By Jennifer | Last Updated
Q: "I found my iPhone that I used in high school in the corner, and to my surprise, it turned on after charging. However, I can't remember its unlock code. Since my computer is being repaired, will I be able to unlock my iPhone X without a passcode or computer?"
Setting a lock screen passcode is a security measure that is highly recommended by Apple for one simple reason: to reduce the risk of a data breach. After all, the iPhone stores a lot of your personal information and data. When iOS fails to verify the owner's identity, your iPhone is securely locked without being able to unlock the screen. So you don't have to worry about a selfie of you making a face on your phone being seen by anyone.
However, if you don't remember your iPhone passcode, you'll be blocked from accessing your phone by the lock screen passcode, which is a strict security guard. How do you get into a locked iPhone without password? The only solution is to factory reset the locked iPhone, thus removing the lock screen passcode setting from the device.
Before we dive into the solution, let's give a short answer: yes, you can factory reset a locked iPhone without a passcode, but the process may vary from case to case. The official options provided by Apple require the user to access the Apple ID or iCloud account associated with the device, whereas dedicated iPhone unlockers offer a solution that completely bypasses solution to these requirements altogether. We'll cover each method in detail next.
Passcode locks are an effective security mechanism for iPhone devices. However, considering that not everyone has a good memory, Apple offers several options for unlocking the device after forgetting the passcode, and these methods do not mandate a computer dependency.
On Apple phones running iOS 17, if you can't remember your iPhone's passcode, you can use the device's "Forgot Passcode" feature to unlock your iPhone. After six incorrect passcode attempts, your iPhone says "iPhone unavailable, try again in 1 minute." and a "Forgot Passcode" button, click on it, then you will have the following two options.
Option 1: The old passcode hasn't expired, meaning it hasn't been more than 72 hours since you last changed your passcode. So you can use the previous passcode to reset a new one and use it to unlock your iPhone without having to factory reset the iPhone.
Option 2: The old passcode has expired, which means you've lost the chance to reset it. Click the "iPhone Reset" button and follow the instructions to enter your Apple ID password to erase your iPhone.
For Apple phones that don't support iOS 17, such as the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X, Apple offers another option for restoring your iPhone to factory settings without a passcode or computer: the "Erase iPhone" Button. Note that this requires the iPhone to be running iOS 15.2 or above.
Step 1: Again, after six failed passcode attempts, the iPhone's security lock will be triggered. Click the "Erase iPhone" button at the bottom right corner of the screen.
Step 2: You will be prompted to either wait for the security lock to expire before attempting to enter your passcode again, or reset your iPhone. click "Erase iPhone" to confirm your choice.
Step 3: Enter your Apple ID password to sign out of it, click "Erase iPhone", and your device will start the factory reset process immediately, wait patiently for the erase to complete.
If your iPhone is connected to an iCloud account and Find My iPhone is enabled, you can remotely factory reset your device by logging into the iCloud.findmy website or the Find My iPhone App.
Note: This method requires an Internet connection and asks for your Apple ID password. If you have two-factor authentication turned on and can't get the verification code, then this method may not work for you.
Step 1: Visit iCloud.com and sign in to the "FindMy" option with your Apple ID.
Step 2: Click "All Devices" to show all connected devices and then select your locked iPhone from the list.
Step 3: Click "Erase This Device" and then enter your Apple ID password again for authentication.
Click "Erase" to confirm the remote erase of your device, the passcode and all other data on your iPhone will be erased.
How to factory reset a locked iPhone without passcode and Apple ID password? You can use third-party software to reset your device, such as iSunshare iPhone Passcode Genius. It is a tool specifically designed to solve iPhone passcode problems, including removing iPhone unlock code, Apple ID, screen time passcode, MDM restrictions, and more.
However, it should be noted that most iPhone unlocking tools usually require you to operate on your computer in order to complete the unlocking steps.
Step 1: Go to the official website of iSunshare to download and install iPhone Passcode Genius on your computer.
Step 2: Double-click it to run the device and then select "Unlock Lock Screen" option in its feature list.
Connect your iPhone to the computer,and click "Next", or put it in recovery mode, then the software will recognize your device and load its information.
Step 3: Check and confirm your device model is correct, then click "Download" to get the firmware package, which will be saved in the default storage path. If you want to change the save path, click "Select" to choose.
Step 4: Finally, click "Unlock" to start the process of factory reset iPhone.
After everything is erased, your iPhone will reboot and then you can access it without a passcode.
These are the four methods summarized in this article on how to factory reset iPhone without passcode or PC. Obviously, if you have forgotten your Apple ID password and can't recover it, then I suggest you turn to a dedicated iPhone unlocker - iSunshare iPhone Passcode Genius. You can borrow one from a friend or family member if you don't have a PC around you.
