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How to Fix an iPhone 13 with iPhone Unavailable Error

Stuck with an iPhone 13 that says "iPhone Unavailable"? Check this guide to get rid of the trouble.

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Pauline Larson
Updated on Nov 15, 2022

When you get an "iPhone Unavailable" message on your iPhone 13, you can easily remove it by resetting it in different ways.

As an iOS user, being welcomed by the "iPhone Unavailable" screen is one of the most frustrating situations you wouldn't want to find yourself in. Having this message on lock screen simply means you won't be able to access anything on your iPhone 13, including apps, photos, or other files.

Usually, you will be locked out from your iPhone 13 with the "iPhone Unavailable" message after forgetting your passcode and entering the wrong one for too many times. Don't worry. There's always a solution to a problem. In this case, the only remedy is to reset your iPhone 13.

In this article, we will discuss some methods you can use to eliminate the "iPhone Unavailable" error. Noted that all the methods we are about to share require erasing your iPhone, so hopefully you have a backup (on iCloud or your computer) created beforehand.

Tip: If you feel like making the iPhone Unavailable screen disappear from your iPhone 13 in an efficient way, just give away all your trouble to iPhone Unlocker and see the magic.

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Why Does Your iPhone 13 Get Unavailable?

The iPhone Unavailable screen pops up when you enter the wrong lock screen passcode over times. After inputting a wrong passcode five consecutive times, you'll see the "iPhone Unavailable, try again in 1 minute" message. After the sixth failed trial, you will be required to wait five minutes before trying again. Eventually, your iPhone 13 will be unavailable permanently if you input a wrong passcode for the tenth times.

Here are some of the everyday situations that would turn your iPhone 13 unavailable:

  • You forgot the passcode. It is possible to forget your passcode more so if you are used to using Face ID and Touch ID to unlock your iPhone.
  • Someone tried to unlock your iPhone by guessing the passcode.
  • The screen got turned on while iPhone was in the pocket or bag, leading to random passcode inputs, especially if you are walking.

In spite of the reason why your iPhone 13 becomes unavailable, you can select one of the methods we've outlined below to resolve the problem.

Preparation for Resetting an Unavailable iPhone 13

Let's have a look first on what you should prepare for before you use any of the four methods to open your iPhone 13 that's stuck in iPhone Unavailable screen.

  • Erase iPhone: This method allows users to bypass the iPhone Unavailable screen without using a computer. You need to have your Apple ID and password ready before using this method. Network connection by WIFI or cellular data is required in your iPhone 13 as well.
  • iPhone Unlocker: This third-party tool makes it pretty easy to open your unavailable iPhone 13. Before you get started, you will need to have a Mac or Windows computer to get it installed.
  • iTunes or Finder: To regain access to your iPhone 13 with the iPhone Unavailable message, you can also use iTunes on your Windows PC, or Finder on a Mac.
  • Find My: It's another convenient way to get back into an unavailable iPhone 13. Prepare an Apple or Android device that can navigate to iCloud.com in a browser. A Windows computer or a Mac is fine, too. Additionally, your Apple ID and password will be needed to log in.

Read on to see the details of how to use each method to get your unavailable iPhone 13 unlocked.

Use Erase iPhone to Get Past the iPhone Unavailable Issue of Your iPhone 13

What makes it great to remove the iPhone Unavailable screen using Erase iPhone feature is that you can simply erase the iPhone by a few taps on the screen, rather than by a computer. It's one of the most straightforward solutions to an unavailable iPhone 13.

Be reminded again that you need to know your Apple ID and password, and also make the iPhone 13 connect to network before resetting it by this means.

Steps to unlock an iPhone 13 locked with the iPhone Unavailable screen using Erase iPhone:

1. Enter the wrong passcode to your iPhone 13 in series. When a message of "iPhone Unavailable try again in 15 minutes" appears, you will also see the Erase iPhone option on the bottom right of the screen. Tap on it.

Erase iPhone option shows underneath the iPhone Unavailable message.

2. A warning screen will turn up next. Tap on Erase iPhone again.

Confirmation about the unlocking of your unavailable iPhone 13

2. A warning screen will turn up next. Tap on Erase iPhone again.

The final step before you unlock an unavailable iPhone 13 by Erase iPhone

Your iPhone will begin to erase the data. After the reset, the annoying iPhone Unavailable screen will be removed from your iPhone 13. You can then start it over, or restore it from your recent backup when setting it up.

iPhone Unlocker – An Efficient Tool for Unlocking Your Unavailable iPhone 13

iPhone Unlocker, a professional passcode erasure tool, is committed to iOS passcode issues, including opening unavailable iPhones with forgotten lock screen passcode, bypassing Apple ID and password, and removing screen time passcode. Better still, it has an intuitive and easy-to-use interface, so you don't have to be a computer geek to use this app.

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Tip: It's not only compatible with iPhone 13, but also all the other models of iPhone and iPad. Thus, if you got an unavailable message in any iOS devices, you can remove it by use of this app.

Check the steps below to regain access to your unavailable iPhone 13 via iPhone Unlocker.

Step 1: Launch the application on your Mac or PC

Download iPhone Unlocker and start it on your computer. Go on with "Wipe Passcode" option. On the next page, hit "Start."

In the following, make your iPhone reboot into Recovery Mode. If you have any doubts about this process, you could click the purple link of "Device connected but not recognized?" for tips.

Step 2: Confirm the information of the unavailable iPhone 13

When your iPhone 13 gets into Recovery Mode and is recognized, you will next be prompted to confirm the device information. Then click "Start" to move on.

An iOS software that matches your iPhone 13 will begin to download. You may have to wait a couple of minutes for the download to complete. The download speed will largely depend on your Internet connection.

Step 3: Final confirmation about resetting the unavailable iPhone 13

When the download finishes, you will need to enter "0000" to confirm the removal of the iPhone Unavailable screen from your iPhone 13. Click "Unlock."

In the end, your unavailable iPhone will enter the unlocking process. Later, it will restart as a brand-new iPhone. You can then create a new code to it.

Use Find My to Fix an iPhone Unavailable Screen

If Find My is enabled on your unavailable iPhone 13, you will have the option of resetting it using another device. To use this method, the iPhone also needs connection to the Internet. Next, check the steps on using Find My to unlock the iPhone 13 that says iPhone Unavailable.

Step 1: Open a browser on another iOS or Android device, go to Find My in iCloud and log in with your Apple ID password.

Step 2: After signing in your Apple account, you will see "All Devices" at the top. Click on it, and pick up the iPhone 13 that's locked with iPhone Unavailable error.

Step 3: With the 3 options offered beneath the unavailable iPhone 13, select "Erase iPhone."

Step 4: Click "Erase" in the next prompt, and your iPhone 13 will start to erase itself. Soon afterwards, the iPhone Unavailable screen will be removed then.

Note: Also make sure your unavailable iPhone 13 has enough electricity during the whole reset process. Otherwise, the reset may suspend and you will need to recharge the device and restart the unlocking process.

Use iTunes to Erase the Unavailable Screen on an iPhone 13 - 2 Different Situations

You can also use iTunes or Finder to reset your unavailable iPhone 13 if you forgot the passcode. By using this method, here're some conditions about the computer and iTunes or Finder you use to rid of the iPhone Unavailable Screen:

  • For those who have a PC, which should run Windows 10 or later, install the latest iTunes.
  • For those who have a Mac, which should run macOS 10.15 or newer, use the newest Finder.

However, there will be 2 different situations depending on whether the unavailable iPhone 13 has synced with iTunes or Finder. Here we will show you how to do in each situations using iTunes.

Situation 1: Your Unavailable iPhone 13 Has Been Synced with iTunes before (Selecting Restore iPhone)

If you have synced your iPhone 13 with iTunes, and created a backup before your iPhone 13 gets unavailable, you can simply follow the steps below to unlock the unavailable device.

1. Launch iTunes on your computer, and plug your unavailable iPhone 13 into it.

2. Click "Restore iPhone" when the unavailable iPhone 13 is read by iTunes.

3. Your iPhone 13 will start to reset. Once done, you will no longer see the frustrating iPhone Unavailable screen.

Situation 2: Your Unavailable iPhone 13 Has Never Been Synced with iTunes before (Using Recovery Mode)

If you have never synced your unavailable iPhone 13 with iTunes, you'll need to make it enter Recovery Mode first to proceed the reset. Check the steps here.

  • Launch iTunes on your PC.
  • Put your unavailable iPhone 13 into Recovery Mode: press and quickly release the Volume up button, and do the same to the Volume down button. Then, long-press the Side button until you see the Recovery Mode screen.
  • When your unavailable iPhone 13 gets recognized, you will see a pop-up asking you to restore or update the device. Click "Restore."
  • In the second prompt, click "Restore and Update." Next, iTunes will start to download a firmware for your unavailable iPhone 13. When it's finished, the iPhone will restore itself to factory settings. You can re-set it after it restarts.

Create Regular Backups for Your iPhone 13

It is recommended that you back up your data regularly if you need to recover your useful information and files when your iPhone 13 becomes unavailable again. You can enable the automatic backup option in iTunes if your computer has enough space to store multiple backups.

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.
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