Remote lock blocks access to a device without touching its data. Reach for it when a laptop goes missing, when someone leaves, or as the first move while you decide whether the situation warrants a wipe.

Feature/Functionality

Overview

Locking works on every platform you can manage:

Nothing is erased. What the lock does to the device, and how you release it, depends on the platform.

How to use

1. Open Devices and open the device details page.
2. Click Actions > Lock.
3. Confirm.

What locking and unlocking look like, by platform

macOS. The Mac shows a lock screen asking for a six-digit PIN. The PIN is not shown on the Mac: you find it in the console. Once the Mac has received the command, it stays locked even if it goes offline.

To unlock it:

1. Open Devices, open the device details page and click Actions > Unlock. The PIN appears.
2. Enter the six-digit PIN on the Mac.

The Mac then works as normal. No data is lost.

Windows. The lock signs out every session and disables all local accounts, administrators included. It also blocks cached domain and Microsoft Entra ID sign-ins. After 15 seconds the device shuts down. Nobody can sign in, and there is no PIN. The lock runs as a script, so scripts must be enabled on the device.

To unlock it, open Devices, open the device details page and click Actions > Unlock. The device must be online, with scripts enabled, to receive the unlock. Its accounts are then switched back on. No data is lost.

Linux. The lock ends every user session, locks all user accounts and blocks new logins with a "Locked by administrator" message. On Ubuntu with GDM, the device restarts. There is no PIN. The lock runs as a script, so scripts must be enabled on the device.

To unlock it, open Devices, open the device details page and click Actions > Unlock. The device must be online, with scripts enabled, to receive the unlock. Its accounts are then unlocked and the device restarts. No data is lost.

iPhone and iPad. Locking puts the device into Lost Mode, which is more than a locked screen: the device shows a message and a contact number you choose, and its location is tracked while it stays in that state. This needs a supervised device with management turned on. To release it, open the device details page and click Actions > Unlock. The device leaves Lost Mode and works as normal.

Android. The screen locks immediately and the employee gets back in with their own passcode, PIN or pattern. Nothing is erased. It works on both company-owned and personally-owned (BYOD) devices enrolled with Factorial IT. If the employee has forgotten their passcode, use Clear passcode so they can set a new one.

Troubleshooting and FAQ

Troubleshooting

• You need the macOS PIN again. Open the device details page and click Actions > Unlock. The PIN is shown there.
• A Windows or Linux device does not unlock. The unlock only arrives when the device is online and scripts are enabled. Check both.
• The lock did nothing on Windows or Linux. Scripts are probably disabled on the device. The lock runs as a script.
• Lost Mode is not available on an iPhone. The device is not supervised, or management is off. Lost Mode needs both.
• The employee unlocked the device straight away on Android. That is how it works: Android asks for the credential the employee already knows. If you need to deny access, wipe the device instead.

FAQ

1. Does locking erase anything?
   No. Data on the device is kept on every platform.
    
2. Can the employee unlock it themselves?
   On Android, yes, with their usual credentials. On macOS they need the PIN, which you get from Actions > Unlock. On Windows and Linux, no: nobody can sign in until you click Actions > Unlock. On iPhone and iPad you release Lost Mode from your side.
    
3. Can a Windows administrator unlock a locked Windows device on the spot?
   No. The lock disables all local accounts, administrators included. Only Actions > Unlock releases it.
    
4. Does a locked Mac stay locked if it goes offline?
   Yes. Once the Mac has received the command, the lock holds offline.
    
5. Should we lock or wipe a stolen laptop?
   Lock immediately, then wipe once you accept it is not coming back. Locking is reversible; wiping is not.
    
6. Does Lost Mode track location continuously?
   The location is tracked while the device stays in Lost Mode. Taking it out of Lost Mode ends that.