If you've forgotten the passcode for your iPhone or iPad, you can erase and reset or restore the device using your Apple ID and password. This article explains how.

ios 13 iphone ipad duo
‌iPhone‌ passcodes are usually six digits long, but they can still be forgotten, especially if the device hasn't been used for a while. If you find yourself in this predicament, you have the option to erase and reset it, after which you can restore the contents from a backup.

If you enter the wrong passcode several times on an ‌iPhone‌ running an iOS version earlier than iOS 15.2, your ‌iPhone‌ will disable itself for a time and you'll need to connect it to a computer and restore it from a backup.

If the ‌iPhone‌ is running iOS 15.2 or later, you won't need to connect it to a Mac or PC to reset it. Instead, you'll get an option to erase it when it's in Security Lockout mode, and you'll be able to restore from an iCloud backup.

The series of steps below outline the actions you need to take in both cases.

How to Reset a Locked iPhone Running iOS 15.2

The following steps assume your ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌ is running iOS 15.2 or iPadOS 15.2 or later, and is connected to a cellular or Wi-Fi network. Note that if you restart your device when you see "Security Lockout" on the Lock Screen, you won't be able to reconnect to a Wi-Fi network until your device is unlocked.

  1. From your device's Lock Screen, try entering your passcode several times until it asks you to try again later. When you can, repeat this action until you see the Erase ‌iPhone‌/‌iPad‌ option in the bottom corner of the screen.
  2. Tap Erase iPhone/iPad, then tap Erase iPhone/iPad again to confirm.
    Lock Screen

  3. Enter your ‌Apple ID‌ password to sign out of your Apple account on the device.
  4. Tap Erase iPhone/iPad once again to permanently delete all of your data and settings.
  5. When the iOS device restarts, follow the onscreen instructions to set it up again, restore your data and settings from a backup, and set a new passcode.

How to Restore a Locked iPhone Running iOS 15.1 or Earlier

  1. First, put your ‌iPhone‌ into DFU recovery mode.
  2. Next, connect it to a PC or Mac using a Lightning cable.
  3. Select your ‌iPhone‌ in the Finder sidebar on Mac, or in iTunes on the PC that it's connected to.
  4. Choose Restore when you see the option to Restore or Update. If the download takes more than 15 minutes and your device exits the recovery mode screen, let the download finish, then turn off your ‌iPhone‌ and start again.
    recovery mode iphone finder

  5. Wait for the process to complete.
  6. Disconnect your ‌iPhone‌, then turn it on and set it up.

If you're planning on trading in an old ‌iPhone‌ for a new one, there are some steps you'll want to take beforehand to ensure it's de-linked from your accessories and accounts and that everything on it is erased.

Related Forum: iOS 15

Popular Stories

CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday April 15, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update. Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.4.1 With Bug Fixes

Wednesday April 16, 2025 10:11 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1 come two weeks after the launch of iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. There have been complaints about ...
tvOS 18 Thumb 1

Apple Releases tvOS 18.4.1

Wednesday April 16, 2025 10:04 am PDT by
Apple today released tvOS 18.4.1, a minor update to the tvOS 18 operating system that came out last September. tvOS 18.4.1 comes two weeks after Apple released tvOS 18.4, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models. tvOS 18.4.1 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌Apple TV‌. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software....
iPhone Security Feature 25

Five iPhone Security Features You Should Be Using

Wednesday April 16, 2025 4:15 pm PDT by
Apple has quite a few security features that it's added to iPhones, iPads, and Macs over the years. Now more than ever, it's important to make sure you're taking advantage of the built-in security tools that are available to keep yourself and your data safe, so we've rounded up a list of the most important options. If you don't already have these enabled, you might want to consider turning...