How to Disable Secure Startup on Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

Secure Startup is a Samsung security feature that requires you to enter your PIN, pattern, or password every time the phone restarts — before Android fully loads. While it adds strong protection by keeping your data encrypted until you authenticate, it can be inconvenient, and it interferes with rooting and flashing. This guide explains what Secure Startup does and how to disable it.

What is Secure Startup?

Secure Startup ties your device's encryption to your screen lock. When enabled, your data stays encrypted after every reboot until you enter your credentials. This means:

• After any restart, you must enter your PIN/pattern/password before the phone finishes booting
• Notifications, alarms, and calls do not work until you authenticate
• Your data is protected even if someone removes the storage and tries to read it

It is a genuinely strong security feature — but it also blocks custom recovery from reading your data and can complicate rooting.

Why Disable Secure Startup?

• Convenience: avoid entering your PIN on every reboot before the phone works
• Rooting / flashing: Secure Startup encryption prevents TWRP from reading your data; disabling it (or formatting data) is often needed before modding
• Alarms and reminders: so they work after an unexpected restart even if you have not unlocked yet

Disabling Secure Startup slightly reduces security. Only do it if the convenience or modding need outweighs the protection for you.

How to Disable Secure Startup

On modern One UI (Android 16), Secure Startup is managed through your screen lock settings. The key is that Secure Startup is active whenever you have a secure lock with the "require on restart" behavior. To disable the boot-time PIN prompt:

Method 1: Remove the Screen Lock

1. Go to Settings → Lock screen → Screen lock type.
2. Enter your current PIN/pattern/password.
3. Select None or Swipe.
4. This removes the secure lock entirely, which also disables Secure Startup's boot prompt.

Note: Removing the lock disables fingerprints and face unlock too, and lowers your overall security.

Method 2: Change Lock Without "Require on Restart"

When setting up a PIN or password, One UI may ask whether to require it when the device restarts (this is the Secure Startup toggle). Choose the option that does not require the PIN on restart:

1. Go to Settings → Lock screen → Screen lock type.
2. Set up your PIN/pattern/password again.
3. When prompted "Require PIN to turn on device?" or "Secure Startup," select No thanks / Do not require.
4. Confirm. Now the phone boots without demanding the PIN first, while still keeping your normal lock screen.

Secure Startup and Rooting

If you plan to root your Galaxy S26 Ultra or install TWRP, Secure Startup's encryption can prevent recovery from reading your data. Two approaches:

• Disable Secure Startup first (Method 2 above) before flashing, so recovery can access data.
• Format Data in TWRP — this removes encryption entirely (but erases all data). This is standard before installing a custom ROM.

Does Disabling Secure Startup Lose Data?

Changing the "require on restart" setting (Method 2) does not erase data — it only changes when the encryption is unlocked. Removing the lock entirely (Method 1) also keeps data. However, formatting data in TWRP to remove encryption does erase everything. Choose the method that fits your goal.

Re-Enabling Secure Startup

To turn it back on for maximum security:

1. Go to Settings → Lock screen → Screen lock type.
2. Set up a PIN/pattern/password.
3. When asked, choose to require the PIN when the device turns on.
4. Secure Startup is active again — the phone will demand your PIN on every reboot.

Troubleshooting

No Secure Startup prompt when setting a lock: On some One UI versions the option only appears with certain lock types (PIN/password rather than pattern). Try a PIN.

Still asks for PIN on boot after disabling: You may have only changed the lock, not the "require on restart" setting. Re-do Method 2 and explicitly decline the restart requirement.

TWRP still cannot read data: Encryption is still present. Format Data in TWRP (erases data) to fully decrypt.

Forgot the Secure Startup PIN: It is the same as your screen lock. If forgotten, see our screen lock removal guide.

Guide by XDA Unlocker Team. Last updated: July 2026.