Every few months, I see people in Facebook groups complaining that FRP keeps getting harder to bypass. And you know what? They're right. But after 8+ years in this business, I actually think some of these changes are necessary. Let me explain.
The Reality: Phone Theft Is Still a Problem
I've met people who lost their phones and got them back because FRP made the device useless to the thief. That's the whole point of this technology, and it works. Yeah, it makes my job harder, but I'd rather deal with that than see someone lose their expensive phone for good.
What's Actually Changing
Google isn't just making FRP stronger for fun. Every patch closes exploits that thieves were using. The problem is, these same exploits are what we (legitimate technicians) rely on when helping customers who genuinely forgot their password.
From what I've noticed in 2026:
- Verification takes way longer now (sometimes 10+ minutes)
- Old workarounds from YouTube? Most are dead
- Some manufacturers added their own extra layers on top of Google's FRP
- Knox on Samsung is basically Fort Knox now (see what I did there?)
The Tools Are Playing Catch-Up
Here's the frustrating part: every time Google updates FRP, all the major tools need to update too. Sometimes that takes days, sometimes weeks. I've had periods where I couldn't unlock certain models at all because my tools weren't updated yet.
That's why I keep multiple tools active. If one doesn't work, maybe another one does.
My Honest Take
Look, I make money from FRP unlocking. Technically, stricter FRP means more business for me. But I'd rather people just remembered their passwords or properly removed their accounts before resetting.
The real losers here are people buying used phones without checking for FRP first. That's where most of my "difficult conversations" come from—explaining to someone that the "great deal" they got isn't actually usable.
Security and convenience will always be a trade-off. FRP is annoying, but it's doing its job. Just be smart: know your login, check before buying used, and you'll never have to deal with any of this.