Is iPhone passcode stored anywhere?

The short answer is no, iPhone passcodes are not stored anywhere in a way that is accessible to anyone besides the iPhone user. The passcode you set to unlock your iPhone is protected by hardware encryption that makes it inaccessible even to Apple itself.

Table of Contents

How does iPhone passcode encryption work?

When you set a passcode on your iPhone, that passcode is used to generate a complex cryptographic key that is stored in a dedicated chip on the phone called the Secure Enclave. This key is used to encrypt and decrypt data on the iPhone as needed whenever you lock or unlock your device. The passcode itself is not stored anywhere – only the key derived from the passcode is stored in the Secure Enclave.

Here’s a more technical overview of how it works:

When you first set up your passcode, the iPhone creates a unique ID key that is embedded in the Secure Enclave.
Your passcode is fed through PBKDF2, a key derivation function, along with the ID key. This creates the encryption key that is stored in the Secure Enclave.
Each time you enter your passcode, it is again run through PBKDF2 to re-create the key. This key is used to decrypt the iPhone’s data so you can access it.

The passcode itself is not stored anywhere on the device. Only the derived encryption key is stored, in the Secure Enclave chip.

Because the passcode is never directly stored, there is no way for anyone to retrieve it from the phone. The encryption key in the Secure Enclave is designed so it can’t be removed or transferred out of the chip. The only way to unlock the phone is by entering the correct passcode, which re-generates the key to decrypt the data.

What if I forget my iPhone passcode?

If you forget your iPhone passcode, the only way to regain access is to completely erase the device and reset it. This is because the passcode itself cannot be retrieved due to the hardware encryption protections.

Apple provides a couple of options if you forget your passcode:

Erase iPhone after 10 failed attempts – By default, if 10 incorrect passcodes are entered, the iPhone will automatically wipe itself. This erases all data but allows you to start over with a new passcode.
Connect to iTunes and restore – You can also connect the iPhone to a computer with iTunes installed and do a full restore and setup process. This will also erase the device and allow you to set a new passcode.

In either case, with a forgotten passcode the only option is to wipe the device completely. The passcode itself cannot be recovered through any software or technical means due to the hardware-level encryption used on iPhone.

Can Apple or law enforcement access a locked iPhone?

No, Apple cannot bypass or unlock an iPhone passcode, even if requested by law enforcement. Here are some key reasons why:

Apple does not have any kind of “backdoor” to access encrypted iPhone data. The passcode encryption is designed so that only the specific passcode can unlock the device.

Apple does not actually have access to users’ passcodes or encryption keys. These are stored exclusively on the individual device Secure Enclave.
In 2016 Apple was ordered by the FBI to help unlock an iPhone used by a suspect in a criminal case. Apple challenged the order in court, stating that it did not have the technical capability to bypass iPhone passcode encryption.

There are a few third party companies that claim they can “hack” into a locked iPhone, but this generally involves exploiting software vulnerabilities rather than actually decoding the passcode encryption. Apple issues regular iOS updates to patch any known vulnerabilities that could be used this way.

If passcodes aren’t stored, how does iPhone auto-unlock work?

Recent versions of iPhone allow you to have the device automatically unlock without entering your passcode in certain scenarios. For example:

Unlocking with Apple Watch
Unlocking when connected to certain WiFi networks or Bluetooth devices

Unlocking with Face ID facial recognition

However, this does not mean your actual passcode is stored anywhere or accessible. These auto-unlock features use a different set of temporary keys to provide access without the full passcode:

Apple Watch Unlock – A temporary key is exchanged with the paired Apple Watch to unlock the phone. The full passcode is still required after 48 hours or reboot.

WiFi/Bluetooth Unlock – A temporary key derived from the device pairing is used to unlock the phone when connected to pre-approved networks/devices.
Face ID – The Face ID biometric authentication uses a different key that is securely stored in the Secure Enclave. Face ID data stays local on the device and is not accessible externally.

In all these cases, the full encryption passcode key remains isolated in the Secure Enclave. The phone is allowed to unlock without the passcode for convenience, but the passcode itself is never exposed or stored off of the device.

What about iPhone backups in iCloud?

Encrypted iPhone backups stored in iCloud also do not contain or store the actual passcode or encryption key. Here’s what iCloud backups contain:

Device settings, preferences, and app data
Photos, videos, and conversations in apps

Device key used to unlock the backup
NOT actual passcode or encryption key from the device

The device key included in the backup is different from the hardware encryption key on your phone. It allows you to unlock the backup and restore it to a new iPhone, but cannot be used to unlock the original iPhone without the correct passcode.

So in summary, iCloud backups provide access to your data but do not store or reveal the passcode. You still need the proper passcode to unlock the original or any new iPhone the backup is restored to.

Can someone bypass iPhone passcode with Jailbreaking?

Jailbreaking removes some of the iPhone’s built-in security restrictions by gaining root access to the iOS operating system. However, jailbreaking alone does not allow bypassing or cracking the actual passcode encryption and data access protection.

Some things jailbreaking allows:

Installing unauthorized third party apps from outside the App Store
Customizing visual elements of iOS
Using restricted features like tethering

However, the core encryption and data protection mechanisms remain in place even on a jailbroken device. Jailbreaking does not suddenly allow easy access to the Secure Enclave or hardware-level passcode encryption.

Advanced hackers may look for other vulnerabilities they can potentially exploit through jailbreaking to gain access to encrypted data. But jailbreaking alone does not simply unlock or decrypt a passcode-protected iPhone.

Does resetting or erasing an iPhone delete the passcode?

No, resetting or erasing an iPhone does not delete or remove the passcode encryption. Here’s what happens in each scenario:

iPhone reset – Resetting to factory settings erases data but does not touch the hardware encryption keys or passcode requirements. After resetting you are still prompted to enter the previous passcode before setting up the device again.
iPhone erased – Erasing the device completely wipes all data and resets the encryption. However, any previously used passcodes are still permanently invalidated. You cannot reuse old passcodes even after erasing the device entirely.

The only way to truly clear passcode records and encryption is to do a full factory reset through iTunes on a computer. This wipes encryption keys and allows resetting the device with a new passcode from scratch.

Can iPhone passcodes be cracked with brute force?

Brute forcing a passcode involves systematically trying every possible passcode combination until the correct one is found. However, iPhone has mechanisms to prevent brute force passcode cracking:

Only 10 passcode attempts are allowed before the device is wiped
Delays are enforced between incorrect passcode entries, increasing to 1 hour

Encryption keys are designed to prevent rapid brute force attempts
iPhone screens go black after 5 incorrect tries and require a 1 minute timeout

These protections make brute forcing virtually impossible given the enormous number of potential passcode combinations. Even a 4-digit PIN has 10,000 possibilities, and a 6-digit alphanumeric passcode has over 1 million combinations.

Military-grade password cracking tools may be able to bypass some restrictions, but cannot bypass the encryption design itself. Overall, brute forcing iPhone passcodes is extremely difficult and unlikely to succeed before the device is wiped after too many failed attempts.

Conclusion

In summary:

iPhone passcodes are encrypted on the device hardware using keys in the Secure Enclave

The passcode itself is not stored anywhere externally or by Apple
There is no “backdoor” for Apple or others to access your passcode
Forgotten passcodes can only be reset by wiping the device entirely

Backups do not store the actual passcode or encryption key
Jailbreaking does not reveal or bypass the passcode encryption
Brute forcing is extremely difficult and takes too long

So in almost all cases, there is no way for anyone to recover or unlock an iPhone passcode without having the user directly enter it. The encryption and protocols are designed specifically to protect the passcode from being stored or accessed, even by Apple itself. Your iPhone’s passcode security remains fully in your control.

References

Here are some references used as sources for this article:

Apple iOS Security Guide

ZDNet – Senate Judiciary Committee concludes Apple and Google do not have backdoors for law enforcement

This covers the key facts about iPhone passcode encryption and security protections. Let me know if you need any clarification or have additional questions!