How to bypass iPhone passcode, if you forgot it

Forgot your iPhone passcode and got locked out? Learn how to bypass passcode on an iPhone via factory reset with 4 different tools.

Quick Tip: Apple offers several official ways to bypass your iPhone passcode when forgotten through a factory reset. If all fail, your best bet is Appgeeker iPhone Unlocker. It's reliable and can help legally bypass iOS security by removing the passcode, so you can unlock the iPhone.

It's easy to bypass your forgotten passcode on your iPhone when you're locked out.

Whether you forgot your iPhone passcode, typed it incorrectly too many times and saw the iPhone Unavailable screen, or inherited a family device with an unknown passcode, you may wonder how to bypass iPhone passcode lock and regain access.

Fortunately, it shouldn't be complicated when bypassing a passcode on a locked iPhone. Based on Apple's security system, iPhone passcode bypass requires you to erase and reset the whole device, which removes the lock screen passcode as well as any data.

This guide walks you through every effective method to bypass an iPhone passcode—from direct on-screen reset to desktop recovery technique and cloud-based wipe—while explaining exactly what to expect at every step, and eventually, you'll be able to get past the lock screen and use the phone again.

What does "Bypass iPhone Passcode" actually mean?

Before attempting any method, it is important to understand what bypassing an iPhone passcode means.

A true passcode bypass would mean accessing an iPhone without knowing the passcode while keeping all existing data intact. In fact, Apple's iOS security uses hardware-based encryption, and there is no non-destructive bypass of the iPhone passcode when you forget it completely.

Any legitimate method provided by either Apple or third-party tool for bypassing iPhone's forgotten passcode will erase all data and settings and start the device fresh.

While the locked iPhone must be reset to factory settings to remove the passcode and get past the lockout, you can restore all your personal data, photos, and apps during the setup process if you have an iCloud or computer backup.

Things to check before bypassing iPhone passcode

Before you dive into how to bypass the forgotten password on iPhone, prepare the following information:

1. Check whether you recently changed your passcode

If you changed your iPhone passcode recently and forgot the new one, iOS 17 and later include a Passcode Reset feature. Within 72 hours after changing the passcode, you may be able to use your previous passcode to create a new one.

This is the only official method that can help you reset the passcode to bypass the lock screen for full access without deleting your data. Any secret code or Siri cannot bypass modern iPhone's security barrier.

2. Check your backup status

If your iPhone must be erased for getting past a passcode when locked out, you will need an earlier backup to restore your files.

Your backups may include iCloud backup, Finder backup on Mac, iTunes backup on Windows. If you have no backup, data stored only on your iPhone may be permanently deleted after resetting.

3. Remember your Apple Account password

If Apple Account is previously logged into the iPhone, you'll be asked to sign back in to enjoy full functionalities after the passcode is bypassed or removed.

Method 1- Passcode Reset feature in iOS 17 or later

The easiest way to bypass an iPhone passcode that you can't remember without erasing the device is using Apple's built-in Passcode Reset option. This feature is available on iPhones running iOS 17 or later when you changed your passcode within the last 72 hours, and you know your previous code.

Steps to reset your iPhone passcode without losing data:

• Enter the wrong passcode several times until the lock screen shows iPhone Unavailable.
• Tap Forgot Passcode?
• Choose Enter Previous Passcode.
• Type your old passcode to bypass the lockout.
• Create a new iPhone passcode and regain access.

After completing these steps, you can unlock your iPhone with the new passcode. In case you changed your passcode more than 72 hours ago, or perhaps—you completely forgot the passcode for the iPhone that hasn't been used for a long time or even you don't know the code on the second-hand device you bought, continue with the following methods that helps with getting past the security password, which involve a factory reset.

Method 2- Direct wireless reset from the lock screen in iOS 15.2 and higher

If your iPhone is running iOS 15.2 or later, is connected to a cellular or Wi-Fi network and Find My has been enabled, it's straightforward to bypass a lock screen passcode without a computer or extra cables. Apple offers an on-service reset feature directly into the lock screen that removes the forgotten password and lets you set up the device again.

When you're locked out and enter the incorrect passcode four times, the "iPhone Unavailable" screen should appear, giving you Forgot Passcode? option (or Erase iPhone option in iOS 15.2 - iOS 16) to bypass the passcode by wiping your iPhone wirelessly with the associated Apple Account password.

1. Input random, wrong passcode until you see iPhone Unavailable screen.

2. Tap Forgot Passcode? option.

3. Choose Start iPhone Reset button.

4. Enter the Apple Account password linked to the device.

5. Choose Erase iPhone option to confirm that you want to reset the locked iPhone. This kicks off the removal of the passcode, skipping the screen lock and recovering access.

Your iPhone will display the Apple logo and a progress bar as it clears all local data, apps and settings. Once finished, it will boot up to the classic, multi-language "Hello" screen, ready to be set up as a brand-new device or restored from a backup if one is available.

Method 3- Erase iPhone passcode remotely via Find My

Likewise, if your iPhone is locked but you can access your Apple Account from another device, bypassing the passcode if forgotten is easy and can be done from iCloud Find My website. Provided that you've turned on Find My before the lockout, triggering a remote wipe of the iPhone that you forgot the passcode to is straightforward.

You can bypass the iPhone password without a computer or with it. Head to icloud.com/find on a computer or a phone you have access to. Then, sign in with your Apple Account and password. If you log in successfully, choose your locked or disabled iPhone from the All Devices panel.

After that, select Erase This Device option. This clears everything including all contents and the passcode, so that you can skip the passcode screen. The last step you have to do is entering your Apple Account password verify your identity and confirm the erase request. This requires the phone to be connected to the internet for the passcode reset to run.

When done, you're able to unlock your iPhone without passcode restrictions. Complete the setup steps, sign back in your Apple Account, restore from a backup, and create a new passcode.

Method 4- Bypass iPhone passcode if forgotten with Appgeeker iPhone Unlocker

If your device does not show the "Forgot Passcode" option to reset the iPhone directly from the Lock Screen, or if it lacks an active internet connection to receive a remote iCloud wipe, or if you don't know the Apple credentials, try resetting your iPhone with a computer to get past the screen lock after forgetting the passcode.

Sparing you from using iTunes/ Finder's recovery mode, Appgeeker iPhone Unlocker is actually an easy, smart, dedicated tool to unlock iPhone without passcode and bypass the screen locks. Whether you don't remember the iPhone passcode, or the iPhone is unavailable, security lockout or disabled, this software helps you overriding the lock screen interface entirely and removing the forgotten or unknown passcode.

Here're instructions on bypassing the lockscreen passcode on an iPhone for legitimate reasons and how the tool does a magic.

1. Download Appgeeker iPhone Unlocker on your Mac or Windows PC.

2. Launch the program, and choose Unlock iOS Screen mode.

3. Plug your iPhone into your computer with the original cable.

Note: If your iPhone is connected but cannot recognized by the program, it's possible that it never trusts the computer where it's plugged in. You need to follow the on-screen instructions to put it into recovery mode so that you can proceed with the process.

4. When your locked iPhone is detected, the application reads it and shows the information on the window. Click the Start Now button to continue.

The software begins download firmware package for your device. Wait for the process to finish.

5. Once that's done, verify that you're sure to perform a factory reset in a way to delete all data and bypass the locked iPhone passcode. Simply click OK > Confirm Again button begin the bypass.

It's all that easy. Your forgotten passcode should be bypassed successfully, letting you get back into the iPhone for full use. In addition, Appgeeker iPhone Unlocker software can also works to remove Apple ID without password, bypass iCloud Activation Lock, unlock Screen Time, get past MDM restriction, etc.

Method 5- Bypass password on locked iPhone with iTunes or Finder or Apple Devices

Putting the locked iPhone into recovery mode and restoring it via iTunes or Finder or Apple Devices app is another Apple's approved way when you forgot the passcode to bypass the lockout. This traditional system restore approach forces the device's hardware components to communicate directly with a computer, skipping the lock screen layout completely.

What you need:

• A Mac or Windows computer
• Finder installed on macOS Catalina or newer
• iTunes installed on Windows PC or an older Mac running macOS Mojave
• Apple Devices app installed on Windows 10 or 11 PC
• A USB cable

Once you're ready to erase or reset the iPhone without passcode and bypass the locked screen through Recovery Mode on a computer, do the following.

1- To begin the passcode bypass, turn off the iPhone, as usual.

2- Grab a lightning cable and connect one end of it to the computer.

3- Force recovery mode. You need to connect the cable to your iPhone while holding the correct button required for your specific device model:

• iPhone 8 and later, SE (2nd/3rd Gen): Side button
• iPhone 7 and 7 Plus: Volume Down button
• iPhone 6s and earlier, SE 1st Gen: Home button

Keep holding that button until an image of a cable and a computer show up on the phone screen.

4- Open iTunes, Finder, or Apple Devices app on the computer.

5- A notification dialog box will pop up on your computer screen stating: "There is a problem with the iPhone that requires it to be updated or restored."

6- Choose Restore. Your computer will begin downloading the official firmware archive directly from Apple's server, and restore the locked iPhone to factory settings. Anything will be deleted, including the passcode you're going to bypass.

After restoration, your iPhone will restart without the old passcode. You can then set it up as a new device or restore a backup. If the phone is previously registered with an Apple Account, you have to log back with the credentials and regain access.

Common problems for Recovery Mode restore:

These are some reasons that result in the failure of iPhone forgotten passcode bypass:

• The cable is damaged.
• Your computer does not recognize the iPhone.
• The iPhone exits recovery mode before restoration finishes. Solution - let the software download complete, and then repeat the process to get past iPhone's passcode you've forgotten.
• The restoration process is stuck with error code.

Tip: How to set an iPhone passcode after bypassing it?

After you bypass the iPhone passcode through a full reset, your device will restart without the old passcode. You can set up a new passcode during the setup, or via Settings app.

• In Settings app, scroll down and tap Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode on earlier models).
• Tap Turn Passcode On.
• Enter your new passcode in six digits. You can also tap Passcode Options to set other types of the code.
• Enter the password again to verify and activate it as your iPhone's security lock.

This way, anyone without your passcode cannot bypass the lock screen or unlock your iPhone.