Forgot your Apple Account password? How to reset it

Apple renamed Apple ID to Apple Account, but it is the same login you use for iCloud, the App Store, iMessage and Find My. Forgetting its password is common, and Apple has several ways to reset it. Which one works depends on whether you still have a signed-in Apple device and access to your trusted phone number. Start with Method 1 if you can; it takes about a minute.

How to reset Apple ID password: 3 methods

You can also go to an Apple Store and use an in-store device with the Apple Support app to reset your password. Staff cannot reset it for you or see your password, but they can point you to the right steps.

Resetting from an Android phone or Windows PC

If you switched to Android or only have a Windows PC, use Method 3 in any browser. Enter your Apple Account email or phone number at iforgot.apple.com, confirm your trusted number, and enter the code sent to it. On Windows, you can also reset it from the iCloud for Windows app if you are still signed in. Once you are back in, consider adding a recovery contact who has an iPhone, since you no longer have an Apple device of your own to approve sign-ins.

Resetting a child’s Apple Account password

If your child is part of your Family Sharing group, you can often reset their password from your own iPhone. Go to Settings › Family, tap the child’s name, then look for Apple Account & Password and choose Change Password. The exact wording depends on your iOS version and the child’s age. Older teenagers who manage their own accounts can reset theirs with the methods above.

Choosing a new password

Apple requires at least 8 characters, including a number, an uppercase letter and a lowercase letter. A longer passphrase of three or four unrelated words with a number is both strong and easy to remember. Do not reuse a password from another site, since leaks from other services are the most common way accounts are taken over. Saving it in the Passwords app means you will not have to remember it again.

Lost access to your trusted phone number?

Two-factor authentication sends codes to your trusted devices and trusted phone number. If you changed numbers and never updated it, you can still reset from a signed-in Apple device with Method 1. From there, add your new number in Settings › [your name] › Sign-In & Security › Two-Factor Authentication and remove the old one. If you have no signed-in device and no access to the number, you will need account recovery or a recovery contact.

Recovery contact and recovery key

• Recovery contact: a trusted friend or family member with an Apple device who can generate a code to help you back in. Add one in Settings › [your name] › Sign-In & Security › Account Recovery. They cannot see your data.
• Recovery key: a 28-character code you can create in the same place. If you set one up, you must have it, or a trusted device, to reset your password. Apple cannot bypass it, so store it somewhere safe and offline.

If you only do one thing after reading this, set up a recovery contact today, while you can still sign in. It turns a days-long account recovery into a few minutes.

If you see “Account Recovery”

Account recovery is Apple's last resort when it cannot confirm who you are. It is deliberately slow to protect you from someone else taking over your account. You will get a text or call when the account is ready. Avoid using the devices signed in to that account in the meantime, because that can cancel the request.

Why Apple makes resetting hard on purpose

Your Apple Account controls your photos, messages, backups, payment cards and the ability to locate and erase your devices. If a stranger could reset the password with a few personal details, they could take all of that. So Apple relies on things only you should have: a trusted device, a trusted phone number, a recovery contact or a recovery key. The waiting period in account recovery gives you time to notice and stop a takeover attempt. It is frustrating when you are the real owner, but it is the same protection that stops thieves.

Avoid getting locked out again

• Save your password in the Passwords app or another password manager.
• Keep your trusted phone number current, and add a second number such as a partner’s.
• Add a recovery contact.
• Keep at least one Apple device signed in to your account.
• Write down your recovery key, if you create one, and keep it with other important papers at home.

Password, passcode or Activation Lock?

• Apple Account password: your login for iCloud and Apple services. Reset it with the methods above.
• iPhone passcode: the code that unlocks the screen. Forgetting it means erasing the iPhone. See how to reset an iPhone without the passcode.
• Activation Lock: appears after an iPhone is erased and asks for the Apple Account password. Reset the password first, then sign in to unlock the phone.

If you see a message that your account is locked or disabled for security reasons, the steps are a little different. See what to do when your Apple Account is locked.

After you reset the password

• Sign in again on your other devices when asked, including your Mac, iPad, Apple TV and Apple Watch.
• Check that iMessage, FaceTime and iCloud are working on each device.
• Review your trusted devices in Settings › [your name] and remove any you do not recognize.
• If you think someone else knew your old password, check Sign-In & Security for unknown phone numbers or email addresses.
• If your iPhone keeps asking for the password afterwards, see why your iPhone keeps asking for your Apple Account password.