Method and non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for simulating a phase-locked loop measures a first phase of a data signal and a second phase of a reference clock signal in a phase-locked loop to be simulated, filters the first phase of the data signal by a threshold function of a lock detection module of the phase-locked loop to be simulated, and adjusts the second phase of the reference clock signal to align with the filtered first phase of the data signal.