If you forgot your iPhone passcode, there is no legitimate way to bypass it and keep using the protected data as though the passcode were known. Apple provides recovery options that either let you use a recently changed previous passcode or reset the iPhone and create a new passcode.
Try Your Previous Passcode First
If you changed the passcode within the last 72 hours on a supported version of iOS, Apple’s Passcode Reset feature may let you temporarily use the previous passcode. On the unavailable/lockout screen, tap Forgot Passcode?, choose the previous-passcode option when offered, enter the old passcode, and create a new one.
Reset a Locked iPhone Without a Computer
If Passcode Reset is not available, iOS 17 and later can offer an on-device reset from the Security Lockout or iPhone Unavailable screen. This requires an active Wi-Fi or cellular connection, Find My to have been enabled, and the Apple Account password associated with the iPhone.
- Keep entering the passcode until the unavailable/lockout screen provides Forgot Passcode?.
- Tap it, then choose to start the iPhone reset.
- Enter the Apple Account password when requested.
- Confirm that you want to erase the iPhone.
- After it restarts, set it up again and restore a backup if you have one.
Important: resetting the iPhone erases the data currently stored on it. Data can be restored only if you have an appropriate backup or synchronized data in iCloud.
What If the No-Computer Reset Option Is Missing?
The on-device option depends on software version, network connectivity, Find My, and account access. If you cannot use it, Apple’s next recovery path is to connect the iPhone to a Mac or Windows PC and restore it. If you do not have a computer you can use or borrow, Apple recommends getting help at an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider.
Can Face ID or Touch ID Replace a Forgotten Passcode?
No. iPhone periodically requires the device passcode even when Face ID or Touch ID is configured, including after a restart and in other security situations.
Can a Website or App Bypass the Passcode?
Be cautious of services that promise to reveal or bypass an iPhone passcode while preserving protected data. Apple’s supported recovery procedures do not provide a passcode-bypass method. A forgotten passcode generally leads to Passcode Reset when eligible or erasing/resetting the device.
Summary
First try Apple’s previous-passcode recovery if you recently changed your passcode. Otherwise, a supported locked iPhone can sometimes be reset directly from the lockout screen without a computer, but the process erases the device and requires the associated Apple Account password.
Matthew Roberts created this site to help his friends and family with questions that they might have about how to change the settings on their iPhones. It now serves as an archive of iPhone how-to guides to help anyone that stumbles upon this website.