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Hi! I wanted to Hard Reset an Xperia XA1 (it was my brother's , setting it up for my mother). It was locked out with a pattern password, which he ofcourse did not remember. I factory reset it, but when I turned it back on it prompts me for an email. The phone won't go into the boot menu when I hold up Power + Volume Up/Down keys. It just takes me right back to typing in the google account. Is there a way around this or is any effort futile?
That's Google Device Protection, it forces users to sign into the email address they have on the phone, to prevent stranger access.
No way around it, not that I know of at least, only service centers can erase a device from Google's protection.
It's fine if the password of the account is forgotten, as he can recover it in other means, and then sign into the account on the phone after having changed the password.
I guess you can erase the phone, with Google Find my device. you'll only need to sign into the same Google account on any browser.
Yes, a factory reset would require you to log in to verify the original user, but if you have done the deletion through the Google account, I believe it could just start up normally without signing in, you'd need to sign into Find My Device, on a PC, and choose the erase device option.
Can you try signing into the account on another browser or such, to make sure the credentials are correct? and recover the account changing the password if it lets you, to sign in anew on the XA1.
If nothing works eventually, guess you'll have to get it looked at, if you'd like to use it again.