How to Reset Your Apple ID Password (Now Called Apple Account)

Here's the catch. If you'll have your trusted device or trusted phone number back soon, Apple's advice is to wait for it. Starting account recovery without them can take several days or more, and using a signed-in device during that wait cancels the request. Apple ID has been renamed Apple Account, but you still sign in with the same email address or phone number and password.

Which route fits your situation

Your situation	What to do
You're signed in on another iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch or Apple Vision Pro	Change your password on that trusted device
New phone, same trusted phone number	Choose Forgot Password? and verify with a code sent to that number
No trusted device, but you have recovery factors	Reset with your trusted number, recovery contact code, email or card details
No trusted device and no recovery factors	Request account recovery at iforgot.apple.com or in the Support app
Account says disabled for security reasons	Reset your password to regain access

A trusted device is an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro or Mac where you've already signed in to your Apple Account with two-factor authentication. Apple knows it's yours, so it can verify you without the long wait.

Reset it with Forgot Password?

1. Look for Forgot password? or Forgot password or don't have an Apple Account? on the screen where you're signing in. It appears when setting up a new device, signing in from the Settings app or buying in the App Store.
2. Follow the onscreen instructions. They'll send you to a trusted device, ask for recovery factors such as a two-factor code sent to your trusted phone number, or help you regain access after a waiting period.
3. Set your new password.

If you think you know the password but can't remember which email address the account uses, try the different addresses and numbers you might have linked to it. Any of them will sign you in.

The recovery factors to have ready

If you're not signed in on a trusted Apple device, you'll need to prove who you are. Apple may ask for any of these, so gather them before you start:

• Your trusted phone number, the one set up to receive two-factor verification codes from Apple.
• A six-digit code from your recovery contact, if you set one up. Contact them first so they're ready.
• Access to the email address on your Apple Account.
• The CVV of the credit card linked to your Apple Account. If the card issuer declines the check, you'll see an alert that the information is incorrect even when it isn't. If that happens, choose Don't have access to this card.
• A recovery key or Security Keys for Apple Account, if you set up either. With these the process is different.

When you need full account recovery

Account recovery is for when you've got no trusted device and can't give Apple enough recovery factors, for example after trading in your old iPhone and starting a new phone number. For your security it can take several days or more.

1. On a device with iOS 17 or later or macOS 27 or later, go to iforgot.apple.com in Safari and follow the instructions. When possible, the site redirects you to a trusted device.
2. Or use the Support app on a borrowed device or one at an Apple Store. Scroll to Support Tools, select Reset Password, then select Help Someone Else. Nothing you enter is stored on that device.
3. If you started on the web, turn off all your Apple devices during the wait. If you started on a device with iOS 17, iPadOS 17 or macOS 27 or later, you can keep using that device.
4. If you remember your password or find a device you're still signed in on, sign in or change your password there. Either one cancels the recovery request.

The last point trips people up. An old iPad you'd forgotten about can cancel your request just by being active while signed in, so if you can't use it, turn it off.

Set up a recovery contact before you need one

A recovery contact is someone you trust who can get you a six-digit recovery code during account recovery. Enter that code and you can reset your Apple Account password. They get no access to your account, and Apple doesn't know who your recovery contacts are, so remember who you picked. You can add up to five.

1. Go to Settings, then tap your name.
2. Tap Sign-In & Security, then tap Recovery Contacts.
3. Tap Add Recovery Contact and follow the onscreen steps.
4. Choose a recommended contact or tap Choose Someone Else. Someone in your Family Sharing group is added automatically, while anyone else accepts the invitation in Messages.

There are conditions. Your devices must run iOS 15, iPadOS 15 or macOS Monterey 12 or later, and so must your contact's. You both need iMessage turned on and must be over the age of 13, which varies by country or region. On a Mac, the same steps start from the Apple menu, System Settings, then your name.

Turn on two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication is what makes your other devices trusted, and it's the default for most accounts. When you sign in on a new device or the web, you need your password plus the six-digit code shown on your trusted devices or sent to your trusted phone number. Apple Pay and Sign in with Apple both require it. To turn it on, go to Settings, choose your name, then Sign-In & Security, and turn on two-factor authentication. On the web, sign in at account.apple.com and tap Upgrade Account Security.

If your account was created with two-factor authentication, it can't be removed. If you only just turned it on, you can lower your account security within two weeks of enrolling.

If your Apple Account is locked or disabled

A message saying your account was disabled or locked for security reasons means someone, perhaps you, entered your password or other account details incorrectly too many times. Resetting your password is how you regain access. If the message says your account is locked or not active, tap Request Access in the alert. If you're told the account is locked and can't be used, your options are a new Apple Account, or an Activation Lock support request if you have proof of purchase for the device.

My verdict on resetting your Apple Account password

I'd always try a trusted device first, because it skips account recovery and its wait. If your trusted phone number is coming back in a day or two, I'd wait for it rather than start recovery now. And once you're back in, I'd add a recovery contact that same day. If you're resetting because you're passing on a device, sort the password first, then sign out of iCloud and factory reset the iPhone in that order.

Frequently asked questions

Is an Apple ID the same as an Apple Account?

Yes. Apple ID is now Apple Account. You can still sign in with the same email address or phone number and password.

How long does Apple account recovery take?

For your security, account recovery could take several days or more. Signing in on a trusted device or remembering your password cancels the request.

Can I reset my Apple ID password without my phone number?

Yes, if you have other recovery factors such as a code from your recovery contact, your account email or the card linked to your account. Otherwise, request account recovery.

What does a recovery contact do?

A recovery contact can get you a six-digit recovery code during account recovery. They have no access to your account.

Why does my card verification fail when I reset my password?

If the card issuer declines the verification, you see an alert that the information is incorrect even if the CVV was right. Choose Don't have access to this card.