Having a disabled iPhone with a forgotten password can be very frustrating. Your iPhone contains valuable personal data and not being able to access it can cause a lot of problems.
The good news is that even if you’ve forgotten your iPhone password and your device is disabled, there are still ways to unlock it and regain access to your data.
Try entering your Apple ID password
If you’ve forgotten your device passcode but remember your Apple ID password, you can try entering your Apple ID password instead. Here’s how:
- Press and hold the power button and home button together until you see the Apple logo.
- Release both buttons when you see the Apple logo.
- When prompted, enter your Apple ID password instead of your device passcode.
This trick doesn’t always work, but is worth trying if you can remember your Apple ID password but not your device passcode. Your iPhone will unlock and become usable again if entering your Apple ID password is successful.
Connect your iPhone to iTunes and restore
If you have an iTunes backup of your disabled iPhone, you can connect the iPhone to a computer and restore from the backup. This will reset your iPhone to its previous state while retaining your data.
To restore your disabled iPhone from a backup using iTunes:
- Install the latest version of iTunes on a Mac or Windows computer.
- Connect your disabled iPhone to your computer using a USB cable.
- Open iTunes on your computer. iTunes will detect your connected iPhone.
- While your iPhone is connected, force restart it by pressing and quickly releasing the Volume Up button, then pressing and quickly releasing the Volume Down button, and then press and hold the Side button until you see the recovery mode screen.
- When your iPhone restarts into recovery mode, you’ll get a prompt in iTunes to Restore or Update. Click Restore.
- Select the backup you want to restore from the dropdown menu and click Restore again.
- iTunes will download software for your iPhone and restore your settings and data from the backup selected.
Once the restore process completes, your iPhone will reboot, unlocked with your passcode reset. This process wipes all data on your iPhone that is not included in your backup.
Reset your iPhone using iPhone recovery mode
You can also reset your disabled iPhone to factor settings using recovery mode. Here are the steps:
- Connect your disabled iPhone to your computer using a USB cable.
- Open iTunes on your computer. iTunes will detect your connected iPhone.
- While your iPhone is connected, force restart it by pressing and quickly releasing the Volume Up button, then pressing and quickly releasing the Volume Down button, and then press and hold the Side button until you see the recovery mode screen.
- When you see the recovery mode screen, click Restore in iTunes. This will wipe your iPhone and restore it to factory settings.
- Set up your iPhone as new after the restore rather than using a backup. This will reset the passcode so you can access your device again.
The downside to this method is it will wipe all data on your iPhone. However, it will remove your passcode and get your device working again.
Use iPhone unlocking software
There are third-party apps available for Mac and Windows that can unlock a disabled iPhone. Examples include iMyFone LockWiper, Dr.Fone, and iSkysoft Toolbox. Here are the basic steps to use iPhone unlocking software:
- Download and install the iPhone unlock app on your computer.
- Connect your disabled iPhone to your computer using a USB cable.
- Launch the iPhone unlock app and follow the on-screen instructions.
- The software will bypass or remove the passcode from your iPhone through various system exploits and restore functionality.
- You may need to retry a few times for it to work properly.
The major benefit of using specialized iPhone unlocking software is that it can remove your device passcode without deleting your data. However, these apps do not work in all situations.
Take your iPhone to Apple Store
As a last resort, you can take your disabled iPhone to an Apple Store and have them unlock it for you. You’ll need to book an appointment at the Genius Bar section of the Apple Store.
At your appointment, explain your situation to the Apple Genius. They have internal tools and methods that can sometimes unlock an iPhone with a forgotten passcode, even if disabled.
There is no guarantee this method will work, and it depends on the specific situation. Apple may just recommend fully resetting your device. But in some cases, the Genius Bar can unlock an iPhone without erasing it.
If you have important data on your disabled iPhone that you need access to, taking it to an Apple Store is worth a shot before resetting it. Make an appointment at your local Apple Store’s Genius Bar and see if they can help unlock your device.
Prevent this problem in the future
Once you regain access to your iPhone, you can take steps to make sure you avoid this situation again in the future:
- Set up a device passcode you will remember and can easily recall.
- Write down device passcodes and store them somewhere secure like a password manager.
- Create an iTunes or iCloud backup periodically, so you have a recent backup if needed.
- Make sure your Apple ID account details are up-to-date for password recovery.
- Enable Find My iPhone in your iCloud settings for additional recovery options.
- Consider using a password manager app to generate and store secure passwords.
Following these tips will help ensure you don’t get locked out of your iPhone again if you happen to forget passcodes.
Conclusion
Here are some key points to keep in mind when trying to unlock a disabled iPhone with a forgotten password:
- Try entering your Apple ID password if you can recall it.
- Restore your iPhone data from an iTunes or iCloud backup.
- Use recovery mode to reset your device to factory settings.
- Try specialized iPhone unlocking software.
- Take your iPhone to an Apple Store Genius Bar for assistance.
- Set up effective passwords and backups to avoid this issue.
With the right method and tools, you can get back into your disabled iPhone and recover access to your important data, accounts, and settings. Just don’t ever forget your passcode again!