Got locked out of your iPhone and forgot the passcode? Here are multiple ways to let you reset your iPhone effortlessly and regain the access!
This guide offers several options that allow for forgotten iPhone passcode removal and reset.
A standard 4- or 6-digit passcode can safeguard your iPhone and protect privacy. If you forgot your passcode, you can still get into iPhone using Face ID or Touch ID. However, if facial or fingerprint verification is not enabled, the iPhone will be locked out after several wrong passcode attempts. If so, resetting iPhone to factory settings is the only effective way to regain access.
So, how to reset your iPhone when you forgot your password?
With a computer, the locked iPhone can be put into Recovery Mode for a full restore. Alternatively, you can use your Apple ID to erase and reset iPhone directly from the lock screen, removing the forgotten passcode and unlocking it at the same time. To simplify the process, consider using the all-in-one iPhone Unlocker, which can reset any iPhone/iPad without a passcode in just a few clicks, whether it's locked or unavailable.
Note that the iPhone reset will erase the forgotten passcode along with all data and settings. Hopefully, you have a recent backup on iCloud or computer to restore your iPhone data after reset.
Keep reading to learn what to do when you forgot iPhone passcode and how to reset it quickly:
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Don't panic if you can't get into your iPhone due to a forgotten password. You still have up to 10 attempts to unlock your iPhone before losing access completely, Or, try using your Face ID or Touch ID to regain access. If biometric security doesn't work and all attempts fail, follow the methods outlined below to learn how to reset iPhone when you forgot the password.
When you forget your passcode and make several incorrect attempts on your iPhone lock screen, you'll see an alert saying "iPhone Unavailable" or "Security Lockout," offering an "Erase iPhone" option that allows you to erase the passcode you forgot and reset your iPhone with your Apple ID, no need for a computer. To get started:
The steps to reset iPhone forgotten passcode may vary depending on your iOS version. Here's how to reset iPhone when you forgot passcode using your Apple ID in iOS 17 or later:
1. On the lock screen, keep entering incorrect passcodes until iPhone Unavailable screen shows up with a try again alert.
2. When you're able to, tap Forgot Passcode? option at the bottom-right corner.
3. Tap Start iPhone Reset on Security Lockout screen to continue.
4. Enter your Apple ID password as required to sign out of your Apple ID.
5. Tap Erase iPhone option to delete all current data on your iPhone permanently.
Afterward, your iPhone will be reset to factory settings. Once it restarts, follow the onscreen prompts to set it up again. Ideally, you've recently backed up your iPhone to iCloud or a computer, allowing you to easily restore your data from that backup after the reset.
If your device is running iOS 15.2 or later, the steps are slightly different for iPhone reset when you forgot passcode. Here's how:
Wait patiently for the device to reboot and then restore your iPhone data from a backup in iCloud, a Mac, or a PC. If no backup is available, you can set up your iPhone as a new device and use a passcode that's easy to remember.
Another straightforward solution to reset your iPhone without the forgotten passcode is using the ultimate iPhone Unlocker tool. It offers a simple process to effortlessly remove any passcode, Apple ID, screen time restrictions, or iCloud activation lock on iPhone lock screen in just a few clicks, even if all your attempts to access the device have failed.
Featuring a user-friendly interface, this iOS unlocking software makes it easier than ever to reset a locked iPhone without a passcode. It supports all iPhone and iPad models, from the latest iOS 17 to earlier versions, allowing all Apple users to bypass the lock screen and reset their iPhone to factory settings when the passcode is forgotten.
To reset iPhone when you forgot passcode, follow these steps for a fresh start:
Step 1. Launch iPhone Unlocker on computer and choose Wipe Passcode from its main interface.
Step 2. Use a USB cable to connect the iPhone you want to reset, but forgot the passcode for.
TIP: If the locked device cannot be recognized, follow its onscreen instructions to put your iPhone into Recovery Mode.
Step 3. Before unlocking, confirm the device information and hit Start button to proceed.
Step 4. A proper iOS firmware package will be downloaded for your iPhone to reset.
Step 5. Then enter 0000 in the pop-up box, and click Unlock to start the factory reset on iPhone.
It takes a few minutes for your iPhone to be reset to factory settings, removing the forgotten passcode even it's locked. Once completed, restore your data from a previous iCloud backup, or set it up as a new phone.
If you got locked out and forgot the passcode to your iPhone, use a PC or Mac to put your iPhone into Recovery Mode, so you're able to remove the passcode and restore the iPhone for a full reset to regain access. This process involves the usage of iTunes (for Windows, macOS 10.14 and earlier) or Finder (for macOS 10.15 and later). All your iPhone data will be wiped out after resetting, but you can get everything back by restoring from an earlier backup.
1. Run the latest version of iTunes on your computer. If you don't have it, download from Apple Store or official site.
2. Turn off the iPhone that needs to be reset. Unplug the device if it's connected with computer.
3. Force your iPhone to enter Recovery Mode. The steps are slightly different, based on the iPhone model you're using:
4. Keep holding the correct button until the Recovery Mode screen appear. Do not let go when you see the Apple logo.
5. When the Restore or Update prompt appears on iTunes window, choose Restore.
6. Confirm with Restore and Update button to begin resetting.
When it's finished, your iPhone will be unlocked without passcode, allowing you to set it up again. If there's a previous backup useful, restore the backup data to your iPhone after reset.
The steps are a little bit different if you're using a Mac with macOS Catalina 10.15 or later:
For those who have enabled Find My iPhone prior to forgetting the lock screen passcode, iCloud could also be a quick way to remotely perform a wireless reset on iPhone without passcode or iTunes or computer. For iCloud to reset forgotten passcode on iPhone, make sure that:
When you're ready, take these steps to reset your iPhone when forgot password using iCloud:
1. Open a browser on another device, and visit iCloud.com.
2. Sign in with the associated Apple ID and password used on your iPhone.
3. From the selection menu, go to Find My and you'll see all of your Apple devices on the map.
4. Check All Devices at the top selector.
5. From there, choose the iPhone you forgot passcode for.
6. Click on the device and opt for Erase iPhone.
7. Click the Erase iPhone button once more to confirm.
Keep the iOS device in charge as the reset process may take a while. You'll get back the access to your iPhone when the forgotten passcode is erased along with everything else. Once done, you have the option to either restore from a backup or set it up from the scratch for a new start.
There's a possible way to unlock your iPhone passcode without reset. Introduced in iOS 17 and later, the new feature Passcode Reset let you temporarily get into iPhone using an old passcode which you've changed within the last 72 hours, so that it's unnecessary to factory reset your iPhone when you forgot password. This way, you're allowed to change your iPhone passcode once more after you regain the access. For forgotten passcode reset on iPhone using an old passcode:
The passcode you forgot will be overwritten by the new one. You then have access to unlock your iPhone with the new password. If you still want to reset this iPhone, whether to trade in or give it away, simply open the Settings app and do the following:
Note: To reset iPhone without losing data, make sure you've backed up your iPhone to iCloud or computer before initiating the reset.
To prevent future data loss, it's a good idea to keep a regular backup of your iPhone data, either in iCloud, on your Mac or PC. And if you still have trouble in resetting the iPhone passcode you forgot, the following related questions and solutions may help you out.
FAQs on iPhone reset when forgot passcode
