How to Reset iPhone Passcode without Losing Data

If you forgot your iPhone passcode, the usual solution is to erase and reset your iPhone to wipe all of your data, then set it up again. However, you may not wish to erase or lose your data. So, is it possible to reset your iPhone passcode without losing data? This article will give the answer.

Can I reset my iPhone passcode without losing data?

Yes, you can in some cases. Starting with iOS 17, Apple added a hidden feature to the iPhone lock screen that allows you to reset your passcode without erasing or losing any data. Except for this situation, you will have to reset the iPhone in order to get rid of the forgotten passcode and set up a new one. However, even then, you don’t have to worry about losing your data, as you can restore it from a backup. Here is why:

If you’ve been using your iPhone for a while, you’ve probably signed in with an Apple ID to use Apple services like iCloud and the App Store. Once you’re signed in to your iPhone with your Apple ID, iCloud Backup is turned on by default and automatically backs up your iPhone daily when it is connected to power, locked, and connected to Wi-Fi. So, even if you’ve never manually backed up your iPhone, it may have been automatically backed up to iCloud before you forgot your passcode.

Additionally, your iPhone might have been automatically synced or backed up to your computer via iTunes or Finder if you had connected it to your computer before forgetting your passcode.

That’s why it’s possible to reset your iPhone passcode without losing your data. Next, let’s see how to reset your passcode and unlock your iPhone without losing data in the event that you’ve forgotten your passcode.

Method 1: Reset iPhone Passcode from Lock Screen

If your iPhone is running iOS 17 or later, you can reset your passcode from the lock screen without losing data. It’s vital to note that this method only works if you have changed your passcode within the last 72 hours and still remember the previous one. If you haven’t changed your passcode in the previous 72 hours, if it has been longer than that, or if you can’t remember the last passcode you used, this won’t work.

Step 1: On your iPhone’s lock screen, enter the wrong passcode several times in a row until you get the iPhone Unavailable message and the Forgot Passcode button.

Step 2: Tap Forgot Passcode and then tap Enter Previous Passcode on the next page.

Step 3: On the Passcode Reset page, enter your previous passcode to unlock the iPhone, and then create a new passcode.

If this method does not work for you, you can use any of the following methods to reset your passcode and unlock your iPhone, but the prerequisite for not losing data is that you have a backup.

Method 2: Remove iPhone Passcode by iPhone Reset

In iOS 15.2 or later, you can reset your iPhone from the lock screen to get rid of your forgotten passcode. This method works if your iPhone is connected to the network and has the Find My iPhone feature enabled.

Step 1: On your iPhone’s lock screen, continuously enter the wrong passcode until you see the iPhone Unavailable message and the Erase iPhone button (or the Forgot Passcode button if iOS 17 or later).

Step 2: Tap Erase iPhone (or Forgot Passcode), tap Erase iPhone (or Start iPhone Reset), and then enter the password for the Apple ID used on the iPhone.

Step 3: The iPhone will then erase and reset itself, after which you can set it up again with a new passcode and restore your data from a backup.

Method 3: Unlock iPhone with iPhone Passcode Refixer

iSumsoft iPhone Passcode Refixer is a specialized and trustworthy iPhone unlocking tool that enables you to quickly unlock your iPhone when you forget your passcode. It lets you remove your iPhone passcode with a few clicks, and then you can reset a new one.

Step 1: Download and install iSumsoft iPhone Passcode Refixer on your computer and run it.

Step 2: Select the Unlock Lock Screen option and click Start on the next page to confirm that you want to proceed with this option.

Step 3: Connect your iPhone to your computer using the USB cable as prompted by the software, and then click Next. The software will then automatically recognize your iPhone.

Step 4: Click Download and the software will begin downloading the firmware package needed to remove the passcode from your iPhone. You will then need to wait a few minutes for the download to finish.

Step 5: When you see the Unlock button, click it and the software will immediately begin unlocking your iPhone. This process will erase all of your iPhone’s data, including the passcode.

Step 6: When the software prompts “Unlocked Screen successfully”, your iPhone passcode has been removed, and you can set up a new one.

Method 4: Reset iPhone Passcode with iTunes

Finally, you can use iTunes to reset your iPhone to factory settings to erase the passcode and then set a new one.

Step 1: Ensure that you have the most recent version of iTunes installed on your computer. If iTunes is already open, quit it.

Step 2: Connect your iPhone to your computer via the USB cable. Once connected, press and release the Volume Up button, then press and release the Volume Down button, and finally press and hold the Side button until Recovery Mode appears.

Step 3: Run iTunes on the computer and once it detects your iPhone, select the Restore button and follow the on-screen instructions.

Step 4: Wait for iTunes to restore the iPhone, which may require fifteen to thirty minutes. Once the restore is successful, set up your iPhone with a new passcode and restore the data from a backup.

Wrapping Up

You store a lot of precious data on your iPhone, such as photos, contacts, text messages, and so on. If you forget your iPhone passcode, you would like to be able to reset it and unlock the device without losing data. If you changed your passcode within the last 72 hours and forgot it, iOS 17 or later allows you to reset it using your prior passcode without losing data. If this option does not work for you, you will have to erase your iPhone in order to reset your passcode, and having a backup is requirement for not losing your data.