iPhone Passcode Reset: Official Methods That Work in 2026

Resetting a passcode on your own iPhone depends on which route applies. On iOS 17 or later, a passcode changed within 72 hours can sometimes be replaced with the previous one without erasing. Other Apple-supported reset routes erase current device data.

#What Apple Actually Recommends Before You Reset

Start with Apple’s Previous Passcode reset. On iOS 17 or later, Apple gives you 72 hours after changing a passcode to tap Forgot Passcode?, enter the previous passcode, and set another one without resetting the device. If that option does not apply, Apple’s computer-reset guide says the reset process erases the data currently on the iPhone.

That distinction matters: Passcode Reset can preserve the data, while Reset iPhone, Recovery Mode, and remote erase don’t.

Two recurring problems show up on Reddit and Apple Community threads.

First, users assume a tool can bypass a long-forgotten passcode without erasing data. Second, they confuse restoring a backup after a reset with preserving the data that was only on the locked phone. Neither assumption changes Apple’s reset boundary.

Apple’s Platform Security guide confirms that the passcode is entangled with the device UID and provides entropy for Data Protection keys. That’s why a normal device reset erases current device data rather than revealing it behind a replacement passcode.

If the iPhone still unlocks, make a current backup before changing anything.

#How Do You Reset an iPhone Passcode With a Computer?

Recovery Mode through a Mac or Windows PC is Apple’s fallback when Passcode Reset and the on-device reset can’t be used. The computer needs an internet connection to obtain the required software.

Use Finder on Mac or the Apple Devices app on Windows.

Use a known-good Lightning or USB-C cable. If Recovery Mode disconnects mid-restore, change the cable or USB port before retrying.

#Steps to Reset via Recovery Mode

1. Turn off the iPhone, following the control sequence for a Face ID model or a model with a Home or top button.
2. Connect the cable to the computer. As you connect the other end to the iPhone, hold the model-specific button until the computer-and-cable image appears: the Side button on Face ID models and iPhone 8/8 Plus/SE (2nd or 3rd generation), Volume Down on iPhone 7/7 Plus, or Home on iPhone 6s and earlier/SE (1st generation).
3. In Finder or the Apple Devices app, select the iPhone and choose Restore when offered Restore or Update.
4. Let the computer finish the software download and restore. If the download takes long enough that the iPhone leaves Recovery Mode, let the download finish and then enter Recovery Mode again.
5. After the restore completes, the iPhone reboots to the Hello screen, ready for setup.

If Recovery Mode drops out while the software is still downloading, Apple tells you to let the download finish, turn off the iPhone, and enter Recovery Mode again. For other failures, check the cable and USB connection before repeating the erase. See iPhone won’t restore in recovery mode and the troubleshooting steps for an iPhone stuck in recovery mode.

Got a broken screen? Plugging into the computer still works. Finder and the Apple Devices app drive Recovery Mode, not the touchscreen. Our unlock an iPhone with a broken screen walkthrough covers the keypress sequence when you can’t see the display.

#How to Erase Your iPhone From the Lock Screen

Apple’s current on-device reset guide says a locked iPhone on iOS 15.2 or later can be reset without a computer when Find My was already enabled, the device has cellular or Wi-Fi access, and you know its Apple Account and password.

It needs iOS 15.2 or later, Find My, a network connection, and the Apple Account password.

#Steps to Erase From the Lock Screen

1. Enter the passcode until the iPhone Unavailable screen appears.
2. On iOS 17 or later, tap Forgot Passcode?, then Start iPhone Reset. On iOS 15.2 or iOS 16, Apple says the option appears as Erase iPhone.
3. Enter the Apple Account password to sign out of the account on the device.
4. Tap Erase iPhone to permanently delete its data and settings. The phone then restarts into setup.
5. Restore from your most recent iCloud backup during the Hello-screen flow.

This is also the path if you’re locked out of your iPhone and prefer not to involve a computer. The downside? The device must be online. If the iPhone’s been sitting in a drawer with the SIM removed, you’ll need Recovery Mode anyway.

#How to Reset Your Passcode From iCloud.com

Find My’s remote-erase feature has been around since iCloud was called MobileMe. It still works as the third official option.

Sign in to icloud.com from any browser, open Find Devices, choose the iPhone in the list, and click Erase This Device. The iPhone wipes itself the next time it sees the internet.

This method only works if Find My iPhone was switched on before the lockout. According to Apple’s current Find My erase guide, an offline-device erase starts the next time the device connects to Wi-Fi or cellular service. Apple does not promise a universal completion time.

After the erase completes, Activation Lock kicks in.

You must sign in with the Apple Account that was used before the reset. If you forgot its password, recover it at iforgot.apple.com before starting the erase. The same account issue can also surface after a remote erase; our update unavailable with this Apple Account guide explains that separate App Store message.

#Why Third-Party Tools Aren’t a Separate Unlock Route

Paid utilities can’t change the Apple Account and Activation Lock requirements documented by Apple.

If Recovery Mode fails, first follow Apple’s retry instructions, change the cable or USB connection, or ask Apple for service. Don’t pay for a tool on the promise that it will reveal the passcode, preserve data during a required reset, or remove Activation Lock from someone else’s device.

#Using a Recent Old Passcode (72-Hour Window)

iOS 17 and later include a safety net for a recently changed passcode. Apple’s Passcode Reset guide says the previous passcode remains usable for 72 hours after a change unless you expire it sooner. Tap Forgot Passcode?, choose Enter Previous Passcode, then use the old passcode and set a new one.

Set a new passcode immediately. Then go to Settings, Face ID and Passcode, and tap Expire Previous Passcode Now to disable the fallback if you want extra security.

Within that window, this is the only method on this list that does not reset and erase the device. Try it first if the passcode change is recent.

#What Happens After the Reset?

A wiped iPhone boots to Hello and walks you through Setup Assistant. The fork in the road comes when you see Apps and Data. That’s where you choose Restore from iCloud Backup, Restore from Mac or PC, or Set Up as New iPhone.

Restoring from a backup can return the data included in that backup, while cloud-synced items download after you sign in. Completion time depends on the backup, connection, and amount of content.

If you set up as new, you start with an empty iPhone. Data already synced through enabled iCloud services—such as Photos, iCloud Drive, Mail, Calendar, Contacts, or Messages in iCloud—can download after you sign in and turn those services back on. Local app data and messages that were neither synced nor included in a backup don’t return. For a deeper walkthrough of what restore actually does to your device files, see what does restore iPhone mean.

No computer handy? Use our no-computer reset guide to compare the on-device and Find My paths.

#Bottom Line

Start with Previous Passcode on iOS 17 or later if you changed the passcode within the last 72 hours. Otherwise, use the on-device reset on iOS 15.2 or later when its requirements are met; if not, use Recovery Mode through Finder or the Apple Devices app.

Don’t use a tool that claims to reveal the passcode or remove Activation Lock without the linked Apple Account, the owning organization, or Apple’s proof-of-purchase support process.

#Frequently Asked Questions