What Happens When You Forget Your iPhone Passcode
iPhones utilize a strong form of encryption called AES 256-bit encryption to protect the data on your device (https://www.hexnode.com/blogs/iphone-encryption-everything-you-need-to-know/). This encryption means that all of your personal information, photos, messages, and apps are scrambled and unreadable without your passcode to decrypt them. Encryption allows you to securely lock down your iPhone data in case your device is ever lost or stolen.
If you forget your iPhone passcode, the encryption prevents you from accessing any of your data. Without the proper passcode, your iPhone is essentially “bricked” and unusable. You will be locked out of your apps, messages, photos, and everything else on your device. Forgetting your passcode essentially renders your iPhone a blank slate, as the encryption scrambles all data without the passcode to unscramble it.
Reset vs Recovery Mode
There are two main options when you forget your iPhone passcode – resetting the device or putting it into recovery mode. Resetting erases all content and settings from your iPhone and restores it to factory settings (source). This will remove your passcode, but also permanently delete all your data and media unless you have a backup.
Putting your iPhone into recovery mode does not erase data immediately. According to Apple Support, recovery mode “allows you to restore your device from a previous backup or erase your device and set it up as new if you choose” (source). You can use recovery mode to erase the device and remove the passcode, but still have the option to restore from a backup.
The key difference is that resetting directly erases everything, while recovery mode gives you the choice between restoring a backup or erase all content and settings. So if you have a backup available, recovery mode is generally the safer option when you forget your passcode.
How Resetting Deletes Encrypted Data
When you enable encryption on an iPhone, your data is encrypted using sophisticated encryption algorithms and a device-specific encryption key. This key is required to decrypt and access the data on your iPhone. When you reset your iPhone by erasing all settings and content, the encryption key is deleted which makes it impossible to decrypt your data anymore.
Without the proper encryption key, the encrypted data becomes permanently inaccessible and essentially useless. Apple designed it this way for security reasons – so no one else could access your data if they stole or found your iPhone. The encryption keys exist only on that specific device. So once you reset the iPhone, the keys are wiped out which results in the encrypted data being locked forever.
In summary, resetting your iPhone doesn’t just delete your data, it destroys the keys needed to decrypt the data. This is why resetting encrypted data makes your data permanently inaccessible unless you have a backup of the encryption keys.
What Data is Lost When Resetting
There are a wide variety of data that can be lost when you reset your iPhone to factory defaults. Here are some of the main types of data that will be erased:
- Photos – All photos and videos stored locally on the device will be deleted.
- Messages – All text messages (SMS/MMS), iMessages, and conversations will be erased.
- Contacts – Any contacts stored locally will be removed.
- Notes – Any notes and reminders will be wiped from the device.
- Calendars – All calendars and associated events will be deleted.
- Music – Any music, playlists, and audio files stored locally will be erased.
- Apps – All downloaded apps and associated data will be deleted.
- Settings – Any customized settings and preferences will go back to default.
- Health data – All health and activity data stored in the Health app is erased.
In essence, resetting the device erases all personal content, data, customizations, and returns it to factory default settings. The only data preserved will be anything stored externally in iCloud or iTunes backups (source).
Trying to Crack or Bypass the Passcode
It can be very tempting to try cracking or bypassing the passcode when locked out of your iPhone. However, this is not recommended as it could lead to your iPhone being permanently disabled.
Apple has implemented protections against brute force passcode cracking attempts. After 10 failed passcode entries, the iPhone enforces a 1 minute timeout before you can try again. This increases to 5 minutes after the 11th failed attempt, 15 minutes after the 12th attempt, and 1 hour after the 13th failed attempt. After 10 failed attempts, the iPhone will also delete all encryption keys which can render data inaccessible.
Tools that claim to bypass or reset the passcode like special USB cables should also be avoided. These methods can cause permanent damage and are not endorsed by Apple. You may end up with an unusable phone and lose access to data (1, 2).
The only guaranteed safe method for resetting a forgotten passcode is by erasing the device. Trying to crack or bypass the passcode risks bricking the iPhone and should never be attempted.
Backing Up Data Before Resetting
If you want to preserve your iPhone data before resetting your device when you’ve forgotten the passcode, it is crucial to create a backup. The most common ways to back up an iPhone are using iCloud or iTunes.
To back up your iPhone data using iCloud, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup on your iPhone. Turn on iCloud Backup and your device will automatically back up your data to Apple’s servers. You can also tap “Back Up Now” to manually trigger an immediate backup. [1]
Alternatively, you can connect your iPhone to a computer and back up to iTunes. Open iTunes on your computer, connect your iPhone, and click on the device icon. Go to the Summary tab, select “This Computer” under Backups, and click “Back Up Now.” iTunes will create a backup file on your computer. [2]
Backing up your iPhone before resetting gives you the ability to recover your data like photos, messages, contacts, and more after erasing your device. Just make sure encryption is enabled on your backup.
Recovering Some Data After Resetting
While resetting your iPhone will delete the encrypted data, it is possible to recover some types of information if you previously backed them up. For example, if you had contacts synced to your iCloud account, you can sign back into iCloud after resetting your iPhone to restore your contacts.
Other data like iMessages, notes, calendars, photos, and device settings can also be restored if you had an iCloud or iTunes backup before resetting. This is because the backup contains a copy of the data that is separate from what was encrypted on your iPhone.
To restore data from an iCloud backup after resetting your iPhone, simply tap “Restore from iCloud backup” during the setup process when activating your device again. You will need to sign into the same iCloud account used to create the backup. This will allow you to selectively restore data like contacts, messages, photos, and more (source).
Restoring data from an iTunes backup works similarly – you connect your reset iPhone to a computer with iTunes, select the backup file, and choose what data to restore. So while resetting results in permanent data loss of encrypted information, backups provide a way to recover at least some types of data.
Setting a Memorable Passcode
One of the best ways to avoid forgetting your iPhone passcode is to set one that is easy for you to remember. Here are some tips for creating a memorable passcode that’s still secure:
Use a special date – Your anniversary, birthday, or other meaningful date can make for an easy to recall passcode. Just be sure not to use a date that is easy for others to guess.
Create a pattern – Instead of random numbers, make your passcode into a shape pattern you can visualize, like a letter “Z” shape drawn on the keypad.
Pick a sequence – Come up with a numerical sequence that has meaning for you. It could relate to something in your life like your house number, favorite sports team, etc.
Use muscle memory – Choose a passcode with a familiar flow relying on your muscle memory instead of memorization. For example, the same swipe pattern you might use to unlock the phone.
Say it out loud – If you create a passcode that spells out words when you say the numbers out loud, it can help solidify it in your memory.
Mix methods – You could combine a couple methods, like starting with your birthday and ending with a shape pattern.
Using these mnemonic devices can make your passcode much easier to recall. Just be sure to avoid anything too obvious that others could easily guess.
Other Options Like Password Managers
Using a password manager is one of the best ways to avoid forgetting your iPhone passcode. A password manager securely stores all your passwords, including your iPhone passcode, behind one master password. This way, you only have to remember one password to access all your other passwords.
Some of the top-rated password managers for iPhone include:
- 1Password – Offers password sharing, encrypted cloud sync, and Travel Mode to disable passwords when traveling.
- Keeper – Provides top-notch security features and extras like secure record sharing and auto password changing.
- NordPass – Encrypts data locally before syncing, offers password inheritance, and has an intuitive interface.
These password managers make it easy to store long, complex passcodes that you’re unlikely to memorize. With reliable auto-fill and syncing across devices, you’ll always have access to your iPhone passcode. Just be sure to remember the master password for your password manager.
What to Do When All Else Fails
If you’ve tried resetting your iPhone and recovering data from backups without success, there are a few last resort options:
Contact Apple support. Apple may be able to help bypass the passcode if you can provide proof of purchase and identity. According to Apple’s support site, they “might be able to help you access your device again, but will need you to answer some questions to verify that you’re the device owner” (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204306).
Take it to a repair shop. Some repair shops have proprietary methods and tools that may allow them to bypass the passcode and reset the device. Just be cautious of any shop promising this, as most cannot actually access your encrypted data.
As a last last resort, you may need to accept the data is lost. If you’ve exhausted all options, you’ll have to erase the device completely and set it up like new. Make sure to immediately set a memorable passcode and enable backups when you reset the device.
Resetting your device because you forgot the passcode can lead to data loss, so the best option is being proactive. Always use a strong but memorable passcode, enable automatic backups, and use a password manager to store your passcode securely.