- Apple's order of routes back in
- Step 1: turn off your iPhone
- Step 2: put your iPhone in recovery mode
- Step 3: restore your iPhone with your computer
- What you get back after the reset
- Why Face ID suddenly asks for your passcode
- What Stolen Device Protection changes
- My verdict on getting into an iPhone without the passcode
- Frequently asked questions
You can't unlock an iPhone without its passcode and keep what's on it: Apple's only way back in is to erase the iPhone and set it up again. Try Passcode Reset first, then reset the iPhone on the device itself, and if neither works, reset it with a computer using recovery mode.
Here's the catch, and it's why there's no shortcut. Setting a passcode turns on data protection, which encrypts your iPhone data with 256-bit AES encryption. That's what stops a thief reading your phone, and it's also what stops you. Whether you get your photos and messages back depends on one thing: an iCloud or computer backup made before you forgot the passcode.
Apple's order of routes back in
| Route | When Apple says to use it |
|---|---|
| Passcode Reset | Try this first |
| Reset on the iPhone itself, without a computer | If you can't use Passcode Reset |
| Reset with a computer in recovery mode | If you can't use Passcode Reset and can't reset on the device |
| Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider | If you don't have a computer and can't borrow one |
Apple's own wording is plain: to get into your iPhone after you forget the passcode, you must reset the device, and that erases the data currently on it. If you'd turned on Erase Data, your iPhone also wipes itself after 10 consecutive failed passcode attempts.
Step 1: turn off your iPhone
Recovery mode starts from a powered-off iPhone.
- iPhone with Face ID: press and hold the side button and the volume down button until the power off slider appears, then drag the slider.
- iPhone with a Home button: press and hold the top or side button until the power off slider appears, then drag the slider.
Step 2: put your iPhone in recovery mode
Connect the cable to your Mac or Windows PC first. Then connect it to your iPhone and quickly press and hold the button for your model. Keep holding it while the Apple logo appears, and don't let go until you see an image of a computer and a cable.
| iPhone model | Button to hold |
|---|---|
| iPhone with Face ID, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation) | Side button |
| iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus | Volume down button |
| iPhone 6s and earlier, iPhone SE (1st generation) | Home button |
If the buttons don't respond and you can't reach the computer and cable screen, your iPhone might need service.
Step 3: restore your iPhone with your computer
- On a Mac, open a Finder window and select your iPhone in the sidebar under Locations. Allow the accessory to connect if you're asked.
- On Windows, open the Apple Devices app from the Microsoft Store, select your iPhone in the sidebar, select Trust if needed, then General.
- Select Restore when you're offered Restore or Update, and follow the onscreen instructions.
- If the download takes more than 15 minutes and your iPhone leaves the recovery mode screen, let the download finish, turn off your iPhone and start recovery mode again.
- When the Hello screen appears, disconnect the iPhone and set it up.
You might need to update your iPhone before the restore can finish, which is why that download can run past 15 minutes. If your iPhone restarts during the process, turn it off and start recovery mode again.
What you get back after the reset
Once the reset's done, your iPhone is back to factory settings with your old passcode gone, and you set a new one. If you made an iCloud or computer backup before you forgot the passcode, you can restore your data and settings from it. If you didn't, you set the iPhone up as new. That's why I'd tell anyone with a working iPhone today to back up your iPhone now, not after a lockout.
One difference if you can still open the phone: when you erase an iPhone through Finder or the Apple Devices app the normal way, Apple says you need to sign out of Find My before you can click Restore. Here's how to turn off Find My iPhone when you're preparing a phone you can still get into.
Why Face ID suddenly asks for your passcode
Many lockouts start with a passcode you haven't typed in weeks. Face ID and Touch ID cover most unlocks, but Apple always asks for the passcode in these cases:
- You turn on or restart your iPhone.
- You haven't unlocked it for more than 48 hours.
- You haven't used the passcode in the last 6.5 days and haven't used Face ID or Touch ID in the last 4 hours.
- Your iPhone receives a remote lock command.
- There are five failed attempts with Face ID or Touch ID.
- Someone starts Emergency SOS or tries to view your Medical ID.
So if you rarely restart your phone, the passcode can fade from memory. Too many wrong guesses and you'll see a message that iPhone is disabled, and from there the only routes are the ones above.
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What Stolen Device Protection changes
Stolen Device Protection guards against the rare case where someone steals your iPhone and knows your passcode. With it on, critical changes such as your device passcode or Apple Account password need Face ID or Touch ID, with no passcode to fall back on. More sensitive changes need a Security Delay: a successful Face ID or Touch ID, an hour's wait, then another successful scan. That gives you time to turn on Lost Mode in Find My.
To turn it on, go to Settings, tap Face ID & Passcode or Touch ID & Passcode, enter your passcode, scroll to Stolen Device Protection and turn it on. Choose Away from Familiar Locations or Always. If you don't see the option, set up Face ID or Touch ID first.
My verdict on getting into an iPhone without the passcode
I'd be wary of anything that promises to get you in without erasing, because Apple's own routes all end in a reset. Try Passcode Reset first, and only go to recovery mode with a computer if that fails. Before it ever happens, I'd keep automatic backups on, choose a passcode you'll remember, and turn on Stolen Device Protection. If you're selling the phone afterwards, my guide to how to factory reset an iPhone covers the rest.
Frequently asked questions
Can I unlock my iPhone without the passcode and keep my data?
No. To get into your iPhone after you forget the passcode, you must reset it, which erases the data on it. You can restore from a backup made before you forgot the passcode.
What should I try first if I forgot my iPhone passcode?
Try Passcode Reset first. If you can't use it, reset the iPhone on the device, and if that fails, reset it with a computer.
What if I don't have a computer to reset my iPhone?
If you can't borrow one, go to an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider for help.
Why does my iPhone ask for the passcode instead of Face ID?
Apple requires the passcode after a restart, after 48 hours without unlocking, after five failed Face ID or Touch ID attempts, and in a few other cases.
Does my iPhone erase itself after failed passcode attempts?
Only if you turned on Erase Data. It then erases all data after 10 consecutive failed passcode attempts.
