How to Factory Reset Your iPhone Without a Passcode

If you forget your iPhone passcode and enter the wrong numbers too many times, your device will display a terrifying message: “iPhone is disabled.” At this point, you are completely locked out. Apple’s security architecture does not include a “forgot password” button for the lock screen. To regain access to your phone, you have no choice but to erase the device completely by performing a factory reset. You can then restore your data from your most recent iCloud backup.

Prerequisites for Resetting a Locked iPhone

Before you begin, you will need two things:

• A Mac or a Windows PC. If you are using a PC, it must have Windows 10 or later, and you must download the Apple Devices app from the Microsoft Store (or use iTunes if you are on an older Windows version).
• The cable that came with your iPhone (USB-C or Lightning to USB) to physically connect the phone to the computer.

Step 1: Put the iPhone into Recovery Mode

Because you cannot unlock the screen to access the standard reset menu in the Settings app, you must force the phone into a deep system state called Recovery Mode.

For iPhone 8, iPhone X, iPhone 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 series:

1. Do not connect the phone to your computer yet.
2. Press and hold the Side button and the Volume Down button at the same time until the power-off slider appears.
3. Drag the slider to turn off your iPhone. Wait a minute to ensure it shuts down completely.
4. Now, press and hold the Side button. While holding it, immediately plug your iPhone into the computer using the cable.
5. Keep holding the Side button until you see the Recovery Mode screen on your phone (it looks like a laptop icon pointing to a cable). If you see the Apple logo, keep holding.

For iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus:

1. Turn off the phone using the power slider.
2. Press and hold the Volume Down button. While holding it, plug the iPhone into your computer.
3. Keep holding until the Recovery Mode screen appears.

For iPhone SE (1st Gen), iPhone 6s, and earlier:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press and hold the physical Home button. While holding it, plug the iPhone into your computer.
3. Keep holding until the Recovery Mode screen appears.

Step 2: Erase the iPhone Using Your Computer

Once the phone is in Recovery Mode, your computer will detect it.

1. Open Finder on your Mac, or the Apple Devices app/iTunes on your Windows PC.
2. A pop-up window will automatically appear on your computer screen saying, “There is a problem with the iPhone that requires it to be updated or restored.”
3. Click the Restore button (do not click Update).
4. Your computer will download the latest version of iOS from Apple’s servers and wipe your phone completely clean. This process can take 15 to 30 minutes.
5. Do not unplug the phone while this is happening.
6. Once the process finishes, the iPhone will restart and display the “Hello” setup screen, exactly like a brand-new device. You can now set a new passcode and sign in with your Apple ID to download your iCloud backup.