A mobile terminal including a wireless communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with an external device; a touch screen configured to sense a touch input, and switch between an active state and an inactive state; and a controller configured to receive a plurality of touch inputs applied to the touch screen in the inactive state, and when the received touch inputs satisfy a preset criteria, control the external device to release a locked state of the external device, activate a first region of the touch screen in the inactive state, and display screen information corresponding to the external device in the activated first region of the touch screen.