My device is locked and the screen says “Protected”. How can I unlock it?

When the message “Protected” appears on the screen, it means that the device has entered Lockdown mode. Lockdown mode is a security feature. It gets enabled when unusual activity is detected on your device. Unusual activities can include, for example, a factory reset, a software repair or an attempt to remove the Google™ account. Once your device goes into Lockdown mode, you must authenticate yourself by signing in to the Google™ account that was used to activate the Protection by my Xperia service. Doing so reactivates your device and recovers it from Lockdown mode.   

To connect to the Internet and recover from the Protected screen

1. On the Protected screen, tap Wi-Fi Settings and enable Wi-Fi by dragging the slider to the right.
2. Select an available wireless network and once connected, tap the Back key.
3. Tap Authenticate and sign in using the Google™ account that was used to activate the Protection by my Xperia service. 
4. If the device doesn't unlock even if you are using the correct credentials, it might help if you restart your device.

If you don’t remember your Google™ account credentials, you can use the Google Account Recovery page to recover your Google™ account password or username using a different device.

To recover your Google™ account password or username if you have forgotten it

1. Go to https://www.google.com/accounts/recovery/?hl=en.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions.