A30, Zebra TC21 & Zebra TC26.
I've found a possible bug that helps get around this,
Switch your quality from quality to speed, wait about 1 sec and you see a very quick flash of the screen along with the location of the unlock pattern.
The movement interactions are still sent with this messed-up screen but the main issue is it is hard to imagine exactly where the unlock pattern dots are.
Also controlling android like this only seems to work from another android device, not from a desktop.
I also had to disable the red screen being monitored notification with an admin app in order for this to work.
very sub-optimal but it's the only way I can remotely access the android device.
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I have a 4 -digit PIN lock set up in the host device (remote). When I get such a lock screen (black/gray screen with moving white padlock sign), I open keyboard from Team Viewer enter the PIN from my device's keyboard (GBoard) and hit "Enter". There is no visual sign that the PIN is being entered. It is unlocked a few seconds after I hit "Enter".
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Thanks for this post – it helped me figure out a solution.
Before I came to this solution, I had downloaded the Quick Support and the Team viewer universal add-on apps to the remote phone. I had enabled all TeamViewer apps which had permissions (the add-ons do not require any) with all the permissions possible in the apps settings of the phone. I don’t know if any of that (other than downloading quick support) aided me in my ultimate solution – so background for you if the below doesn’t work on its own.
Use your computer to log into the remote device (rather than your cell phone) via the "quick support" app (rather than "host" app). Once in there, go to the phone’s settings and use the "search" to get to "Direction Lock". Toggle that "on" and the screen will go black but -unlike when I was using my phone - on the computer a number pad will pop up so you can put in the pin. Then you will be allowed to set up a direction swipe pattern to unlock the phone. After doing that, end the quick support connection and let the phone go sleep/lock itself over time. Once it does, use “Host” to get in and, when you get to that black screen, use your swipe pattern to unlock the phone.
I hope this helps everyone!
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Yes, the Direction Lock option on Samsung phones solves this issue nicely.
However, other brands and models do not have this option, for example, I could not find such an option in the Xiaomi Redmi 9T model.
What can I do about it?
Respects...
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Did you figure a solution for another brand? I'm fighting like a pig with Sony Xperia 1 and 5 - no friggin joy. I can't believe they haven't solved this bug for over 1 year!!!
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I have to login to give you a kudo. Thanks for your precious information.
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