Quick Answers
Yes, it is possible to unlock your iPhone if you forgot the password without a computer in a few different ways:
- Use iPhone unlocking services – There are some third party services that can unlock your iPhone remotely without a computer.
- Erase your iPhone – You can erase your iPhone through Find My iPhone and remove the passcode requirement.
- Ask Siri to make a call – If you have Siri enabled, you can ask Siri to call a trusted contact who can help you.
- Take it to an Apple store – The Genius Bar can help bypass a forgotten passcode.
- Restore through recovery mode – You can force restart your iPhone and restore it through recovery mode to bypass the passcode.
Forgotten Passcodes Can Be Frustrating
We’ve all been there before – you pick up your iPhone to check something quickly and are greeted by the lock screen asking for your passcode. You wrack your brain but for the life of you cannot remember the 6 digit code you use countless times per day to access your phone. What makes it worse is realizing you don’t have access to a computer to reset the passcode either! Forgotten passcodes can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you desperately need access to your device.
iPhones have extremely secure encryption and passcode protection to protect your personal data from unwanted access. However, this same protection can work against you if you forget your own passcode. Thankfully, even without a computer there are still some options to get back into your iPhone if you find yourself locked out.
Using iPhone Unlocking Services
One option to unlock your iPhone without a computer is using a dedicated remote unlocking service. Companies like iremovalpro.com offer services where they can remotely bypass the activation lock screen of your iPhone. This allows you to access your iPhone again without needing to remember your forgotten passcode.
Their process allows access to your iPhone without having to erase the data. Here’s how it works:
- Submit your iPhone’s IMEI number to their website.
- Confirm you are the owner of the device.
- Pay for the unlock service.
- Their team will then send specialized unlock data packets to your iPhone to bypass the activation screen.
- This unlocks your iPhone within a few hours without needing to remember your passcode or erase any data.
This can be an easy way to regain access to your iPhone again without a computer nearby. However, there are some downsides to consider as well:
- It can be an expensive service costing $50 or more.
- You have to trust them with remoting accessing your lost iPhone.
- The process can take hours, so it is not instant.
Still, if you desperately need back into your iPhone and have no other options, a remote unlocking service could be worthwhile even with the drawbacks.
Erase iPhone Through Find My iPhone
If you have Find My iPhone enabled on your device and set up with your Apple ID, you can securely erase your iPhone to get past the forgotten passcode screen. This allows you to then set up the iPhone again without needing the previous passcode.
Here are the steps to erase your iPhone with Find My iPhone without a computer:
- On another iOS device or web browser, go to icloud.com and login to your iCloud account.
- Click on Find My iPhone.
- You will see a list of devices connected to your iCloud account. Select your locked iPhone.
- Choose to remotely erase the device. Confirm again that you want to proceed.
- Your iPhone will now be signed out of iCloud, erased, and ready to be set up again.
The benefit of using Find My iPhone is that it’s free and built right into any iPhone by default. No need to pay a third party or have extra tools. However, you will lose all data and settings by erasing the iPhone. Make sure you have backups before erasing with Find My iPhone if the data is important.
Ask Siri to Make a Call
If you still have Siri enabled on your locked iPhone, you can use voice commands to have Siri make a call for you. This can be helpful for contacting a family member or friend who can help you regain access.
To do this without unlocking your iPhone:
- Press and hold the Home button or Side button to activate Siri.
- When Siri prompts you, make a command like “Call mom”
- Siri will place the call on speakerphone without needing to unlock the device.
- Explain to your contact that you forgot your passcode and need help resetting it.
The main catch with this method is that you need to already have Siri enabled and someone’s contact information set up. If you never use Siri or don’t have trusted contacts set up, you won’t be able to place a call for help with Siri.
Get Assistance From the Apple Store
For those lucky enough to live near an Apple Store, you can make a Genius Bar appointment and get assistance with unlocking your iPhone. The Genius Bar specialists have tools to bypass forgotten passcodes and get you back into your iPhone.
Here’s what you can expect when getting help from the Apple Store:
- Make a Genius Bar appointment in advance online or walk-in.
- When you arrive, explain to the Apple Genius that you forgot your passcode.
- They will attempt to unlock your iPhone without fully resetting it through special tools.
- If they are unable to bypass the passcode, your iPhone will need to be restored through a computer.
- This will erase your iPhone data but allow you to access it again.
Getting help directly from Apple is nice because they may be able to bypass the passcode without fully erasing your device. The downsides are you need to be able to physically go to a store and it could still result in data loss if they cannot bypass the passcode.
Restore Through Recovery Mode
If you have no other options, you can always force restart your iPhone and erase it through recovery mode to bypass the forgotten passcode. Here are the steps:
- Press and release the Volume Up button.
- Press and release the Volume Down button.
- Press and hold the Side button until you see the recovery mode screen.
- Connect your iPhone to a power source.
- The recovery mode screen will prompt you to restore your iPhone.
- Agree to restore and your iPhone will reset with a blank passcode.
This recovery mode process works as a last resort when you have no other options. The big downside is it will completely wipe your iPhone back to factory settings.
Preventing Future Lockouts
No matter which method you use to unlock your iPhone, it’s smart to take steps to prevent future lockouts from happening again:
- Set a passcode you can remember easily, or use Touch ID/Face ID.
- Write down passcodes in a safe place as a backup.
- Make sure Find My iPhone is enabled if needed.
- Have trusted contacts added to your iPhone.
- Understand the recovery mode process in case you need it.
Following best practices will help avoid finding yourself in this frustrating situation again down the road. Being prepared with the right knowledge will make a future forgotten passcode issue much easier to handle.
Summary
When you forget your iPhone passcode and don’t have access to a computer, there still several options to get back into your device:
- Use a remote unlocking service (for a fee).
- Erase your iPhone through Find My iPhone.
- Ask Siri to make a call.
- Get help from the Genius Bar.
- Erase through recovery mode.
Resetting your forgotten passcode without a computer may result in data loss, but once unlocked again you can restore your information from a backup. Having the right contingency plan will help minimize frustration and downtime if you ever find yourself locked out of your iPhone.
