Logan Miller| Sep 15, 2022
One of the most loyal Apple fans on earth. He loves to explore the rarely known tricks for iOS devices, helping his followers to increase the productivity of Apple devices in their daily life.
Catalog
- Facts To Be Cleared
- The Fastest and Easiest Solution
- Via “Erase iPhone” Option
- Via Find My iPhone
- Via iTunes Backup
- Via iTunes Recovery Mode
- FAQs
Forgot iPhone passcode? Feel yourself lucky! Being a super tech enthusiast and the most loyal Apple fan on earth, I am at your service with 5 effective solutions to unlock your iPhone without restore in this article. Don’t worry if you are not familiar with technology because I will guide you step by step to avoid any confusion. So please stop wrestling with your iPhone and follow me right now.
Facts To Be Cleared Before Unlocking iPhone Passcode
When you forget your iPhone passcode, don’t rush to guess and constantly enter the wrong passcode. The more times you guess wrong, the longer you will be locked out.
Apple truly cares about your iPhone’s security. iOS military-grade encryption prevents anyone from getting into your iPhone if they don't know your screen passcode, even yourself. So to get into your iPhone, the only way is to reset it. You can restore your backup later to get your data back if you have made a regular backup previously.
Now, if anyone claims to unlock your iPhone passcode without restore or data loss, remember it’s just plain impossible!
But if your iPhone model is within 5s-X and you have a Mac available, that is another story. You can unlock your iPhone without losing any data via iPhonePass
Five Practical Methods To Fix “Forgot iPhone Passcode” Problem
Method 1- How to Unlock iPhone if you "Forgot iPhone Passcode" via Mobitrix LockAway Without Restore
If you want to unlock your iPhone screen as fast as possible without restore, Mobitrix LockAway is your best solution. It can help you remove your iPhone screen lock in just a few simple clicks within 20 mins.
Introduction of Mobitrix LockAway:
Mobitrix LockAway is a professional unlocking tool that removes the screen lock for iPhone/iPad permanently. It enjoys 10+ years of R&D experience in iOS, and iPadOS lock cracking. It can help you solve the following situations you encounter:
- You forgot the iPhone passcode
- You bought a second-hand iPhone
- iPhone is disabled/unavailable due to too many incorrect attempts
- Your Face/Touch ID was not working normally
- Your iPhone screen is cracked
Once your iPhone screen passcode is removed, your iPhone will restart automatically, and then you can reset your iPhone from scratch. You can restore your data from iCloud or iTunes if you’ve backed up previously at this step.
Set up Apps & Data
Need to meet some requirements?
Not at all! Just give away all your troubles to Mobitrix LockAway and see the magic.
“Unlock Your iPhone without Passcode within 20 mins.”
Advantages :
- It unlocks your disabled iPhone without iTunes.
- It is easy to use with a few simple clicks without any tech hassle.
- It has a 99% success rate.
- This tool is fast and takes about 20 minutes to remove your iPhone passcode. You can then create a new one.
- 100% Privacy Protection is guaranteed.
- It supports iPhone 5s through iPhone 14, iOS 12/13/14/15/16, and later.
Steps:
- DownloadDownloadand Install Mobitrix LockAway
- Click on Unlock Screen Passcode in the main menu
- Click Start to remove the iPhone passcode.
- Remove the forgotten passcode successfully
Mobitrix LockAway - Click “Unlock Screen Passcode”
Mobitrix LockAway - Click "Start" to remove the iPhone passcode.
Mobitrix LockAway - Remove Screen Lock
Mobitrix LockAway - "iPhone Unlock" is Complete
Trust me, if you are in some urgent situations, Mobitrix LockAway is definitely the best choice. It is well-known as time-saving and effort-saving. But if you are not in a hurry and are interested in some official ways, I have summarized the most comprehensive guide covering 5 ways below. But these ways are either time-consuming with a low success rate or need to meet some strict requirements to follow them. Read further!
Method 2- Fix "Forgot iPhone Passcode" Problem via “Erase iPhone” option without a computer
Some versions of iOS 15.2 and later now have an “Erase iPhone” option on the Unavailable or Security Lockout screens. This option can be seen at the bottom-right of your screen, and it can completely erase all the data including the passcode on your iPhone without a PC or a Mac. And then you can reset your iPhone as a new device from scratch.
Requirements:
- Only iOS and iPadOS 15.2 and later support this feature.
- In order to perform a reset, your device must be connected to a cellular or Wi-Fi network.
- Your locked iPhone has enabled Find My and hasn't signed out of Apple ID.
- You need to know your Apple ID and password.
Steps:
- You first need to input the incorrect passcode seven times. After the seventh time, you'll be redirected to the “Security Lockout try again in 15 minutes” interface. Here, you can see the "Erase iPhone" option on the lower-right part of the interface.
- Tap the Erase iPhone option
- Now, tap Erase iPhone option again to be redirected to the "Sign out of Apple ID" interface. Here you need to input your Apple ID password to erase your iPhone.
- You'll be able to see the progress of the erase on your iPhone.
- Your iPhone will automatically restart as the erasing process ends.
Security Lockout try again in 15 minutes
Security Lockout - Click Erase iPhone
Sign out of the Apple ID interface
Showing the progress of the erase
Pros:
- Your locked iPhone can be erased and reset without a computer.
- Your data cannot be erased by strangers using this feature as your Apple ID and password is required to complete the process.
Limitations:
- You may not always find the "Erase iPhone" option. Some models have it while others don’t. For example, this option is not available on iPhone 12, whereas it can be seen on iPhone 13 or 11. The exact reason behind this remains unclear. Till now, Apple has not formally announced the reason behind the absence of this option in some iPhone models.
- After my own several tests, I have found that the "Erase iPhone" button can stop working periodically. It is very likely that you cannot tap this option due to some unknown tech bugs.
Tip:
If you can't find Erase option on your iPhone Unavailable or Security Lockout screen, don’t hesitate to try Method 1 to save your valuable time.
Method 3- Remove Forgotten iPhone Passcode via Find My iPhone
Find My locates lost devices and keeps track of family members. It can also erase your device and delete all personal data, including your iPhone screen passcode, except for location-related functions. Check the following requirements before trying it:
What Do You Need?
- Your locked iPhone should have enabled the Find My feature.
- The locked iPhone should have your iCloud account logged in.
- You need to know the Apple ID and password that are linked to the locked device.
- The locked iPhone should have an active and stable cellular or Wi-Fi network.
How to Use Find My to Remove Forgotten iPhone Passcode
Steps:
- Navigate to iCloud.com on either a phone or web browser.
- Next, enter your Apple ID and password.
- After logging in successfully, tap Find iPhone, input your Apple ID password again, and tap Sign in.
- Now click All Devices and select yours.
- Click Erase iPhone . You will notice a prompt saying, Erase this iPhone？Click Erase.
- Now enter your Apple ID password to proceed.
- A message with a verification code will arrive on your trusted device. Enter the verification code to continue.
- Now you need to input your phone number and click "Next".
- You will notice on the iCloud website showing “Erase Started.” In the meantime, you will see a white Apple logo on your iPhone screen showing the process of erase
- When the process finishes, your iPhone will restart. Swipe up to arrive at the interface for resetting your iPhone. You will find your iPhone displaying "iPhone Locked To Owner". When you see this message, enter your Apple ID and password. Click Next, then you can create a new passcode.
Enter your Apple ID and password
Click Find iPhone
Enter your Apple ID password
Click All Devices and choose your device
Click Erase iPhone
Click Erase
Enter the password to continue
Two-Factor authentication
Suppose you engage with other activities during this period and then return to this process later. In that case, you will be asked to re-enter your Apple ID password. You'll also receive another verification code. You need to re-enter it to proceed. To avoid carrying out the steps repeatedly, it's best to complete this process in one go.
Enter your phone number
Erase started
Showing the progress of the erase
Tips: On the "Apps and Data" interface, you can choose "Restore from iCloud Backup" or "Restore from iTunes Backup". Depending on whether you made a backup before your iPhone was locked, you could click a suitable option based on your reality. You can redownload virtually anything you've purchased from the iTunes, App Store, and Apple Books Store, even if you don't have a backup.
Method 4- Forgot iPhone Passcode? Reset It via iTunes Backup
If you’ve previously synced your iPhone with iTunes, you can restore all your data from your recent backup. So you won’t lose your data. Once the restore process completes, your passcode will be erased from your iPhone as well.
If your iPhone has synced with your Mac :
- Connect your iPhone to your Mac using a USB cable.
- Open Finder, in the sidebar under Locations, select your device.
- From the bar on top, select General. Scroll down and select Restore Backup under Backups.
- All your backups will be displayed, choose one to restore from
- Enter your Mac password, and click restore. Your data will be restored. Your passcode will be also removed and then you can set a new one.
Reset iPhone passcode via Finder
If using a Windows computer and you have synced your iPhone with iTunes：
- Connect your iPhone to your PC using a USB cable.
- Open iTunes, if it prompts for a passcode, try connecting to another computer, if not just wait for your iPhone to be synced by iTunes.
- Once the sync completes, click on Restore iPhone and let the process complete.
- Once completed, the iOS setup screen will pop up, click on Restore from iTunes Backup and select your latest backup to restore from.
Reset iPhone passcode via iTunes backup
Limitation:
This method is only applicable if you had synced your iPhone with your computer and a backup of your data exists, otherwise it can’t work. Also If you see the error showing "iTunes could not connect to the iPhone because it is locked with a passcode. You must enter your passcode on the iPhone before it can be used with iTunes". It means you need to unlock your disabled screen with iTunes Recovery mode.
iTunes cannot connect to iPhone locked with passcode
Method 5- Use iTunes Recovery Mode to Restore iPhone if forgot passcode
Recovery Mode is a built-in iOS troubleshooting mode where you can use an app — either iTunes or Finder to diagnose and fix the problems of your iPhone when it is connected to the computer. Since your iPhone is locked/disabled, iTunes can not detect it automatically. For this reason, you need to put your locked iPhone into recovery mode first. Recovery mode allows you to erase the iPhone, giving you access to configure your iPhone again.
Requirements：
- You need a PC or a Mac
- On a PC: Ensure the installation of Windows 8 or later and the latest version of iTunes.
- On a Mac:
- macOS Catalina or newer, launch the Finder.
- macOS Mojave or older, install and open the latest version of iTunes.
Steps: ( For Windows Users)
- Turn off your iPhone
- Unplug your iPhone from the computer if it’s connected.
- Turn off your iPhone using the method for your iPhone model:
- iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, and later, including iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation): Press and hold both the side button and the Volume down button until the power off slider appears.
- iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 6s, and iPhone 6: Press and hold the side button until the power off slider appears.
- iPhone SE (1st generation), iPhone 5s, and earlier: Press and hold the top button until the power off slider appears.
- Get ready by finding the button on your iPhone that you'll need to hold in the next step:
- iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, and later, including iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation) use the side button.
- iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus use the Volume down button
- iPhone SE (1st generation), and iPhone 6s and earlier use the Home button.
See the recovery mode screen
If you see the passcode screen, you need to repeat step 1 turn off your iPhone and step 2 put your iPhone in recovery mode again.
- Open iTunes and iTunes will show "There is a problem with the iPhone that requires it to be updated or restored". Click Restore.
- Then iTunes prompts "Are you sure you want to restore the iPhone to its factory settings? All of your media and other data will be erased". Click Restore and Update.
- A window of iPhone Software Update will appear. Click Next and click Agree on the terms. iTunes will start downloading the software for your iPhone. It will restore your iPhone when the download process finishes.
- Depending on your internet speed and download source, the download time will vary from 20 mins to 2h. Click this download icon in the top-right corner to check the download progress.
- When the "iPhone software update" is downloaded, iTunes will pop up “iTunes will erase and restore your iPhone to iOS 15.4.1 and will verify the restore with Apple. ” Then click Restore
- The above-middle bar will show “Extracting software…”. It means iOS 15.4.1 iTunes is preparing to restore the software on this iPhone.
- Your iPhone will show the restoration progress with a white Apple logo. It takes between 20 minutes and 2 hours to restore your iPhone, depending on the amount of data. And when the restoration is complete, your iPhone will automatically restart. iTunes will display as follows:
- After your iPhone restarts, you can reset your iPhone from scratch. You can create a new passcode if you want.
The iPhone is required to be updated or restored
All of your media and other data will be erased
Click this icon to check the download process
Tips: If the download takes more than 30 minutes or your device exits the recovery mode screen, you can then Repeat Step 1 turn off your iPhone, and step 2 Put your iPhone in recovery mode, and start again.
If an error message prompts “There was a problem downloading the software. The network connection timed out.”, you can manually download the “ iPhone software update”.
iTunes is preparing to restore the software on this iPhone
iTunes is restoring the software on this iPhone
Your iPhone has been restored to factory settings
Tips:When comes to the “ Apps & Data" interface, if you have not backed up your iPhone using iTunes, Finder, or iCloud before being locked, click “Don’t Transfer Apps & Data " directly. On the other hand, if you have been proactive and have made backups before being locked out, you can select “Restore from iCloud Backup” or “Restore from Mac or PC”, depending on your personal backup strategy.
Set up Apps & Data
Disadvantages:
- The whole process is complex and tricky, not friendly with newcomers.
- Your iPhone may be stuck during the download or recovery mode process, which means you have to start from scratch.
- It has a low success rate which may take you a few hours and may not succeed in the end.
- Various unpredictable error codes may appear due to tech bugs. (Apple rarely updates iTunes) For example,
- iTunes won’t download or update–Entry Not Found, iTunes Error 7
- iTunes could not connect to this iPhone–iTunes Error Codes 13, 39, 2000, 2001.
- iTunes Won't Restore iPhone—iTunes Error Codes 9, 4005, 4013, 4014.
Also Read :10 Easy Ways To Fix iPhone Error 4013
Part 3 Avoid Using Siri to Save Your Valuable Time
While searching “I forgot my iPhone passcode” or “forgot iPhone passcode” your eyes might have rolled through “Unlock Forgotten iPhone Passcode via Siri”. Let me tell you beforehand this way is super limited. I suggest that if you wish to save your precious time, avoid trying Siri.
Disadvantages:
- It only supports iOS versions under 10.1.
- Inconveniently, this method is quite time-consuming and does not guarantee 100% success.
- You can only use it when your iPhone is enabled. Turn on your iPhone and enter the passcode at least once after turning it on. In other words, if the iPhone is still encrypted (The passcode has not been entered after it has been turned on), Siri won't work.
- Apple ID and password are required.
FAQs:
1. Is this tutorial available for all iPhone models?
Yes, this article is of great value for all iPhone models. Specifically, I prefer Mobitrix LockAway as it supports iPhone 5s through iPhone 13, iOS 12/13/14/15, and later. Erase iPhone option is available for some versions of iOS 15.2 and later, as stated above, while other methods are either not user-friendly or have strict limitations.
2. I entered the wrong passcode 10 times and my iPhone deleted all data automatically. Why did that happen?
If all your iPhone’s data is deleted automatically after 10 wrong passcode attempts, the reason is that you must have set your iPhone to delete all data after 10 consecutive wrong passcode attempts. Don’t worry. You can turn this feature off by following steps:
- Go to Settings
a. On an iPhone with Face ID: Tap Face ID & Passcode.
b. On an iPhone with a Home button: Tap Touch ID & Passcode. - Turn Off Erase Data.
3. How to back up your iPhoneas a proactive approach to avoid data loss in case you forgot your iPhone passcode again?
- How to back up with iCloud
a. Connect your iPhone to Wi-Fi.
b. Open your Settings and then click Apple ID.
c. Go to iCloud and toggle the iCloud Backup option.
d. Click "Back up now" and wait for the procedure to end. - How to back up with your Mac (Finder)
a. Launch Finder on your Mac with macOS Catalina or later and connect your iPhone to the Mac.
b. Follow the instructions on the screen and enter your iPhone passcode or confirm "Trust this computer"
c. Select your iPhone from the list.
d. Select your iPhone in the sidebar and click "Back up now" - How to back up with your PC
a. Launch iTunes on your PC and connect your iPhone to the PC.
b. Follow the prompt to enter your iPhone passcode or confirm "Trust this computer"
c. Select your iPhone in the iTunes list.
d. Go to the summary in iTunes and click "Back up now"
Also Read :
- [4 Ways] Fix "iPhone is disabled connect to iTunes" Error
- [5 Ways] How To Fix If iPhone Shows Your Passcode Expired?
- [6 Ways] How to Know If Someone Blocked You on iMessage 2022
- [6 Easy Ways] How to Hide Photos on iPhone 2022?
Summary:
Undoubtedly, A locked iPhone is a hard nut to crack, but I’ve made it as easy as possible with this article. With Mobitrix LockAway, it becomes easier, just like bread and butter with zero requirements, a 99% success rate, and easy steps to follow.
Now follow the expert advice given in this article, and boom, Problem solved!
FAQs
How do you unlock an iPhone if you forgot the passcode? ›
If you can't remember your passcode when you try again, use a computer to put your iPhone in recovery mode. Recovery mode allows you to erase the iPhone, giving you access to set it up again. After you erase your iPhone, you can restore your data and settings from a backup.
How do I unlock my iPhone 5 if I forgot my passcode without iTunes? ›- All Apple Devices with Same Apple ID.
- Tap on Erase iPhone.
- Choose Unlock Screen Passcode.
- Click Start Now Button to Remove Screen Passcode.
- Tap on Unlock Now to Remove Screen Passcode.
- Screen Passcode Removed Successfully.
- Joy Taylor.
After six unsuccessful attempts at entering the correct passcode, an iPhone disables for one minute. After the seventh attempt, it disables for five minutes; and after try number eight, it disables for fifteen minutes. On the tenth failed attempt, the iPhone will become permanently disabled.
Is it possible to bypass a iPhone Lockscreen? ›Restore iPhone & Bypass Passcode
Another way to bypass the passcode is using iTunes to bypass your iPhone passcode with the “Restore iPhone” feature or using another way to restore your iPhone. Learn more about 3 methods to restore your iPhone.
Step 1. Settings > Tap on General > Transfer or Reset [Device] > Tap on Erase All Content and Settings. Step 2. Tap on Erase iPhone > Tap on Erase iPhone to confirm > Enter your screen passcode.
How long does it take for failed passcode attempts to go away? ›An iPhone will disable for 1 minute after six failed passcode attempts in a row. The seventh incorrect passcode attempt will lock you out for 5 minutes, the eighth attempt for 15, and the tenth for an hour.
How long it would take it break a passcode? ›A 12-character password containing at least one upper case letter, one symbol and one number would take 34,000 years for a computer to crack.
How do I reset my passcode after too many attempts? ›- Ensure that your watch and iPhone are close to each other.
- On your iPhone, open the Watch app and tap My Watch.
- Go to General > Reset.
- Select Erase Apple Watch Content and Settings. Then follow the onscreen instructions.
Quickly press and release the Volume Up button. Quickly press and release the Volume Down button. Press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears, then release the Side button.
How do I force my iPhone to factory reset? ›Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone. Do one of the following: Prepare your content and settings to transfer to a new iPhone: Tap Get Started, then follow the onscreen instructions. When you finish, return to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone, then tap Erase All Content and Settings.
How do you wipe an iPhone 5 without the password? ›
- Go to iCloud.com in a web browser and sign in with your iCloud account.
- Click on Find My iPhone and then click on “All Devices”.
- Select your iPhone from the list.
- Then, click on “Erase iPhone” to erase all data on your iPhone.
Only your carrier can unlock your iPhone. Contact them and request an unlock. After you submit the request, it might take a few days to complete. Contact your carrier to check the status of your request.
What happens after 1 hour lock iPhone? ›If the passcode was set since the last time you synced, you will need to force the phone into recovery mode to bypass it. When the hour is up, you will be given another opportunity to enter the correct passcode.
How long does it take to crack a 6 digit iPhone passcode? ›Matthew Green, assistant professor and cryptographer at John Hopkins Information Security Institute, said this morning on Twitter that with an exploit that disables Apple's passcode-guessing protections, a 4-digit passcode is crackable in 6.5 minutes on average, while a 6-digit passcode can be calculated in 11 hours.
How long does it take a hacker to crack an 8 digit password? ›The findings suggest that even an eight-character password — with a healthy mix of numbers, uppercase letters, lowercase letters and symbols — can be cracked within eight hours by the average hacker.
How long does it take to crack a 6 digit PIN? ›10–12 milliseconds. A 6 character password is too trivial to even consider.
What happens after too many failed passcode attempts on iPhone? ›After you enter incorrect passcode several times, it will trigger apple security measure with a disabled time: 5 incorrect passcode entries in a row – iPhone is disabled, try again in 1 minute. 6 incorrect passcode entries in a row – iPhone is disabled, try again in 5 minutes.
How do I reset my iPhone after 10 attempts? ›...
How to turn on Erase Data
- On your iPhone, launch Settings.
- Tap Face ID & Passcode.
- When prompted, enter your passcode.
- Scroll all the way down, and turn on Erase Data.
FAQ: How long does a Security Lockout last on iPhone? While your iPhone goes to Security Lockout screen with a 15 minutes timer after the ninth wrong attempt to enter your passcode, there is one other option appearing on the bottom right corner of the screen — Erase iPhone.
Can I change my iPhone passcode from another device? ›No. The passcode can only be changed from within the device itself.
How do I turn off my disabled iPhone passcode? ›
- From a Home screen on your Apple® iPhone®, navigate: Settings. Face ID & Passcode. . ...
- Enter your passcode then tap. Turn Passcode Off. . When the passcode is turned off, Face ID is disabled.
- Enter your passcode to confirm. If prompted, enter the Apple ID Password then tap. Turn off. .
When you enter an incorrect password 10 times, iPhone gets locked to avoid brute-force password crack. Hence, instead of making consecutive incorrect passcode attempts, you should learn how to reset iPhone forgot password to prevent your device from being disabled.