If you cannot get past the lock screen on your Apolosign Digital Calendar, the first thing to establish is which lock you are facing. There are two different ones, and only one of them can be cleared on the device.
Which lock do you have?
| What the screen asks for | What it is | Can it be cleared on the device? |
|---|---|---|
| A PIN, pattern, or password that you set yourself | Screen lock | Yes - physical factory reset |
| Signing in to a Google Account (an email address is shown) | Google account lock (Factory Reset Protection) | No - requires a firmware reflash |
If the screen asks for a PIN or pattern that you chose, you are in the first case. If it asks you to sign in to a Google Account and shows an email address, you are in the second case - and a factory reset will not clear it.
Case 1: You forgot the screen lock password or PIN (no Google account lock)
A physical factory reset clears the screen lock. It does not require the old password, and the steps are the same on every Digital Calendar model. Follow the steps below, or jump straight to the video at the end of this section.
Step A: Wipe the device
- Shut the device down first: press and hold the power button, then tap Power off on the screen.
- Press and hold the Power and Volume Up buttons at the same time.
- Keep holding both buttons until the Apolosign logo appears, then release. The device enters the recovery menu.
- In the recovery menu, the Volume up / down buttons move the selection up and down, and the Power button works as the confirm button.
- Highlight Wipe data/factory reset and press the Power button to select it.
- On the next screen, select Factory data reset to confirm.
When the wipe finishes, select Reboot system now. The device restarts - this can take a few minutes.
Video guide - the full reset process
Step B: Set the device up again
After the reset, the device starts from the initial setup with no screen lock:
- Select your language and connect to Wi-Fi.
- The device enters the Google Setup Wizard. Most steps can be skipped and finished later - signing in with your Google account is optional.
- When the device asks you to set a PIN, tap Use my Google account instead and sign in with the Google account you previously used on this device. This is how you regain access without creating a new password. If you do not have a Google account on this device, simply set a new PIN.
- On the remaining screens (backup, Google services and app offers) you can select Skip / No thanks for everything optional, then complete the shortcut tutorial.
Video guide - the full reset and setup process from start to finish:
What a factory reset clears - and what it does not
A factory reset only removes what is stored on the device itself:
- The screen lock and any passwords set on the device
- Saved Wi-Fi networks and all device settings
- Photos and files saved to the device's local storage
- Apps you installed yourself, and their local data
Everything saved to the cloud is unaffected. Your events, routines, to-dos and rewards in the Apolosign Calendar app are tied to your Apolosign account - the account you sign in with in the Apolosign mobile app - and stay on that account. The events in the Google, iCloud or Outlook calendar you connected stay in that calendar. Neither is touched by the reset.
After the setup: get your calendar content back
- Sign in to the Apolosign Calendar app with your Apolosign account - the same account you use in the Apolosign mobile app. Your events, routines, to-dos and rewards are all still there.
- If calendar events appear to be missing, make sure every sub-calendar is ticked - selecting only the main account does not sync the sub-calendars. Step-by-step: https://support.apolosign.com/hc/en-us/articles/63953024640793-Why-Are-Only-Some-of-My-Events-Syncing
- Set up your screen saver again: https://support.apolosign.com/hc/en-us/articles/56804488060825-How-to-Set-Up-Your-Screen-Saver
- If the calendar does not need to be locked, set the lock screen to None: Settings - Security & Privacy - Device Unlock - Screen Lock - None. Instructions: https://support.apolosign.com/hc/en-us/articles/54712185447961-How-Do-I-Set-or-Remove-a-Lock-Screen-Password
Case 2: The device asks for a Google Account
This is Factory Reset Protection. The lock is tied to the Google Account that was previously set up on this device. It cannot be bypassed, and a factory reset will not remove it. Without the credentials of that original account, the only solution is to reflash the firmware.
Contact us at support@apolosign.com with your order number and a photo of the white label on the back of the device, which shows the serial number. We will send you the correct firmware package for your model, the flashing tool, and a step-by-step guide. Reflashing erases everything stored on the device - your Apolosign Calendar app content stays on your Apolosign account in the cloud and comes back when you sign in to the app again.
Do not use a firmware package built for another model. Packages published for a different product can permanently damage the device.
A habit that prevents this
If the calendar does not need to be locked - most units are mounted on a wall at home - turn the screen lock off. That removes both the "I forgot the password" and the "keypad will not respond" problems in one step.