What happens if you forget your phone password on iPhone?

Forgetting your iPhone password can be frustrating and leave you locked out of your device. However, there are a few options for recovering access to your iPhone if you forget the passcode. In this article, we’ll walk through what happens when you forget your iPhone password and the steps you can take to get back into your device.

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What happens when you forget your iPhone password?

When you set up your iPhone, you’re prompted to create a 6-digit passcode to protect your device. If you enter the wrong passcode too many times, your iPhone will become disabled and you’ll be locked out.

Here’s what happens specifically when you forget your iPhone passcode:

After entering the wrong passcode 6 times, your iPhone will disable touch input for 1 minute
After the 7th failed attempt, it will disable touch input for 5 minutes
On the 8th failed attempt, touch input is disabled for 15 minutes

On the 9th failed attempt, the iPhone disables touch input for 1 hour
After 10 incorrect passcode entries, the iPhone becomes completely disabled and requires connecting to iTunes or iCloud to restore

With each failed passcode entry, the time until your iPhone disables increases exponentially. This security feature is designed to prevent brute force passcode cracking attempts.

What should you do if you forget your iPhone password?

If you’ve forgotten your iPhone password, don’t panic. You have a few options to get back into your device. Here are the steps to take:

Wait for auto-unlock: If you have Face ID or Touch ID enabled with “Require Passcode” turned off, your iPhone will automatically unlock after being disabled. You just need to wait out the disabled timeout period.
Enter your Apple ID password: On the lock screen, tap the “Forgot Passcode?” button. You’ll be prompted to enter your Apple ID password to reset and create a new passcode.

Erase your iPhone: As a last resort, you can erase your iPhone and set it up like new. You’ll lose your data, but it will remove the unknown passcode.
Use account recovery: If you know your Apple ID password but erased your iPhone already, you can use account recovery to regain access and disable Find My iPhone.
Take it to Apple: Make a Genius Bar appointment at an Apple Store. They can potentially bypass the passcode if you provide valid proof of ownership.

In many cases, entering your Apple ID account password will be enough to regain access to your disabled iPhone. But if you don’t remember it, taking your device to Apple or erasing it completely may be your only options.

What happens when you erase your iPhone with a forgotten password?

If you erase your iPhone through Settings when it’s disabled from too many failed passcode attempts, here’s what happens:

The iPhone will reboot and take you through the initial device setup process

You’ll be prompted to set a new passcode for your erased iPhone
Warning: Erasing your iPhone will delete all your data, photos, apps, and account information stored on the device.
You can restore a backup during setup to get your data back, if you have a recent iCloud or iTunes backup.

Erasing the iPhone removes the unknown passcode lock so you can start fresh.

Erasing your iPhone through Settings > General > Reset will allow you to use the device again. But you risk permanent data loss in the process if you don’t have a backup.

What happens if you forgot your passcode and don’t have a backup?

If you don’t have a recent backup of your iPhone, here’s what happens if you erase your device due to a forgotten passcode:

All your personal data will be deleted, including photos, messages, emails, notes, and any other unbacked up content.
Any app data that was not synced to iCloud will be erased.
You will lose access to any local-only reminders, events, and calendars.

Signing into apps and accounts will require re-entering your passwords if not saved in your iCloud Keychain.
Your Home screen layout, app organization, and device settings will be reset.

Essentially, with no backup you will lose any personal information and customizations saved only on your iPhone. Your purchased apps can be redownloaded, but data will need to be re-entered.

How to recover data if you don’t have a backup after erasing

If you erased your disabled iPhone without a backup, recovering your lost data can be difficult or impossible. But here are a few options to try:

Check iCloud photos – any photos you had iCloud Photo Library enabled for could be retrievable.
Sign into apps – some may have data synced to a cloud account that can be restored.

Use iPhone data recovery software – advanced tools may recover some erased files.
Consult data recovery experts – pros can attempt to extract data from the iPhone’s storage chips.
Ask contacts to share conversations – you may be able to get back some lost messages this way.

Unfortunately without an iCloud or iTunes backup, your chances of recovering meaningful amounts of lost data are low. Using multiple cloud sync services, enabling iCloud Photo Library, and regularly backing up can help prevent this in the future.

Can you reset your iPhone password without a computer?

If you’re locked out of your iPhone, you may be wondering if you can reset the password without a computer. Here are the options:

Method	Computer Required?
Erase iPhone through Settings	No
Enter Apple ID password on lock screen	No
Remove passcode with Siri	No
Use Find My iPhone to erase	No, if you have another trusted device signed in
Restore iPhone in recovery mode	Yes
Remove with iTunes or Finder	Yes

As you can see, most options for resetting your forgotten iPhone password do not require a computer. The exceptions are using recovery mode or connecting to iTunes/Finder, which do need a PC or Mac.

Removing a forgotten iPhone password through Settings

Here are the steps to erase your iPhone from Settings to remove a forgotten passcode:

Power off the iPhone if needed and power it back on.
On the “Enter Passcode” screen, tap Emergency in the bottom left corner.

Tap Erase iPhone to start the process.
Confirm the erase when prompted.
Follow the setup process until prompted to create a new passcode.

This will erase your iPhone and remove the unknown passcode. However, you will lose all unbacked up data in the process.

Using Find My iPhone to erase your device

If you have Find My iPhone enabled with another trusted device signed into your iCloud account, you can remotely wipe your locked iPhone to erase the unknown passcode. Here are the steps:

On another device, open iCloud.com and sign in to your account.

Select Find My iPhone.
Locate your locked iPhone on the map.
Tap Erase iPhone and confirm to remotely wipe it.

The iPhone will reboot into setup mode now unlocked.

This is a convenient way to erase an iPhone you’re locked out of without a computer. Just make sure you have Find My enabled with a trusted second device on hand.

Can Siri help bypass a forgotten iPhone password?

In some cases, you may be able to use Siri to bypass a forgotten iPhone password. Here’s how it works:

With your locked iPhone, say “Hey Siri” to activate voice control.
Tell Siri to “Turn on VoiceOver” to activate the screen reader.
You can now use VoiceOver gestures to navigate to the Settings app and reset your passcode.

Go to General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings to erase your iPhone.

With Siri and VoiceOver, you can reset your forgotten passcode and erase your iPhone without seeing the screen. However, this only works if you have Siri enabled on your locked device.

How to avoid forgetting your iPhone password

Forgetting your iPhone password can be a huge hassle. Here are some tips to avoid forgetting your passcode:

Use a passcode you can easily remember, like a date or short numeric pattern.
Write your passcode down somewhere safe in case you forget it.
Enable Touch ID or Face ID so your iPhone unlocks automatically.

Store a backup passcode hint in your Apple ID account settings.
Set up iCloud Keychain to store passwords you can access if needed.
Enable Find My iPhone so you can remotely erase a forgotten passcode.

The most important thing is using an iPhone passcode you can commit to memory. If you do forget, make sure your data is backed up regularly to recover when needed.

What happens if you take a forgotten passcode iPhone to Apple?

As a last resort, you can take an iPhone disabled by a forgotten passcode to an Apple Store for help. Here’s what typically happens when you bring your iPhone to an Apple Genius Bar:

They will ask for proof of ownership before assisting – have your purchase receipt ready.

You’ll need to confirm the device is yours and that you forgot the passcode.
They can plug it into a computer to reset or remove the unknown passcode.
Your iPhone data will remain intact if recoverable.

This bypass process is dependent on technician policies and feasibility.
There may be a fee involved unless you have AppleCare+ coverage.

Bringing your disabled iPhone to Apple is generally effective as a last ditch reset method. Be ready to prove device ownership and expect potential data loss or fees.

What to do when Find My iPhone is enabled and you forgot password

If Find My iPhone is turned on for your locked device, your options are limited even at an Apple Store. Here’s what to try:

Enter your Apple ID password at iforgot.apple.com to remove the activation lock.
Use account recovery to regain access to the Apple ID and disable Find My iPhone.

Without the Apple ID, your only option is to continue waiting out the auto-erase countdown.
Apple cannot bypass Find My iPhone without proof you own the Apple ID.
Erasing the device will not remove Find My iPhone as it’s linked to your iCloud account.

Find My iPhone being enabled when you forget your passcode severely limits reset options. Disabling Find My requires iCloud account access in most cases.

Resetting an old locked iPhone you found

If you find or purchase a used iPhone that’s locked with a forgotten passcode, you have limited options:

Take it to Apple and have them reset it with proof of ownership.

Erase it through Settings if Find My iPhone is disabled.
Restore it through iTunes which may remove the passcode lock.
Use specialized data recovery tools to attempt to bypass the lock.

Contact the previous owner and have them unlock it through Find My iPhone.

There is no guaranteed way to reset an old iPhone with an unknown passcode without the original owner’s help. In most cases, it will remain permanently locked barring sophisticated intervention.

Recovering data from a locked, disabled iPhone

If your iPhone is locked or disabled from too many passcode attempts, recovering data can be difficult:

With an iTunes or iCloud backup, you can fully restore your data once the iPhone is reset.
Without a backup, data recovery is limited or impossible for an average user.
Apple or data recovery firms can potentially extract data if hardware isn’t damaged.

A specialized enthusiast with the right tools may be able to access storage chips directly.
If the device is totally disabled, there are no DIY methods to recover data yourself.

Preparing regular backups to iCloud or iTunes is by far the best way to protect your data from a forgotten iPhone passcode. Don’t rely on a professional data recovery service – the costs would likely outweigh the value of your recoverable data in most cases.

Using iTunes/Finder backups to restore forgotten passcode iPhone

If you do have an iTunes or Finder backup on your computer, you can fully restore your iPhone data once you get back into a disabled device. Here’s the process:

Erase your disabled iPhone through Settings to reset the device.
On your computer, connect the iPhone and open iTunes or Finder.

When prompted during setup, select to restore from your latest backup.
iTunes/Finder will download the backup and restore your device data and settings.
Sign into your Apple ID to ensure all data syncs from iCloud as well.

With this iTunes/Finder restore method, you can completely get your forgotten passcode iPhone back up and running with a full data recovery.

Important tips for dealing with a forgotten iPhone password

Here is a quick summary of the most important things to know when you forget your iPhone password:

Stay calm – Don’t panic if you get locked out of your iPhone. There are always ways to recover access.

Remember your Apple ID – Your Apple account password will let you reset your device in many cases.
Back up regularly – iTunes and iCloud backups protect you from data loss if you need to erase your device.
Avoid data loss – Don’t erase your iPhone without exhausting other password reset options first.

Enable Find My iPhone – Remotely erase a forgotten passcode using another device if needed.
Write it down – Save your iPhone password somewhere secure in case you ever forget it.

Staying calm, remembering login details, preparing backups, and enabling security features will help mitigate the disruption of forgetting your iPhone passcode.

Conclusion

Forgotten iPhone passwords are common, but avoidable headache if you take the right precautions. Enable secondary unlock methods like Touch ID or Face ID, save your password somewhere secure, set account recovery options, and maintain current backups.

If you do get locked out, stay calm and run through all your options – from simply waiting for auto-unlock to using Find My iPhone, entering your Apple ID password, taking it to Apple, or erasing and restoring as a last resort. With the proper recovery preparations, a forgotten password doesn’t have to mean losing access to your iPhone forever.