Managing Screen Lock: Send Messages While Your Phone Is Locked

Yes, your phone can stay locked. Save your phone's PIN or password in SKEDit, and SKEDit unlocks the screen at the scheduled time to send your message. SKEDit can only type a PIN or password, so a pattern lock does not work. Fingerprint unlock can usually stay on.

Prefer not to save your PIN? You can use Smart Lock, turn off your screen lock, or turn on Ask me before sending. Pick one of the 4 options below.

In this article

• Which option should I choose?
• Option 1: Save your PIN or password
• Option 2: Use Smart Lock
• Option 3: Turn off the screen lock
• Option 4: Turn on Ask me before sending
• Differences by phone brand
• Quick checks
• Still not working?
• Related articles

Which option should I choose?

Option	Screen stays locked?	What you do at send time
1. Save your PIN or password	Yes	Nothing
2. Smart Lock	No, it stays unlocked at a trusted place or device	Nothing, while Smart Lock is active
3. No screen lock	No	Nothing
4. Ask me before sending	Yes	Unlock your phone, then tap Send

Option 1: Save your PIN or password

SKEDit enters your PIN or password for you at the scheduled time. Your phone must use a PIN or a password. If you use a pattern, change it to a PIN or password. Fingerprint unlock can stay on. If sending still fails, turn off fingerprint and face unlock.

1. Open SKEDit and tap +.
2. Choose WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business.
3. On the scheduling screen, tap the red warning triangle at the top right.
4. Under Bypass Screen Lock, tap Provide Pin or Password.
5. Type the PIN or password you use to unlock your phone.
6. Tap Done to save it.

You can also save or change it later. Open the SKEDit menu, tap Settings, then fill in Lock Screen Password.

Tip: Want your phone to lock again after sending? In SKEDit Settings, turn on Auto-Lock Device. When asked, activate SKEDit as a device admin app. SKEDit then locks your phone when the scheduled message is sent.

Option 2: Use Smart Lock

Smart Lock is an Android feature. It keeps your phone unlocked when you are at a trusted place, like home, or connected to a trusted device, like your watch or car Bluetooth.

Note: The Enable Smart Lock button in SKEDit opens this guide. You turn on Smart Lock in your phone's settings, not in SKEDit.

1. Open your phone's Settings.
2. Go to Settings > Security & Privacy > More Security Settings > Smart Lock. The path may be different on your phone, and Smart Lock may be named Extended Lock.
3. Add a trusted place or a trusted device (see below).

Trusted places: add places like Home and Work. Your phone stays unlocked there. Turn on location for this to work.

Trusted devices: add your smartwatch, home speaker or car Bluetooth. Turn on Bluetooth for this to work.

Note: Smart Lock stays active for only 4 hours at a time. After 4 hours, it must be activated again. SKEDit cannot check whether Smart Lock is on, so the warning triangle can stay red in SKEDit. This is expected.

Option 3: Turn off the screen lock

With no screen lock, SKEDit can open your phone and send at the scheduled time.

1. Open your phone's Settings.
2. Open Security or Lock screen.
3. Tap Screen lock.
4. Choose Swipe or None.

Shortcut: in SKEDit's red warning list, tap Disable Screen Lock to open your phone's settings. Huawei and Honor phones do not show this button.

Option 4: Turn on Ask me before sending

Keep your screen lock and do not save your PIN. At the scheduled time, SKEDit sends you a notification. You unlock your phone, tap Send, and SKEDit does the rest.

1. Open SKEDit and tap +.
2. Choose WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business.
3. On the scheduling screen, turn on Ask me before sending.
4. Schedule your message as usual.

At the scheduled time:

1. Unlock your phone.
2. Open the notification panel.
3. Tap Send on the SKEDit notification.

Note: If you tap Send before you unlock your phone, sending may fail. You set this option for each message, so you can mix automatic messages and Ask me before sending messages.

More details: How to use "Ask me before sending".

Differences by phone brand

The 4 options work the same way on every brand. These brands need one extra setting so SKEDit can work while the phone is locked.

Xiaomi / Redmi / POCO (HyperOS, MIUI)

1. In SKEDit's red warning list, find Other Permissions and tap Enable.
2. Allow Show on Lock screen.
3. Also allow Display pop-up windows and Open new windows while running in the background.
4. Go back to SKEDit and tap Yes when asked "Have you done it?".

Tecno / Infinix

Infinix: in SKEDit's red warning list, find Lock Screen Overlay and tap Enable. Find SKEDit and turn it on.

Tecno: SKEDit cannot open this setting for you. During your first send, your phone asks you to let SKEDit Display an overlay on lock screen. Allow it.

On Samsung, Google Pixel, Motorola, Oppo, Realme, OnePlus, Vivo, Huawei and Honor, no extra lock screen setting is needed. Use one of the 4 options above.

Quick checks

If Sending Logs shows Keyguard unlock failed or Keyguard password protected, your lock screen stopped the send. Check these:

• Your phone's screen lock is a PIN or password, not a pattern.
• The PIN or password saved in SKEDit is the one you use now. If you changed it, save the new one.
• With Ask me before sending: you unlocked your phone before you tapped Send.
• With Smart Lock: you are at a trusted place or near a trusted device, and it has been less than 4 hours.
• SKEDit notifications are on. If you use Do not disturb, give SKEDit's notifications priority.
• Your phone is on and online at the scheduled time.
• All other items in SKEDit's red warning list are done. See how to set up SKEDit.

Still not working?

Please contact our support team. Include your phone model, Android version, SKEDit version, which option you use (PIN, Smart Lock, no lock or Ask me before sending), and a screenshot of Sending Logs.

Related articles

• How to set up SKEDit on your Android phone
• How to use "Ask me before sending"
• Messages not sending or paused? Checklist
• Sending Logs: see why a message failed