In iOS 17, if you change your iPhone's passcode and forget it soon after, Apple offers you a 72-hour grace period to fix it without getting locked out of your device. Here's how it works.

iphone passcode green
In iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, it is now possible to reset an iPhone or iPad's new passcode with the previous passcode you used for up to three days after the change is made. In other words, Apple lets you use your old passcode within 72 hours of setting a new one, which is handy if you're someone who is likely to forget a newly created passcode.

When you enter an incorrect passcode on a device running iOS 17 after making a change, simply tap on the Forgot Passcode? option at the bottom of the display to use the Try Passcode Reset option. Tapping it allows you to use your old passcode to create yet another new passcode.

iOS 17 Passcode Reset Feature
For protection in case someone has learned your passcode, there is also an "Expire Previous Passcode Now" setting that you can make use of. (Note that if you use this option, you'll no longer be able to use your old passcode to gain access to your device if you forget your new passcode.) To use the new option in iOS 17, follow these steps:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Scroll down and select Face ID/Touch ID & Passcode.
  3. Under "Temporary Passcode Reset," tap Expire Previous Passcode Now.
  4. Tap Expire Now to confirm.

settings

It is still possible to change an Apple ID account's password with an iPhone's passcode, despite a Wall Street Journal report in February highlighting instances of thieves spying on iPhone users in public when they enter their passcode, and then stealing the device in order to gain widespread access to the device.

Apple's software engineering chief Craig Federighi in June 2023 said Apple has continued to "look at other ways to address this," but no changes have been made as of yet. To make theft harder, Apple recommends that users switch from a four-digit passcode to an alphanumeric passcode, which would be more difficult for thieves to spy on. This can also be done in Settings under Face ID & Passcode -> Change Passcode.

Top Rated Comments

jaworq Avatar
20 months ago

It is still possible to change an Apple ID account's password with an iPhone's passcode, despite a Wall Street Journal report in February highlighting instances of thieves spying on iPhone users in public ('https://www.macrumors.com/2023/02/24/iphone-stolen-passcodes-report/') when they enter their passcode, and then stealing the device in order to gain widespread access to the device.

Apple's software engineering chief Craig Federighi in June 2023 said ('https://www.macrumors.com/2023/06/10/the-talk-show-live-from-wwdc-2023/') Apple has continued to "look at other ways to address this," but no changes have been made as of yet. To make theft harder, Apple recommends that users switch from a four-digit passcode to an alphanumeric passcode, which would be more difficult for thieves to spy on. This can also be done in Settings under Face ID & Passcode -> Change Passcode.

Article Link: iOS 17: How to Change a New iPhone Passcode If You Forget It ('https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/ios-change-your-new-passcode-if-you-forget-it/')
The biggest mistake is 4/6-digit passcode required to change the iCloud password... WTF. Current iCloud password should be provided to change the password. We can remember and/or store such password in some other place than Settings > Passwords and voila. Thief is no longer able to log us out from our iCloud by changing the password.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
5097842 Avatar
20 months ago

The biggest mistake is 4/6-digit passcode required to change the iCloud password... WTF. Current iCloud password should be provided to change the password. We can remember and/or store such password in some other place than Settings > Passwords and voila. Thief is no longer able to log us out from our iCloud by changing the password.
This! It's crazy you don't have to enter the current password to change it. That is just basic security.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iFishishh Avatar
20 months ago
They should add ways to see your phone screen on other devices. That way if you get the black screen of death from say water damage or the like, you can back up your data if you haven’t previously.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
beanbaguk Avatar
20 months ago

People do it, nice option. Unless your ex-partner gets your device and you change the code. But they can use old within the time frame.
You have bigger problems if your ex-partner can get hold of your phone!

ETA: @TechnoMonk is one of those ex-partners… ?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jlc1978 Avatar
20 months ago
I went with an alpha numeric passcode for heightened security. I’ve at least been able to convince family members to go to 6 digit and not use 000000. I suspect most folks do not realize the potential dangers from a lost phone and easily guessed passcode.


They should add ways to see your phone screen on other devices. That way if you get the black screen of death from say water damage or the like, you can back up your data if you haven’t previously.
I suspect most damage that causes a black screen would mean an external connection would not work either. Would be useful for cracked or damaged but powered on screens.

I am surprised by how many people simply never backup their phones; yet their entire lives a run on it. If you don’t trust the cloud at least backup to a computer. What would be nice is Time Machine for iOS/iPadOS.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
steve09090 Avatar
20 months ago

This seems like an issue which was solved before it became an actual problem. If I'm changing my passcode, there is a reason, I don't need the increased security risk of having two passcodes for a few days.
Do people not actually read the article? You can cancel using the expired password.


For protection in case someone has learned your passcode, there is also an "Expire Previous Passcode Now" setting that you can make use of. (Note that if you use this option, you'll no longer be able to use your old passcode to gain access to your device if you forget your new passcode.) To use the new option in iOS 17, follow these steps:
[LIST=1]
* Open Settings.
* Scroll down and select Face ID/Touch ID & Passcode.
* Under "Temporary Passcode Reset," tap Expire Previous Passcode Now.
* Tap Expire Now to confirm.

Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple One Apps Feature 2

Apple One's Best Plan Now Includes Two More Perks For Free

Monday March 10, 2025 6:40 am PDT by
Apple One allows you to subscribe to up to six Apple services for one discounted monthly price. There are three Apple One tiers: Individual, Family, and Premier. Over the last month, the highest-end ‌Apple One‌ Premier plan has gained two additional perks. Here is what Apple One Premier already included, for $37.95 per month:Apple Music Apple TV+ Apple Arcade Apple News+ Apple Fitness+...
iPhone 16 Pro vs iPhone 17 Air Feature

iPhone 17 Air and 17 Pro Max Allegedly Same Size Apart From Thickness

Friday March 7, 2025 2:45 am PST by
Apple's all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air shares the same dimensions as the iPhone 17 Pro Max, with the only difference being in the thickness of the devices, according to the leaker Ice Universe. Posting to their Weibo account, the Chinese leaker today claimed that the iPhone 17 Air and iPhone 17 Pro Max have identical body length, width, screen size, and bezels. "The only difference is the...
2016 12 inch macbook feature

Apple Introduced Its Most Controversial MacBook 10 Years Ago Today

Sunday March 9, 2025 1:00 am PST by
Apple announced the infamous 12-inch Retina MacBook a decade ago today, an experimental new Mac that was as controversial as it was revolutionary. Apple unveiled the 12-inch MacBook on March 9, 2015, at the "Spring Forward" event in San Francisco, California. The event was primarily focused on the Apple Watch, which was being fully detailed ahead of its launch the following month, so the...
Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock Light

iOS 19 Will Bring Biggest Design Overhaul Since iOS 7

Monday March 10, 2025 12:17 pm PDT by
Apple is planning for a major design overhaul of the iPhone, iPad, and Mac interfaces with the introduction of iOS 19, iPadOS 19, and macOS 16 later this year, reports Bloomberg. The update will "fundamentally change" the look of Apple's operating system, introducing a more consistent cross-platform experience. Apple plans to update the style of icons, menus, apps, windows, and system...
iPhone 17 Pro Render Front Page Tech

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 8 New Features

Tuesday March 4, 2025 3:15 pm PST 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. iPhone 17 Pro's alleged design via Front Page Tech Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone...
iphone 17 mockups idevicehelp

Video Shows iPhone 17 Mockups Based on 'Internal Documents'

Monday March 10, 2025 4:41 am PDT by
YouTuber iDeviceHelp on Friday posted a video that shows off mockups of Apple's forthcoming iPhone 17 models that are purportedly based on "internal documents." We're sharing the video here since it was made in collaboration with leaker Majin Bu, who last month published similar iPhone 17 renders that were widely corroborated by separate leakers with links to Apple's Chinese supply chain....
iphone 17 pro asherdipps

iPhone 17 Pro Max Said to Be Thicker to Accommodate Larger Battery

Friday March 7, 2025 2:47 am PST by
Apple has increased the thickness of the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro Max compared to the current generation iPhone 16 Pro Max, claims the Chinese leaker known as Ice Universe. Apple is said to have increased the depth of the iPhone 17 Pro Max to 8.725mm, up from 8.25mm on the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which would be a 0.475mm difference in thickness. The increase "surely means a larger battery,"...
Apple MacBook Air hero

New MacBook Air Quietly Fixes This Decades-Long Design Oversight

Friday March 7, 2025 6:58 am PST by
In a move that probably won't make headlines but should delight detail-oriented Mac users everywhere, Apple has quietly corrected a 26-year-old design inconsistency on its keyboards. The Mute key, a staple on Mac keyboards since the PowerBook G3 'Lombard' debuted in 1999, has finally received a logical redesign on the new MacBook Air with M4 chip. As spotted by iCulture, the key now displays ...
Apple Intelligence General Feature

Apple Delays Apple Intelligence Siri Features

Friday March 7, 2025 9:35 am PST by
Apple is delaying some of the Apple Intelligence Siri features that it expected to release in iOS 18, an Apple spokesperson said in a statement to Daring Fireball. Apple says that it is going to take longer than expected to roll out the more personalized Siri experience, and that these features will be rolled out "in the coming year.""Siri helps our users find what they need and get things...