By Jennifer | Last Updated
Q: "I accidentally broke the screen of my iPhone and now I can't access my device because the buttons for numbers 1 and 8 are not responding. How do I unlock an iPhone with broken screen?"
Although the iPhone is recognized for its quality, its screen can still break. How can you unlock an iPhone with a broken screen and unresponsive? This article presents five proven methods with detailed steps to help you easily regain access to your iPhone.
If your iPhone is on iOS 11.4.1 and earlier, you can try connecting an external keyboard to unlock the device after the screen is broken. For iPhones with Bluetooth turned on, you can simply connect a Bluetooth keyboard and enter the passcode to unlock the screen.
Step 1: Connect an external keyboard to your iPhone via USB cable or Bluetooth.
Step 2: Double tap the space bar to activate the locked iPhone.
Step 3: Enter your passcode on the keyboard. Once unlocked, go to "Settings" and remove the passcode for easier access to the device in the future.
For iPhones running a newer version of iOS, an external keyboard may not be able to connect to it if the device is locked. In this case, a specialized third-party tool - iSunshare iPhone Passcode Genius provides a reliable solution that helps you unlock a locked iPhone easily without entering the passcode.
Besides bypassing iPhone passcode, the program also provides options to remove Apple ID, MDM and screen time limit on iPhone/iPad/iPod without passcode.
Step 1: Click "Free Download" button to directly install iSunshare iPhone Passcode Genius software on your computer.
Step 2: After running the software, in its main interface, select "Unlock Lock Screen" option. This mode will help you unlock your device without touching the screen.
Connect your iPhone to the computer with a USB cable and make sure the iPhone has been recognized by the computer, click "Next".
Step 3: The software will automatically recognize your iPhone model and prompt you to click the "Download" button to download the corresponding firmware package.
Step 4: Once the firmware is downloaded, click the "Unlock" button. The software will start the unlocking process immediately.
When your iPhone breaks the screen and you can't enter the correct passcode, you can use iTunes to restore it to its default settings to restore your access to the device.
Step 1: Connect your iPhone to a computer with iTunes installed and run iTunes.
iTunes may not be able to detect a device in locked state, so you need to put your iPhone into recovery mode (or DFU mode). The steps are as follows:
For iPhone 8 and newer: press and quickly release the Volume Up button, then press and quickly release the Volume Down button, and finally press and hold the Side button until you see the Recovery Mode screen.
For iPhone 7 and 7 Plus: Press and hold the Side button and Volume Down button at the same time until the Recovery Mode screen appears.
For iPhone 6s and earlier: Press and hold the Home button and the Top (or Side) button at the same time until the device enters Recovery Mode.
Step 2: Once iTunes detects that your device is in Recovery Mode, a window will automatically pop up asking if you want to "Update" or "Restore" your iPhone.
Step 3: Select the "Restore" option and confirm. iTunes will start downloading the latest firmware file and restore the device to factory settings. This will erase all data and settings, including the screen lock.
For those who don't have an available computer, you can use iCloud's Find My feature to erase your iPhone's screen passcode to unlock the device. However, this requires your iPhone to have the "Find My" option enabled before the screen is damaged, otherwise this method will not work.
Step 1: Visit iCloud.com and sign in with the associated Apple ID.
Step 2: Navigate to "Find My iPhone" and select your device, click "Erase This Device" and enter your Apple ID password to continue.
Step 3: If you have two-step verification enabled on your Apple ID, you will also be asked to enter a verification code. Once verified, click "Erase" to begin the process of wiping your iPhone and removing your passcode.
Since you have two-step verification enabled for your Apple ID, you may not be able to sign in to iCloud. However, if you're logged into another Apple device (like an iPad or iPod Touch) with the same Apple ID linked to the broken iPhone, you can use the Find My app on that device to remotely erase the locked iPhone, even if it has a broken screen.
Step 1: Open the "Find My" App on another available Apple device.
Step 2: Select the name of your screen broken iPhone from the device list.
Step 3: Click on "Erase This Device" and enter your Apple ID passcode as required, then click on "Erase" to remove the passcode and unlock your iPhone with a cracked screen.
These are the various ways to unlock a broken iPhone summarized in this article, you can choose the one that best suits your situation. Whether you use an external keyboard, a third-party unlocking tool, or Apple's iTunes and iCloud services, each method offers a reliable way to regain access. I hope this guide has been helpful.
