Apple ID locked for security reasons? How to unlock it

Apple locks an Apple Account, the new name for Apple ID, to protect it when something looks wrong: too many wrong passwords, or sign-in attempts Apple considers suspicious. While it is locked, you cannot sign in to iCloud, the App Store or iMessage on new devices. The fix is almost always a password reset, but first make sure the message is real, because fake lock warnings are one of the most common Apple scams.

Which lock message do you see?

• “This Apple Account has been locked for security reasons” or “disabled for security reasons”: too many wrong password attempts or suspicious activity. A password reset unlocks it.
• “Your account has been disabled in the App Store and iTunes”: usually a billing issue, such as a declined card or unpaid balance. See the App Store section below.
• “Apple Account not active” or “not valid”: Apple has restricted the account and you need Apple Support. See what to do when an Apple ID is not active.
• A text or email saying your Apple ID is locked, with a link: almost certainly a scam. See below.

How to unlock a locked Apple ID

No trusted device and no access to your phone number? Apple starts account recovery, a deliberate waiting period while it verifies you. It can take days, and using your signed-in devices during that time can cancel the request. A recovery contact, set up in advance, skips the wait. The full options are in how to reset your Apple Account password.

Fake “Apple ID locked” messages

Scammers send texts and emails claiming your Apple ID is locked, suspended or used on a new device, with a link to “verify” it. The link leads to a copy of Apple’s sign-in page that steals your password and codes. Real lock messages appear on your iPhone, iPad or Mac, or when you sign in at account.apple.com, not as a link in a text.

• Do not tap links, reply or call numbers in these messages.
• Check your account directly in Settings › [your name] on your iPhone instead.
• Report scam texts by forwarding them to 7726, and forward phishing emails to reportphishing@apple.com.
• If you already entered your password on a fake site, change it immediately from Settings.

See how to stop spam texts on iPhone to cut down on these messages.

Account disabled in the App Store

Why your Apple ID keeps getting locked

• Someone is trying to sign in: if your email address is known, strangers can type wrong passwords against it. Two-factor authentication keeps them out, but the attempts can still trigger locks.
• An old device with an old password: an iPad, Mac, Apple TV or old iPhone may keep trying your previous password. Sign out of it, or update the password on it.
• Your password leaked: if you reused it elsewhere and that site was breached, attackers may try it. Change it to a unique one.

If locks keep happening, consider changing the email address you sign in with in Settings › [your name] › Sign-In & Security, since a less public address attracts fewer attempts.

After you unlock it: sign in everywhere again

A new password signs you out on some devices, and those devices may keep trying the old one, which can lock the account again. Go through each one soon after the reset:

• iPhone and iPad: enter the new password when prompted, or in Settings › [your name].
• Mac: System Settings › [your name].
• Apple Watch: usually follows the iPhone; open the Watch app if asked.
• Apple TV and HomePod: Settings › Users and Accounts.
• Windows: the iCloud for Windows and Apple Music or Apple TV apps.
• Android and smart TVs: Apple Music and Apple TV apps if you use them.

If your iPhone keeps asking for the password afterwards, see why an iPhone keeps asking for the Apple Account password.

Locked after signing in on a new device or abroad

Signing in from a new country, a new phone or a public computer can look suspicious, especially combined with a mistyped password. If you are traveling, reset the password from your own iPhone rather than a hotel computer, and keep your trusted phone number reachable, for example by enabling Wi-Fi Calling or keeping your home SIM active, so you can receive verification codes. When possible, approve sign-ins from a trusted device instead of waiting for a text.

A child’s Apple Account is locked

If a child in your Family Sharing group is locked out, the family organizer can often help from their own iPhone in Settings › Family, by selecting the child and looking for Apple Account & Password. Older teenagers who manage their own accounts can use the same steps as adults on this page.

Locked account on a secondhand iPhone

If you bought a used iPhone and it asks for someone else’s Apple Account after a reset, that is Activation Lock, not your account being locked. Only the previous owner can remove it, by signing in at icloud.com/find and removing the device. Contact the seller. If they cannot or will not help, the phone may be lost or stolen, so ask for a refund. See how to check if a phone is stolen.

How long does an Apple ID stay locked?

A security lock does not expire on its own. It stays until you verify your identity, usually by resetting the password, which takes a few minutes with a trusted device. If you have to go through account recovery, Apple tells you when to expect an update, often after a few days. Checking in repeatedly or signing in from many devices does not speed it up.

Before you contact Apple Support

• Have your Apple Account email or phone number ready.
• Have your trusted phone number and, if possible, a trusted Apple device nearby and charged.
• For billing locks, have the payment card or purchase details.
• Use the Apple Support app or getsupport.apple.com, and never a number from a text, email or pop-up.

Signs your account was actually hacked

• Devices you do not recognize in the device list under Settings › [your name].
• Purchases you did not make, or emails about password or email changes you did not request.
• A trusted phone number or email you did not add.

If you see any of these, change the password, remove unknown devices and numbers, check your payment history in the App Store, and contact Apple Support. Also check your bank and card statements for unfamiliar charges, and change the password of any other account that used the same one.