# The TV stays locked

Your PIN on the TV always unlocks it: press Unlock and enter the 4 digits. To unlock from your phone, use Slide to unlock TV, or Unlock now if a schedule locked the TV.

First look at what the TV's lock screen says. It tells you what locked it:

| The TV says | What locked it | How to unlock from your phone |
|---|---|---|
| **TV Locked** | You, or a timer set to **Lock** | **Slide to unlock TV** |
| A schedule name and **Opens at …** | Your schedule | **Unlock now** on the Home screen |
| **Protection unavailable** | Advanced Protection lost its link | See [The TV says "Protection unavailable"](https://tvcp.app/help/protection-unavailable/) |
| **Action blocked** | Uninstall Blocking stopped something | Press **Unlock** on the TV and enter your PIN |

## Check these, in order

1. **Use your PIN at the TV.** Press **Unlock** and enter your PIN. This works whatever locked the TV.
2. **Check the TV is online.** If the Guardian app says **Couldn't reach the TV — try again** or shows **Offline**, your phone can't unlock it until the TV is back online. See [My TV isn't responding to the app](https://tvcp.app/help/tv-not-responding/).
3. **Check the schedule.** Outside your unlock hours the TV locks by itself. **Unlock now** lasts until the next scheduled lock, then the schedule takes over again. See [Set a schedule](https://tvcp.app/help/set-a-schedule/).
4. **Check for a timer.** A timer set to **Lock** locks the TV when it runs out. Unlock it with **Slide to unlock TV** or your PIN.
5. **Update both apps.** Update the Guardian app from the App Store or Google Play, and the TVCP app on the TV. See [Update the TVCP app on your TV](https://tvcp.app/help/update-tv-app/).
6. **If the app says unlocked but the TV stays locked,** switch the **Weekdays** and **Weekend** cards off in the **Schedule** tab, wait a few seconds, then switch them back on.

![The TV Locked screen](https://tvcp.app/help/img/tv-locked.png)

## Good to know

Unlocking from the Guardian app is always free, even if your subscription has ended. See [What happens when your trial or subscription ends](https://tvcp.app/help/when-subscription-ends/).