Forgot your iPhone passcode? How to reset it without the password

There is no official way to unlock an iPhone without its passcode, and on a modern iPhone there is no unofficial way either. What you can do is erase it and set it up again, then bring your data back from a backup. Apple offers three ways to do that. Pick the first one that fits your situation; all three end in the same place.

The good news is that if you used iCloud Backup, iCloud Photos or a computer backup, you will likely get almost everything back, from photos and messages to apps and your Home Screen layout. The bad news is that anything that lived only on the phone, and was never backed up or synced, is gone. So before you erase, it is worth a few minutes to check what iCloud already holds. It also helps to know which iOS version the phone was on, since older versions do not show the Forgot Passcode option on the lock screen and need Method 2 or 3 instead.

Before you start

• Know your Apple Account email and password. You need them after the reset. If you have forgotten the password, reset your Apple Account password from another device first.
• Check what is backed up by signing in at icloud.com on a computer.
• Charge the iPhone, or keep it plugged in during the reset.

How to factory reset iPhone without password: 3 ways

This needs iOS 15.2 or later and a cellular or Wi-Fi connection on the locked iPhone. If Forgot Passcode does not appear, the phone is probably offline or on older iOS, so use Method 2 or 3.

No computer? A family member can use the Find My app on their iPhone: tap Me, then Help a Friend, and sign in with your Apple Account to reach the same erase option. If the locked iPhone is offline, the erase starts the next time it connects to the internet. This method needs Find My to have been turned on before you got locked out.

Recovery mode buttons by model

• iPhone 8 and later, including iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation): the side button.
• iPhone 7 and 7 Plus: the volume down button.
• iPhone SE (1st generation), 6s and earlier: the Home button.

On a Mac with macOS Catalina or later, use Finder. On an older Mac or on Windows 10 or 11, use the Apple Devices app, or iTunes if the Apple Devices app is not available. Update the app and the computer before you start, since an outdated version is a common cause of failed restores.

Restore failed or iPhone left recovery mode?

• Left recovery mode: if the download takes more than 15 minutes, the iPhone exits recovery mode. Let the download finish, then repeat the button steps and choose Restore again.
• Unknown error during restore: try a different Apple cable and a USB port directly on the computer, not a hub. Restart the computer and try again.
• Computer does not see the iPhone: check you are holding the right button for your model, and that the cable carries data, not only charging.
• Still failing: an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider can restore it for you.

After the reset: Activation Lock

When the iPhone restarts, it shows Hello and then iPhone Locked to Owner. Enter the Apple Account email and password that were on the phone. On recent iOS versions you may also see Unlock with Passcode, which lets you use the old device passcode instead, if you remember it. Once past this screen, choose Restore from iCloud Backup, or Restore from Mac or PC, and sign in. See how to restore an iPhone from a backup.

Which passcode did you forget?

• The iPhone passcode that unlocks the screen: use the methods on this page.
• The Screen Time passcode that protects app limits: you do not need to erase anything. See how to change a forgotten Screen Time passcode.
• The Apple Account password: reset it from a trusted device or iforgot.apple.com, with no erase needed. See how to reset your Apple Account password.
• A SIM PIN: if the screen asks for a SIM PIN, contact your carrier for the PUK code. Do not guess, since too many wrong tries lock the SIM.

Mixing these up is common, and erasing a phone when only the Screen Time or Apple Account password was forgotten loses data for no reason.

Why no tool can unlock it and keep your data

Data on an iPhone is encrypted with a key that depends on your passcode. Without the passcode, the data cannot be read by anyone, including Apple, repair shops or the software sold online as an unlock tool. Those tools erase the iPhone the same way Method 3 does, only for a fee. If a site claims to unlock your iPhone and keep your photos, it is misleading you. Your photos come back only from iCloud or a backup.

No computer and no internet?

The lock screen method needs the iPhone online, and Find My needs it to connect at some point. If the phone has no SIM and no known Wi-Fi, and you have no computer, take it to an Apple Store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider, where they can restore it for you. A library or a friend’s computer with the Apple Devices app or Finder also works.

How long a reset takes

• Lock Screen or Find My erase: a few minutes.
• Recovery mode restore: the iOS download can take 15 to 30 minutes or more on a slow connection, plus about 10 minutes to install.
• Restoring your data: settings come back in minutes, while apps and photos download over the next hours on Wi-Fi.

Once you are back in

• Set a passcode you will remember, and use it now and then even with Face ID.
• Turn on iCloud Backup, and check it ran, in Settings › [your name] › iCloud › iCloud Backup.
• Save your Apple Account password in a safe place at home.
• Add a recovery contact in Settings › [your name] › Sign-In & Security › Account Recovery.

Resetting an iPhone to sell it

If you know the passcode, the right way to prepare an iPhone for sale is Settings › General › Transfer or Reset iPhone › Erase All Content and Settings, which also signs out of your Apple Account and removes Activation Lock. If you forgot the passcode, use the methods above, then remove the iPhone from your account at icloud.com/find so the buyer can set it up. A phone still linked to your account is worth much less. See how much your iPhone is worth.