If your Apple ID is locked or disabled, you won't be able to sign in to any Apple services. Keep reading to learn how you can regain access.

Apple ID locked
If you or someone else enters your password, security questions, or other account information incorrectly too many times, Apple automatically locks your ‌Apple ID‌ for security reasons. If that's happened to your account, here are some of the kinds of messages you'll see:

  • "This ‌Apple ID‌ has been disabled for security reasons."
  • "You can't sign in because your account was disabled for security reasons."
  • "This ‌Apple ID‌ has been locked for security reasons."

Fortunately, you can unlock your ‌Apple ID‌ fairly quickly by verifying your identity. Here's how it works.

How to Unlock a Disabled Apple ID

  1. Open a browser and go to iforgot.apple.com.
  2. Enter your ‌Apple ID‌ email in the box.
    apple id locked

  3. Follow the onscreen prompts and answer the questions to verify that you are the owner of the account.
  4. If you're having trouble, call Apple support on 800-APL-CARE (800-275-2273) or chat to an Apple specialist online.

After you change your password, you might need to update it in your iCloud settings and in any Apple services that you sign in to with your ‌Apple ID‌.

Popular Stories

Apple Logo Black

Apple Just Made Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever After Beats

Thursday January 29, 2026 10:07 am PST by
Apple today confirmed to Reuters that it has acquired Q.ai, an Israeli startup that is working on artificial intelligence technology for audio. Apple paid close to $2 billion for Q.ai, according to sources cited by the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone and audio brand Beats in 2014. Q.ai has...
Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. In his Powe...
14 inch MacBook Pro Keyboard

Apple Changes How You Order a Mac

Saturday January 31, 2026 10:51 am PST by
Apple recently updated its online store with a new ordering process for Macs, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. There used to be a handful of standard configurations available for each Mac, but now you must configure a Mac entirely from scratch on a feature-by-feature basis. In other words, ordering a new Mac now works much like ordering an...
Apple Logo Black

Apple's Next Launch is 'Imminent'

Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models. "All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pros Reportedly Launching Alongside macOS 26.3

Sunday February 1, 2026 5:42 am PST by
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...