Protecting your iPhone® with a passcode is essential for keeping your personal info safe. But if you're locked out because you forgot yours, we can walk you through a few different ways to get back in.
Here at Asurion, we help people learn more about their tech every day. From fixing an iPad that's charging slowly to getting a printer back online, we can help you get the devices you rely on most back up and running fast. Here's how to unlock your iPhone without your passcode.
Unlock your iPhone with iCloud
If you know your Apple ID and password, you can sign into iCloud® on another device to unlock your iPhone without your passcode.
- Go to iCloud.com on another device and sign in with your Apple ID and password.
- Select Find My, and sign in if you're prompted.
- When you see a map and list of your devices, choose the iPhone you need to unlock and select Erase This Device.
- Enter your Apple ID and password—your iPhone will be erased, then you can set it up as a new device or restore it from your last backup.
Unlock your iPhone with the Find My app
You can use the Find My app on another iPhone, iPad, or Apple device to erase your phone and bypass the Lock Screen if you need to unlock your iPhone without the password—here's how.
- Open the Find My™ app on your iPhone, iPad, or other Apple device—sign in if prompted.
- Choose your iPhone from the list of devices, then select Erase This Device.
- Once your iPhone is erased, you'll be able to set it up as a new device or restore it from backup.
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Unlock your iPhone with iTunes or Finder on a Mac or PC
Forgot your iPhone passcode? We've got your back. For this method, you'll need a computer and a charging cable. If you have a PC, you'll need Windows 8 or newer and iTunes. If you're on a Mac® that doesn't have iTunes®, you can use Finder®.
Turn off your iPhone
Make sure your iPhone isn't plugged into your computer, then press and hold the correct buttons on your iPhone to shut it down:
- For iPhone X or later and iPhone SE® (2nd Gen): Press and hold both the Side button and the Volume Down button until you see the power off slider.
- For iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus: Press and hold the Side button until you see the power off slider.
- For iPhone SE and iPhone 6s and older: Press and hold the Side or Top button until you see the power off slider.
Drag the slider to turn off your iPhone—wait about a minute for it to turn off completely.
Put your phone in Recovery Mode
Press and hold the correct buttons on your iPhone after connecting your iPhone to your computer:
- For iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone X, or later: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button. Then press and hold the Side button.
- For iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus: Press and hold the Side and Volume Down buttons at the same time.
- iPhone 6s or older devices (devices with a physical Home button): Press and hold both the Home and the Side buttons at the same time.
Keep holding the correct buttons until you see the Recovery Mode screen on your iPhone, then release it. If you see the passcode screen, turn off your iPhone and start over.
Restore your iPhone
- Look for your iPhone in Finder or iTunes on your computer.
- Select Restore when you see the option to Restore or Update—if more than 15 minutes pass and your iPhone exits the Recovery Mode screen, let the download finish, then turn off your iPhone and start over.
- Disconnect your iPhone from your computer.
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FAQs
Use Passcode Reset
From your device's Lock Screen, try to enter your passcode five times until the “[Device] Unavailable” screen appears and your device asks you to try again later. When you're able to, tap the Forgot Passcode? option in the bottom corner of the screen. Tap Enter Previous Passcode.
How do I unlock my locked iPhone? ›
Unlock the iPhone From the Lock Screen
- Input the password incorrectly five times on the lock screen until "Forgot Password" appears.
- Select "Forgot Password" and then "Start iPhone Reset."
- Sign out of your Apple ID and tap "Erase iPhone" to initiate the factory reset process.
Long-press the side button > Restart your iPhone and see if the screen password is working.
- Reboot Your iPhone.
- Choose Unlock Screen Passcode.
- Click Start Now Button.
- Get a Matching Firmware.
- Tap on Unlock Now to Remove Screen Passcode.
- Screen Passcode Removed Successfully.
- Restore Your iPhone with iTunes.
Though you can remove the passcode on your iPhone by restoring it with iTunes or Finder, some people want to achieve it without restoring it. But there is no way to unlock iPhone without resetting, this is because Apple does not give users too much authority and iOS systems have set strict privacy restrictions.
Is there a master code to unlock an iPhone? ›
But it's just a myth! Apple has applied various security measures to protect your data, so there is no easy way to get around the passcode. The iPhone passcode is different for each device and user, so it's not like a hotel door that can be opened with a master key.
Can I unlock my phone myself? ›
Another method is to do it yourself by getting hold of a code or using a special data cable and software. However, you do need a fair degree of technical know-how to do so. It's not illegal to unlock your phone with either of these methods.
What to do if my iPhone screen is locked? ›
If your screen is black or frozen
- Press and quickly release the volume up button.
- Press and quickly release the volume down button.
- Press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo (this takes around 10 seconds).
- If your iPhone doesn't turn on, charge your iPhone for one hour and then try again.
Set or change the passcode
- Go to Settings , then depending on your model, do one of the following: On an iPhone with Face ID: Tap Face ID & Passcode. On an iPhone with a Home button: Tap Touch ID & Passcode.
- Tap Turn Passcode On or Change Passcode. To view options for creating a password, tap Passcode Options.
There are five unsuccessful attempts to unlock your iPhone with Face ID or Touch ID.
Where is the iPhone passcode? ›
On iPhone X and later, or iPad with Face ID, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode. On earlier iPhone models, go to Settings > Touch ID & Passcode. On devices without Touch ID, go to Settings > Passcode.
If you can't remember your passcode when you try again, use a computer to put your iPhone in recovery mode. Recovery mode allows you to erase the iPhone, giving you access to set it up again. You will need your Apple ID and password to set your iPhone up again.
How to reset a locked iPhone without passcode and computer? ›
You can attempt to erase your iPhone directly from the lock screen, depending on your iOS version. On some iOS versions, after entering the wrong passcode a few times, you'll get an "Erase iPhone" option in the bottom corner of the lock screen. This lets you reset it right from there, no computer needed.
How do you unlock an iPhone if you forgot the passcode attempts? ›
Locked out of your iPhone and forgot your passcode? Use a computer to put your iPhone into recovery mode so you can erase your phone and set it up again.
Can I recover a forgotten iPhone restrictions passcode? ›
If you forget your Restrictions passcode and need to reset it, there's only one surefire solution: erase your iPhone and set it up from scratch. There are three ways to erase your phone to reset your restrictions passcode: Using your iPhone, iCloud, or Recovery Mode.
What happens after 10 failed passcode attempts on an iPhone? ›
When your iPhone says "iPhone is disabled, connect to iTunes" after 10 failed passcode attempts. It means that you have no chance to enter a passcode anymore. So how to unlock a disabled iPhone without a passcode becomes a question. Apple provides two solutions by using iTunes and iCloud.
