If you forgot your iPhone passcode you may get locked out of your device after too many wrong attempts. Show When you guess the wrong passcode too many times you will end up with a disabled iPhone. You will know this has happened when you see a message on the lock screen that says either:
The length of time you are locked out for increases with each wrong attempt:
For further information, see How many tries to unlock iPhone. Read on to find out what to do when you forgot iPhone passcode and how to unlock your iOS device even after it has been disabled. What to do when you forgot your iPhone passcodeA forgotten iPhone passcode or a disabled device means you need to factory reset it. The reset will remove iPhone passcode and wipe all your data. You can restore your data after the factory reset. Find out unlock your iPhone if you see an on-screen message that says “iPhone is Disabled Connect to iTunes”. Method 1: Apple’s official passcode reset methodIf you forget your iPhone passcode Apple has a method of resetting it which wipes and restores all the data:
Unfortunately, Apple says if you don’t have a backup then you will lose all your data resetting the iPhone passcode. There are iPhone passcode screen removal tools that allow you to keep your data even if you don’t have a backup – so avoid needing to restore. If you do have backup then you can try iCloud passcode reset and recovery or computer reset and recovery. Method 2: Reset and restore your iPhone using the iCloud websiteIf you have been backing up your iPhone to iCloud then you will be able to factory reset it and restore your data. You can use a computer or a friend’s phone to sign in to your iCloud account with your Apple ID and erase the device. Just make sure the iPhone you are resetting is connected to Wi-Fi or a cellular network before you try to erase it or it won’t work. You will need a computer or a friend’s phone before you begin.
This will delete the iPhone’s passcode and all of its data. When you set up the device you can restore the data from the latest iCloud backup. Your settings and accounts will be restored from the iCloud backup you choose. I have written a more detailed article if you want to know more about how to reset an iPhone passcode without using a computer. Method 3: Reset and restore your iPhone using a computerThis method only works if you have previously connected your iPhone to your computer and backed it up using Finder or iTunes. You don’t need to worry about your Apple ID or iPhone password when using this method. Step 1: Put your device into recovery mode so you can reset the passcode on your device. Step 2: Remove the passcode and restore your data If you have a Mac with macOS Catalina 10.15 or newer use Finder.
If you have macOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier or older, or a PC, use iTunes.
Method 4: Unlock lock screen passcode without restoreIf you want to bypass or reset the passcode without losing your data the best solution is to use a data recovery tool. This will mean you don’t lose your data from your device as it will be restored after the reset. We found the paid tools best, but we also give a free method to restore your data after a passcode reset. Option 1: Paid passcode reset and data recovery solutions (high success rate)In order to reset iPhone – without passcode details – and recover your data you need 2 things: It’s best to try and backup or recover the data before performing the passcode reset. This gives the greatest chance of success and retaining the important information on your device. If this is not possible then you can attempt the data recovery after the reset has been completed. LockWiper lock removal toolLockWiper is a passcode removal tool that works if your face ID or Touch ID won’t be accepted, if you have a broken screen, or if you have simply been locked out after too many attempts. It works in 3 simple steps using very intuitive software:
It should work well in conjunction with D-Back iPhone Data Recovery. Use D-Back to extract the data first, then use LockWiper to remove the passcode. I would advise trying to recover the data using D-Back iPhone Data Recovery before removing the passcode, if possible, as it will have the greatest chance of recovering and saving your data. The software creators offer a trial version that lets you try before buying. It is highly regarded with customers saying things like: I highly recommend iMyFone LockWiper. The tool is easy to use (even for people who don’t know any tech) and allows you to quickly remove the Apple ID and screen lock on your device. Worked great for half my problem, however, my iPad was iCloud locked so I could not complete the recovery. iMyFone refunded my money hassle-free. great company and easy to deal with. Step 1: Go to the website and click Buy Now Step 2: Select the basic plan as it is suitable for most people and is the cheapest. Step 3: Check out and pay. Step 4: After you purchase the software make sure to cancel the yearly re-occurring transaction or you will be charged again after 12 months. D-Back iPhone data recovery toolD-Back is a data recovery program that is worth considering if you have been forced to wipe your iPhone to reset the passcode and don’t have a backup. It allows you to restore data from the device using a deep scan via its easy to use interface, including:
They offer a trial version that lets you try and recover data before buying. The trial version only allows you to preview lost data, but with the paid version, you can recover and save the lost data to your computer. It is highly regarded with customers saying things like: I cannot recommend this program enough!! After my phone died during an update it got stuck in recovery mode. Both Apple and Geek Squad told me there was absolutely nothing I could do and I had to restart it in factory mode and lose everything. They said my only option was to send my phone out to a company who quoted me $2000 to *maybe* get my stuff back. After a quick Google search my husband found iMyFone and I’ll admit I thought it sounded sketchy and too be good to be true, but it really worked. Losing all your phone data can be devastating, but this program can get it back for you. Don’t listen to the “geniuses” and download now. Best money I ever spent!! Step 1: Go to the website and click Buy Now Step 2: Pick the version you want. We suggest the basic plan as it is best for a one-off recovery and it is also the cheapest. Step 3: Pay and check out Step 4: After you purchase the software make sure to cancel the yearly re-occurring transaction or you will be charged again after 12 months. Ultdata data recovery toolUltdata‘ is another app that allows you to restore lost data from your iPhone. I haven’t tested this tool myself but it is highly regarded online with a straightforward and intuitive interface. They claim it can allow you to restore things like pictures, camera rolls, reminders, notes, videos, calendars, contacts, call history, and more… It can recover data from almost all iOS devices from the iPhone 3G all the way up to the latest versions. As well as iDevices it can also recover data direct from iTunes and iCloud backups. Overall, it should be a good way to rescue your data from your device. You do need to have a computer (Mac or PC) to use it tho – so if you can’t get access to one this option may not be suitable. There is a free trial with some limited functionality. It is worth downloading and giving it a try to see if will allow you to recover the data you need before resetting your device. If you think it will fulfill your needs then you can buy and download a full version that will allow you to do exactly what you want. It currently costs $59.95. If you prefer a free solution then you should try the iOS passcode hack described below. Option 2: Free data recovery options (low success rate but worth a try) |