Knock Code will come to other LG phones via software updates this year
With Knock On — wherein you tap the display twice to turn on your phone — has been one of our favorite new features of the past few months. LG introduced it with the LG G2 in 2013, and it returned with the LG G Flex toward the end of the year. And now, in 2014, LG’s taking things a step further.
Introducing Knock Code. It’s available now on the LG G Pro 2 and will come to other current LG phones later this year via a software update.
As the name implies, you’ll no longer be limited to only unlocking your phone — now you’ll be able knock (OK, tap, really) as a security function.
Let’s take a closer look.
We’d recommend implementing Knock Code at setup, the first time you boot up your phone, as it’s a bit hidden in the settings later. (More on that in a minute.) But the procedure is pretty straightfoward.
The gist is that you have a 2-by-2 grid in which you’ll tap. You must use a minimum of two touches, and as many as eight, to come up with any combination you want. You could tap the same quadrant eight times if you want. Or seven times in one, and once in another. Or three in one, two in another.
Point is, there are (and LG did the math so we don’t have to) some 86,367 combinations of touches you can use here. Obviously, the more touches you use, the tougher it would be to guess your unlock code.
If you forget to implement Knock Code in the initial setup process, you can do so later through the settings menu. Go to Settings>Display>Screen Security, and then choose “Knock Code.” You’ll then go through the same setup process.
Set your Knock Code by tapping in at least two of the quadrants, and as many as eight.
But what if you forget your Knock Code?
It’ll happen. We won’t judge you. At some point you’re going to forget your Knock Code. But obviously you don’t want to be locked out of your phone. So, LG makes you set a backup PIN code — at least four digits, but fewer than 17 — before you can use Knock Code.
If you enter an incorrect Knock Code four times in a row, you’ll be reminded of the 2-by-2 grid, and asked if you’d like to just go ahead and enter your backup PIN.
If you totally bork things up — as in forget your Knock Code and your backup PIN, you’ll need to download a tool from LG to reset things.
A few handy Knock Code tips
Here are a few tips for using LG’s new Knock Code feature:
- Remember that the 2-by-2 grid is scalable. You can enter your code in a small space, or over the full width of the phone. Use whichever fits your flow the best.
- Because the grid is scalable, it’s easy to unlock using one hand. Don’t be afraid of that.
- If you want to look really cool while you’re doing all this, use multiple fingers for Knock Code. Bonus points if you use a pentatonic scale.
- You don’t have to wake the screen before entering your Knock Code. That is, you don’t have to hit the power button first, see something on the display, and then enter the code. Just tap, and the phone should unlock if you’ve entered your Knock Code correctly.
- With Knock Code turned on, you can still double-tap the center of the display to put the phone to sleep while you’re on the home screen.
For more on the LG G Pro 2, check out our preview.