My phone won't turn on, is "bricked", or locked
We know it is stressful when your Fairphone is not working properly. Use this guide to diagnose whether your device is experiencing a software glitch, a forgotten PIN, or a "bricked" state, and find the steps to resolve it.
In this article
3. Phone is locked: forgotten PIN
4. Locked or damaged via third-party OS or manual OS reinstallation
5. How to send your phone to our repair center when your phone is locked or "bricked"
1. Diagnosing the issue
To figure out exactly what is wrong, please go through this quick checklist:
- Display: What do you see on your screen when trying to use the phone?
- Timeline: When exactly did the problem occur (e.g., right away, after an update, after a week)?
- Actions: What apps or steps did you perform right before the issue appeared?
- Software: Did you install an operating system (OS) manually?
- Hardware: Does the phone vibrate when you press the power button or plug in the charger?
2. What is a "bricked" phone?
A "bricked" phone is unresponsive and unusable. This usually happens when an update, alternative OS installation, or manual OS reinstallation is interrupted (e.g., the battery dies), leaving the firmware half-written.
| Type | Symptoms | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Soft brick (Software) | Caught in a bootloop, only boots to recovery mode, or never reaches the home screen. | Try a Factory Reset via system recovery. Read: How to erase all data/factory reset. |
| Hard brick (Hardware) | Device does absolutely nothing (won't turn on, charge, or vibrate, or doesn't respond to Factory reset via system recovery). | Requires sending the device to our repair center (See Section 5). |
3. Phone is locked: forgotten PIN
If you forgot your SIM PIN, you must request a PUK code directly from your network operator.
If you forgot your screen security PIN, try these steps:
Step 1: The SIM card test
The SIM PIN can be confused with the screen PIN. Turn off your phone, remove the SIM card(s), and turn the phone back on. Enter your screen unlock code. If it unlocks, you know which code to use. If it remains locked, proceed to Step 2.
Step 2: Factory reset
Warning: This will delete everything from your phone. Unbacked data will be lost.
Perform a Factory Reset using our System Recovery Instructions. When setting up your phone again, it will ask for your previous code. Select "Verify your Google account" instead and log in. Contact Google for account recovery if you forgot your login details.
Repair center option for locked phones
If you still cannot unlock the phone, we can reset it at our repair center.
- Requirements: You must provide the original phone invoice.
- Warranty: This repair will not void your remaining warranty.
- Costs: Falls under Assessment and labor costs for repairs without spare parts. Shipping costs are separate and vary by country. For more details, please see our Fairphone Phones: Repair Price List and FAQ.
4. Locked or damaged via third-party OS or manual OS reinstallation
If you attempted to install a third-party OS or manually reinstall the original OS (e.g., switching from /e/OS to standard Android) and the device is now locked or bricked, critical system files have been damaged. Standard commands can no longer unlock it or install another OS.
Why is this out of warranty (OOW)?
Our manufacturing warranty covers hardware defects under normal use. Manually altering the core operating system carries inherent risks. Because the hardware itself is not defective, this is considered user-induced software damage and falls outside standard warranty coverage.
The solution
Our technicians can bypass the lock and install fresh software at our repair center using special tools.
- Costs: Falls under Assessment and labor costs for repairs without spare parts. Shipping costs are separate and vary by country. For more details, please see our Fairphone Phones: Repair Price List and FAQ.
5. How to send your phone to our repair center when your phone is locked or "bricked"
If your device is hard-bricked, locked, or needs special software recovery, follow these steps to send it to our repair center:
- Go to our Repair Portal.
- Select your specific Fairphone model.
- Select "Power Issue - The device does not turn on" or "My issue is not listed" as the issue type.
- In the "Problem description" box, describe exactly what happened right before the phone stopped working and list all of your symptoms.
Providing a detailed description helps us route your request to the correct team and start the repair process quickly.