Setting up a unique passcode on your iPhone will help you protect the device from unauthorized access and will give you peace of mind that no one is going to spy on your device. However, if you have been away for a very long time it could be frustrating remembering your iPhone passcode. So, what is the best code to unlock your iPhone if you forget the password? In this guide, I will teach you and provide answers to “how do you unlock an iPhone if you forgot the passcode?”
Meanwhile, when you forgot your iPhone passcode you have a limited attempt before you are logged out of your iPhone. You will probably be left with no option than to reset your iPhone passcode using your iCloud account.
Note: I will suggest you stop trying the last passcode you can remember in other not to worsen the situation revolving around the phone.
How Do You Unlock an iPhone if You Forgot the Passcode?
It’s not the end of life if you forget your iPhone passcode. All hope isn’t lost. There are some ways around it that you can follow to regain access to your phone. Therefore, if you forgot your iPhone passcode; follow the steps below to unlock it.
Unlock your iPhone using Passcode Reset (iOS17)
If you can remember your old iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 you can use it to reset your locked iPhone passcode. With this feature on your iOS 17 device, you can revert to the old passcode within 72 hours of creating a new passcode. The usefulness of this iOS 17 feature is if you forgot your recently changed iPhone passcode you can reset it and start using the old passcode.
- Tap on the “Forgot Password” on the “iPhone Unavailable” screen at the bottom right corner.
- Click on “Enter Previous Passcode.” You should see a message that displays how long your passcode has been changed. If your passcode was changed 24 hours ago or falls within 72 hours you will be prompted to reset with your old passcode.
Unlock your Locked iPhone using “Erase iPhone (No Computer Needed)
You will see an option to erase your iPhone after you have entered the incorrect passcode 7 times at the bottom right corner. You can use this feature to erase and reset your iPhone with forgotten passcode.
Here are the steps to take to unlock your iPhone with the erase iPhone feature when you forget your passcode.
- You must connect your iPhone to a Wi-Fi or mobile data/cellular network.
- Click on “Erase iPhone” at the bottom right corner of the phone screen.
- You may need to click “Erase iPhone” once more to confirm your option.
- Type your “Apple ID Password” to logout of your Apple ID.
- Select “Erase” from the pop-up to wipe off your iPhone and erase all content and settings.
This approach will restore your iPhone to the default settings. You will then be prompted to set up your iPhone from scratch.
Use iCloud to Unlock your iPhone
Another quick option you have to unlock an iPhone when you forget the password is to use iCloud. Meanwhile, you must be able to remember your iCloud login and use the same login in the steps below.
- Go to iCloud.com/find on a browser.
- Click on the Sign in button to sign in to your iCloud account with your username and password.
- Tap “All Devices” at the top right corner and select the “iPhone” whose passcode you can remember.
- Tap “Erase this Device.”
- You will see a pop-up that says all content and settings will be erased from your iPhone. Tap on the “Next” button to proceed.
- Enter your “Apple ID”, password and tap the “Continue” button.
Once the reset is completed you can set up your iPhone. Meanwhile, your iPhone will not be reset if it’s not connected to the internet.
Unlock your iPhone with iTunes/Finder
With the Apple iTunes or Finder you can unlock your iPhone when you forget the passcode. This is a bit tricky though. This is because iTunes or Finder won’t be able to recognize your phone. After all, it’s not connected to the internet. Therefore, you need to put your iPhone into the recovery mode for this to work.
- Connect your “iPhone” to your “Computer” or “Mac” using the lightning cable.
- Put your “iPhone” into the recovery mode.
- If you are a Windows user you need to open “iTunes.” For Mac users open “Finder.”
- Tap “Restore” from the popup.
When the process to restore your iPhone is completed you can remove your iPhone from your computer or Mac and start setting it up from scratch.
Unlock your iPhone using the Apple Device App
This is another easy way to unlock an iPhone if you forget the passcode. It works for both Windows and Mac users. So, here is how to unlock an iPhone with the Apple Device app.
- Download and install the “Apple Device App” on your Windows (from the Microsoft Store) or Mac (from the Apple App Store).
- Use the right cable to connect your iPhone to your PC. The Apple Device app will detect your iPhone automatically [for previous users]. If you haven’t used the app before you will be walked through the nitty-gritty of the app.
- Locate the “General” tab on the left and click on it.
- You should see the “Restore” button on the main view. Make sure you click on it.
Your iPhone will be restored to the factory settings. Once it’s done you will be asked to restore from your iCloud account if there is any. Or you will be asked to set up your iPhone as a new user.
The steps above are a bit different from Mac users. Follow these steps instead if you are using a Mac.
- Open “Finder” on your Mac.
- Plug your “iPhone” into your Mac using the cable.
- Your “iPhone” will appear on the sidebar of the “Finder” after a couple of seconds. This should be done automatically. You don’t have to manually ask “Finder” to detect your iPhone.
- Tap “Restore” and follow the on-screen instructions.
If you followed this correctly your iPhone will be unlocked and you will be granted access. However, the downside is that you may be asked to type your passcode to sync with the Apple device.