Home > How-To > How to reset your iPhone when you forgot the password

What to Do If You Forgot iPhone Password

Confused about how to unlock an iPhone that you forgot the password to? Don't worry, here we'll show you various efficient methods to reset the forgotten iPhone password in this guide.

face
Pauline Larson
Updated on Nov 15, 2022

Different solutions are available for you to fix the problem of forgetting the password on iPhone.

With Apple's tight security features, you will have to use your Touch ID, Face ID, or enter the correct passcode to unlock your iPhone. However, there are times when you couldn't make yourself recognized by your iPhone, or forgot the iPhone password. Eventually, you will be stuck with a locked-out iPhone.

In this case, resetting your iPhone is the only solution when you want to regain access to the iPhone due to forgetting the password. It will remove not only the forgotten iPhone password, but also all your data, including photos, music, and any other files on your iPhone. Yet it will not be a big deal to you if you have a backup ahead of the reset.

Tip: Looking for a relatively quick and easy way to erase the forgotten password on your iPhone? Try iPhone Unlocker.

Free Download Free Download

Solutions to Unlocking the iPhone When You Forgot the Password

Forgetting iPhone password and inputting wrong ones over times will make your iPhone unavailable. You will have no choice but to reset the iPhone for erasing the password you forgot.

Thankfully, there are several ways you can reset your iPhone to get the forgotten password removed, including Erase iPhone, iPhone Unlocker, Recovery Mode and Find My. You can choose one of them as a solution, depending on the tools at your disposal. Let's see how all these methods work in the sections below.

Navigate to:

How to Reset the Forgotten Password on iPhone via Erase iPhone

Apple introduced the Erase iPhone feature in iOS 15.2. It allows users to reset their iPhones right from the lock screen wirelessly without connecting it to a computer, making it one of the easiest way to remove the forgotten password on your iPhone.

Note: Before using this method to reset the forgotten password, ensure that your iPhone has installed iOS 15.2 or newer iOS version, and enabled with stable network. Also, get your Apple ID and password ready because they will be required before you erase the iPhone. If you don't meet the conditions above, you can try other methods in the next parts.

Here are the steps to unlock your iPhone when you forgot the password by using Erase iPhone:

1. Keep entering the incorrect password until the "iPhone Unavailable" or "Security Lockout" screen appears, along with the Erase iPhone button at the bottom right. Tap this option to proceed.

Remove the forgotten password by Erase iPhone

2. You will be then presented with an alert reading that you're going to reset and erase the iPhone now. Confirm with tapping the Erase iPhone option again.

Tap the Erase iPhone option again to approve the reset

3. Type in the password of your Apple ID, and tap the same option to get the reset process started.

Log out to begin the forgotten password erasing process

Your iPhone will restart once the reset is done, and you can set it up following the onscreen instructions. You can also restore your data from your previous backup during the setup process.

How to Reset the Forgotten Password on iPhone via iPhone Unlocker

Not everyone can take the first method as an approach, since the Erase iPhone option may not show up after times of wrong password inputs, owing to some technical problems. If you happen to be one of them, then iPhone Unlocker is worth a try. It's a robust alternative that can help you reset the forgotten password to your iPhone efficiently.

Free Download Free Download

Advantages of using this tool:

  • It is an all-in-one password unlocking solution that you can use for bypassing lock screen passcode, screen time passcode, and Apple ID password.
  • It's compatible with all the iPhone models of iPhone 14 (Plus, Pro, Pro Max), iPhone 13 (mini, Pro, Pro Max), iPhone 12 (mini, Pro, Pro Max), iPhone 11 (Pro, Pro Max,), iPhone XS Max, iPhone XS, iPhone XR, iPhone X, iPhone 8 (Plus), iPhone 7 (Plus), iPhone SE (1gen, 2gen, 3gen), iPhone 6s (Plus), iPhone 6 (Plus), iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5, iPhone 4S.
  • Your iPhone needs to neither be connected to the Internet before, nor run iOS 15.2 or later.
  • It has a clean intuitive interface, even a newbie may find it easy and pleasurable to use.

Steps for resetting the iPhone Forgotten Password with this tool:

Step 1: Download and install the application to your Mac or PC. Open it and click the "Wipe Passcode" option. Hit "Start" on the next step.

Step 2: Connect your iPhone to your computer using a lightning cable, and make it detected by the app through activating it into Recovery Mode. If you have questions about how to let your iPhone enter Recovery Mode, click the "Device connected but not recognized" link for tips.

Step 3: When your iPhone is read, you will be redirected to a page where you need to confirm the device information. After the confirmation, click "Start" to go on.

Immediately an iOS software will start to download according to your device. Wait for a while before it's finished.

Step 4: When it's completed, you will see a prompt asking you to confirm whether you want to erase your iPhone. Input "0000" and Click "Unlock" to proceed.

Next, your iPhone will start to reset. When the process is done, the iPhone password you couldn't remember before will get erased. Then you are able to set up the device from beginning and add a new code to it.

Prefer video content to text? Watch the video below.

How to Reset the Forgotten Password on iPhone via iTunes

Using iTunes is another feasible way to reset your iPhone when you forgot the password. Nevertheless, to take this approach, you need to have the latest version of iTunes installed on a Windows 10 or newer PC, or Finder on a Mac.

Steps:

1. Open iTunes on your PC, and check if it has been updated to the newest version. If not, update first.

2. Plug your iPhone into the computer first, and then put your iPhone into Recovery Mode. The button combinations of rebooting Recovery Mode differ according to your iPhone model.

  • iPhone 8 and later: press and rapidly release the Volume up button and the Volume down button in sequence, then hold the Side button and release only when the recovery mode screen comes in sight.
  • iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus: keep holding the Volume down button and the Side button at the same time until the recovery mode screen appears.
  • iPhone 6s and earlier: hold on to the Home button as well as the Side button, don't let go until you see the recovery mode screen.

You will get a Recovery Mode screen like either of the 2 pictures above

Note: For those who fail to make the iPhone recognized by iTunes, or unable to update iTunes on a Windows 10 / later PC, using iPhone Unlocker can be a better method to remove the forgotten password on iPhone since iTunes is not needed in this way.

3. Once your iPhone is read by iTunes, a window will pop out, offering you 2 options about what to do with the device. Click on "Restore" so you can reset the forgotten password on your iPhone.

Remove the iPhone password by selecting "Restore" rather than "Update"

4. In the next prompt, click on "Restore and Update" to confirm about the reset.

Go on with "Restore and Update" for the iPhone resetting forgotten password

After the confirmation, iTunes will download the latest iOS software for your iPhone and install it on your device. Once the installation is complete, you can start your iPhone anew or restore your data from the backup in iCloud or your computer when re-setting the device.

How to Reset the Forgotten Password on iPhone via Find My

The Find My feature in iCloud enables you to locate your iOS device and also erase your forgotten password remotely in another phone, tablet or computer.

The iPhone you want to reset the forgotten password should be connected to the Internet, and Find My should also be turned on. If these conditions are fulfilled, follow the procedures below to reset your iPhone:

1. Get another phone or computer, then open a browser and sign in to Find My in iCloud.com with the Apple credentials that is also used in the iPhone you forgot the password to.

2. After logging in, a map showing all your iOS devices' precise locations will appear. Hit "All Devices" on the middle top, and select the iPhone you need to erase the forgotten password from the drop-down list.

3. Select the "Erase iPhone" option to reset your iPhone.

4. Another warning message will turn up for you to confirm whether you need to erase the iPhone. Click "Erase" to confirm about the reset process. When it's done, you can set up your iPhone from scratch.

Simply Reset Your iPhone Forgotten Password in Various Ways

You can choose one of the methods above to reset your iPhone if you ever forget the lock screen password. And to avoid going through this hustle again, we suggest you use a passcode that you can easily remember. You may consider writing it somewhere safe if you don't trust your memory.

About Pauline Larson
Pauline Larson is a writer and journalist who has been well-experienced in technology industry for almost 10 years. She has posted various professional articles in different tech-related sites and magazines, as she is deeply fascinated with digital technology, especially with Apple's products.
Unlock iPhone & iPad Lock Screen
No matter it says Unavailable or Security Lockout, or you forgot the passcode.