One of the most annoying things about sending your phones in for repairs is to wipe your data clean. Only recently, Samsung launched the maintenance mode to retain its data before repairs. However, that could change for Android users soon.
According to Mishaal Rahman, Google is developing native support for repair mode. If everything goes well, we might see a feature that "creates a secure environment to protect the user's privacy when the device is being repaired." Rahman says this feature can emulate factory reset.
For your information, the repair mode lets you retain your phone’s data without a factory reset. When the phone is launched in this mode, technicians will be locked out of your personal data and information. That said, this feature is similar to the maintenance mode launched by Samsung this year.
Android is adding native support for repair mode, a feature that "creates a secure environment to protect the user's privacy when the device is being repaired."
— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) October 17, 2023
Basically, repair mode lets you send your device in for repair without having to wipe it beforehand. When the device… pic.twitter.com/Bjosj2jhEd
In case you didn’t know, repair mode uses the Dynamic System Updates (DSU) mechanism. Instead of the Generic System Image (GSI), Android reboots via a combination of the original system image and new user data image. As a result, this causes your device to “assume” that it has a factory reset.
Interestingly, your credentials will be requested when accessing this mode. Your data will be stored in /metadata/repair mode and persist across reboots. To exit this mode, you will need to enter your lock screen data registered in default mode.
We have yet to confirm more details on the feature or the Malaysia release dates for it. However, we could assume the updates will be rolled out soon. So, you might want to check your phone for this update frequently.
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