Can you unlock Samsung with voice?

Voice unlocking allows Samsung users to conveniently unlock their phones hands-free using voice commands. With voice unlock enabled, users can simply say their preset passphrase to bypass the lock screen without having to enter a PIN or scan biometrics. This convenient feature saves time and effort while enhancing ease of use.

The main benefits of voice unlock are convenience, accessibility, and efficiency. Speaking a short phrase is often faster than typing in a password or pattern, and easier when your hands are full. Voice unlock also helps those with limited mobility or vision access their devices. And since voice authentication relies on unique aspects of a user’s voice, it provides a fairly secure option for quick unlocking.

How Voice Unlocking Works on Samsung Phones

Samsung’s voice unlock feature uses advanced voice recognition technology to allow users to securely unlock their devices hands-free. It works through Samsung’s Bixby virtual assistant, which uses artificial intelligence to learn and recognize an individual user’s unique voice over time.

To set up voice unlock, users record a custom voice password through Bixby’s Voice Password feature. This records the user saying a phrase multiple times, capturing the unique qualities of their voice that Bixby will use to authenticate them. The voice password is stored locally on the device for security.

When attempting to unlock the phone using their voice, the user’s spoken password phrase is analyzed using advanced voice biometrics and deep learning technology. Bixby extracts over 100 unique identifiable voice characteristics from the audio, including tone, pitch, cadence, pronunciation, and more. These are compared in real-time to the stored voice password to determine if there is a match.

If Bixby detects a close enough match, indicating the registered owner is speaking, the phone will unlock. This provides a secure hands-free unlocking experience. The technology is designed to only recognize the owner’s voice, remaining locked for all others.

According to Samsung, their voice unlock has an extremely low 1 in 1 million false acceptance rate for other voices when properly set up (source). This makes it a convenient way to securely access Samsung devices.

Which Samsung Phones Have Voice Unlock

Voice unlock is available on many recent Samsung Galaxy smartphone models. Specifically, it is included on the following phones:

Galaxy S21 series

Galaxy S20 series
Galaxy Note 20 series
Galaxy Z Fold 2

Galaxy Z Flip
Galaxy A52 5G
Galaxy A42 5G

Galaxy A32 5G

The voice unlock feature requires the built-in Bixby voice assistant. Therefore, it is only available on Samsung phones that come with Bixby. Older Samsung models without Bixby do not support voice unlock.

To use voice unlock, your Samsung phone will need to be updated to at least Android 10 and One UI 2.0 or later. This provides the option to register voice biometrics for unlocking the device hands-free using Bixby voice commands.

In summary, voice unlock is available on newer Samsung Galaxy phones from the S, Note, Z, and A series that have Bixby and One UI 2.0 or higher. Check your model specifications to confirm if Bixby voice unlock is supported.
Cite: https://www.samsung.com/ph/support/mobile-devices/what-is-bixby-voice-and-how-to-use-it/

Setting Up Voice Unlock

Enabling voice unlock on Samsung devices is easy to do. Just follow these steps:

Open the Settings app.

Tap Biometrics and security.
Tap Secure lock settings.
Tap Voice unlock.

Tap Unlock with Voice Passwords.
Follow the on-screen instructions to record your voice password. You’ll need to repeat a phrase multiple times.
Toggle on Use Voice Password.

Once enabled, you can unlock your Samsung device by saying your custom voice password. The phone’s microphone will listen for the exact phrase you recorded. For security, voice unlocking is less reliable for similar voices, like twins. See Samsung’s Bixby support for more details.

Using Voice Commands to Unlock

Once Voice Unlock is set up, you can use voice commands to unlock your Samsung phone hands-free. Here are some examples of voice commands you can use:

Say “Hi Bixby, unlock my phone” to unlock using Bixby voice assistant. Bixby will ask you to say your set voice password to confirm it’s you (1).

Say “Ok Google, unlock my phone” to unlock with Google Assistant. You’ll need to have the Google app and Voice Match enabled.

Say “Alexa, unlock my phone” to unlock using Amazon Alexa, if you have the Alexa app installed.

Say “Unlock” to unlock using Samsung’s built-in voice assistant after training it to recognize your voice.

You can customize the exact phrase to activate voice unlock in your phone’s voice assistant settings.

Customizing the Voice Unlock Feature

Samsung allows users to customize certain aspects of the voice unlock experience to better suit their preferences and needs. Here are some of the customization options available:

You can record multiple voice samples to improve accuracy. Go to Settings > Biometrics and security > Voice Unlock, then tap “Improve voice recognition” to record additional samples. Having multiple samples helps the phone’s microphone recognize your voice better.

You can choose between two unlock modes: “Faster” and “More secure.” Faster mode unlocks immediately after recognizing your voice, while More secure mode requires you to confirm with an additional voice command before unlocking. You can select the mode under Settings > Biometrics and security > Voice Unlock.

Under Voice Unlock settings, there is an option to “Unlock with screen off.” Enabling this will allow you to voice unlock your phone even when the screen is off or device is asleep. If disabled, you need to first wake the device.

You can toggle Bixby Voice Wake Up on/off under Bixby settings. With this enabled, you can voice unlock by saying “Hi Bixby” followed by your voice command without pressing any buttons. When off, you need to hold down the Bixby button.

There are some additional Bixby-specific customizations like changing the wake up phrase from “Hi Bixby” to something else. You can also enable/disable Bixby voice responses and make other changes in Bixby settings.

Security Considerations

While voice unlock provides convenience, it does come with potential security risks that users should be aware of. The main risk is that someone else could access your phone by imitating your voice. According to Samsung, voice data is stored locally on the device and not sent to their servers, however there is still a possibility of voice data being intercepted (source).

To mitigate this risk, there are a few precautions you can take. First, make sure to set a secure pattern, PIN, or password as a backup unlock method. You can require this secondary method before voice unlock activates. Second, turn off voice unlock if lending your phone to others. Finally, be aware of your surroundings when using voice commands in public places (source).

While no unlock method is completely foolproof, taking basic precautions allows you to utilize voice unlock securely. As with any new technology feature, it’s important to understand the risks involved.

Troubleshooting Voice Unlock

If you run into issues using voice unlock on your Samsung device, there are some troubleshooting steps you can try:

Make sure Bixby voice wake up is enabled in your Bixby settings. You can find this under Settings > Bixby > Voice wake-up. Toggle it on if it is disabled ^[1].

Try re-recording your voice model if Bixby is not accurately recognizing your voice. Go to Settings > Bixby > Voice wake-up and select Re-register voice

You may need to reset Bixby if voice commands are not working at all. Go to Settings > Apps > Bixby and select Clear Data. This will reset Bixby and allow you to set up voice wake up again ^[2].

Check that Voice Access is enabled if you are having issues using voice unlock from the lock screen. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Interaction and dexterity > Voice Access and turn on Use Voice Access on lock screen ^[3].

As a last resort, you can factory reset your device if voice unlock is totally non-functional. Just make sure your data is backed up first.

Alternatives to Voice Unlock

While voice unlock is a convenient hands-free option offered by Samsung, there are other alternatives users may want to consider:

Face unlock uses facial recognition technology to unlock Samsung devices. This allows users to simply look at their phone to unlock it rather than speaking a command. According to a PCWorld article, face unlock may be more secure than voice unlock in certain situations.

Fingerprint sensors have become a popular biometric unlocking method. Many Samsung phones have built-in fingerprint readers that allow users to unlock their device with an enrolled fingerprint. This can also allow app-specific fingerprint authentication.

Third-party voice assistants like Google Assistant can unlock some Android phones using voice commands. While not natively supported on all Samsung devices, options like “Okay Google, unlock my phone” may work.

Pattern, PIN, or password unlocks are old standards. While not hands-free, these manual unlock methods are typically more secure than biometric options. Users concerned about security may prefer entering a PIN over voice unlock.

Choosing the right unlock method requires balancing convenience and security. While voice unlock offers hands-free access, users should weigh the risks before enabling it.

The Future of Voice Unlock

Voice unlock technology on Samsung devices is likely to continue advancing and improving in the future. Here are some potential enhancements we may see:

More natural voice recognition – Bixby could get even better at understanding natural speech patterns and commands.
Personalized voice profiles – Phones may build unique voice models for each user to improve security and accuracy.
Multi-user support – Allowing multiple voice profiles to unlock the same device.

Expanded capabilities – Using voice to launch apps, make calls, control smart home devices, etc directly from the lock screen.
New languages – Expanding support to recognize more regional accents and languages beyond English.
On-device processing – Allowing voice unlock to work without an internet connection, improving speed and privacy.

Samsung is continuously developing Bixby to enhance what’s possible with voice controls (1). Recently they demonstrated technology to clone a user’s voice for more natural text-to-speech. Advancements like these point to an exciting future for faster, more secure, and more capable voice unlock on Samsung devices.