6 Easy Ways to Fix iPhone Passcode Not Working in 2023

User Concern

“When I enter my passcode, the same passcode I have been using for 3 years, it was wrong...now my iPhone is disabled. Why does this happen? How do I solve this without deleting everything on it?”

To protect your privacy, a passcode should be set on your iPhone. Of course, you can also set a Touch ID or Face ID instead of a passcode.

However, you will need the passcode when restarting device, updating iOS, or erasing iPhone etc. It will be very anxious if iPhone passcode is not working and the device gets bricked finally.

So, why is iPhone passcode not working? There are many possible factors leading to the iPhone won't accept correct passcode:

• Some users said that their iPhone passcode has stopped working after updating to the latest iOS 17/16.
• Others left the comment that they enter the wrong passcode for more than 10 times, and the device finally gets disabled.
• Sometimes your iPhone may get corrupted and that could prevent the device from accessing passcode information.
• Many IT technicians think the iPhone passcode not working issue is probably caused by iOS software glitches.

Don't panic. In this article, we will explain what happens when iPhone passcode doesn't work and how to fix this error for good.

Part 1. What Happens When iPhone Passcode Is Not Working?

You will be locked out of your iPhone when you attempt to input the wrong password continually. After the device being locked, the message of "iPhone is disabled, try again in 1 minute" will appear on the locked screen.

If the password you input is still incorrect 1 minute later, the message of "iPhone is disabled, try again in 5 minutes" will appear. And if you enter the incorrect password too many times, the waiting period can also be 15 or 60 minutes.

And the worst result is that the iPhone is disabled and the "Connect to iTunes" logo appears on the screen. That's to say, you will not have any opportunity to enter the password anymore. And you'll need to erase your iPhone, which deletes all data and settings including the screen passcode.

Part 2. What to Do When Passcode Is Not Working on iPhone?

Before learning the steps in detail, let's check the comparison table first.

Force Reboot iPhone

If iPhone passcode is not working, force rebooting the device could be the first solution you can try. Besides this issue, other minor software glitches on your iPhone could also be fixed. The steps to force restart iPhone vary from different models, just follow the steps below:

• For iPhone 8 and Later Versions: Press the volume up button and release it quickly. Press the volume down button and release it quickly. Then press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo.

• For iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus: Press and hold the side button and volume down button for at least 10 seconds until you see the Apple logo.

• For iPhone 6s or Earlier Models: Press and hold the home button and the top (or side) button for at least 10 seconds until you see the Apple logo.

Fix iPhone Passcode Not Working without Data Loss

If your iPhone won't accept the correct passcode and force restarting doesn't help, you can try out third-party tools like FoneGeek iPhone Passcode Unlocker. It is an efficent iPhone unlocking tool that enables you to remove the passcode from your iPhone, so that you can get into the device and set a new passcode.

Let's check the core features of FoneGeek iPhone Passcode Unlocker:

• One click to unlock disabled/locked iPhone without iTunes or iCloud. No password required.
• In addition to removing screen passcode, FoneGeek also enables you to remove Apple ID without entering the password.
• Unlike iTunes restore, your iPhone data will not be damaged after the unlocking process.
• Fully compatible with all iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch models, even the latest iOS 17/16 and iPhone 15/14 are supported.
• It ensure the highest success rate and is highly recommended by Softpedia, iLounge, KnowTechie,JustWebWorld, iGeekPhone and many other media sites.

Now follow the steps below to unlock iPhone screen passcode:

Step 1: Visit the product page or click the download button above to have the FoneGeek iPhone Passcode Unlocker downloaded and installed on your computer. After running it, click on "Unlock Screen Passcode".

Step 2: Attach the locked iPhone to your computer using an original USB cable. Then follow the on-screen instructions to put the device into DFU/Recovery mode.

Step 3: After proper connection, the device information will be detected by the program. Verify the details and choose proper firmware and pick "Download" button.

Step 4: When the firmware is downloaded, click on "Start Unlock" and the unlock process will get started immediately. Once the whole process is over, your iPhone passcode will be successfully removed.

Below is the positive reivew of FoneGeek iPhone Passcode Unlocker from our purchased users:

Restore iPhone with iTunes

Another method to fix iPhone passcode not working issue is restoring your device via iTunes. If you have the latest version of iTunes installed on your computer and you have backed up your iPhone with iTunes before, iTunes would be the best choice for users to erase all settings including the screen password. Check the steps below:

Step 1: Connect the locked iPhone to your computer that you have ever synced with before the device is disabled.

Step 2: If the computer requires you to click Trust on the iPhone screen, then try another computer or simply put iPhone into Recovery mode.

Step 3: Wait for iTunes to sync your iPhone and make a backup. After the sync and backup is complete, click on "Restore iPhone".

Step 4: In the Set Up screen, choose "Restore from iTunes Backup". After the device is set up, you will be able to set a new passcode for your iPhone.

Erase iPhone with iCloud

If you have signed in iCloud on your iPhone and the Find My iPhone option is turned on, you can try to erase your iPhone with iCloud to remove the screen password. Here's how to do it:

• Go to iCloud.com on your computer or another iOS device and sign in with your Apple ID.
• Click on "Find My iPhone" and select "All Devices" from the top corner of the browser, then select your iPhone.
• Now click on "Erase iPhone" to wipe out all data along with passcode. Then you can choose either restore iPhone from a backup or set it up as new.

Note

Please note that this method only works if your iPhone is connected to a Wi-Fi/cellular network and Find My iPhone function is enabled.

Way 5. Fix by Entering Recovery Mode

If you haven't synced your iPhone with iTunes before, or enabled Find My iPhone in iCloud, then you need to put your iPhone into Recovery mode to remove the old passcode and set up a new one. Here's how to do it:

Step 1: Connect your iPhone to the computer and launch the latest version of iTunes.

Step 2: When the iPhone is connected, follow the steps mentioned in solution 1 to put iPhone into recovery mode.

Step 3: When iTunes detects the disabled iPhone, you will see the option to Restore or Update. Choose "Restore" to proceed.

Step 4: iTunes will download software for your iPhone. Wait for the process to complete, your iPhone will be reset as a new one and you can set a new passcode now.

Way 6. Contact Apple for Help

Most iPhone users have complained this issue to Apple support center. You can do the same thing. Apple claims that their staff are in close touch with its experts to address this kind of issue. Thus you can contact them through the call or directly take the device to local Apple store to seek for help.

Part 3. Tips on the Issue of iPhone Passcode Not Working

It is very common to encounter the issue of iPhone passcode not working. There are several tips for you to reduce the possibility to become a victim.

Turn Passcode Off on iPhone

If you have ever been locked out of iPhone due to forgetting the passcode, you can turn passcode off to access iPhone without entering the passcode.

• Go to iPhone Settings.
• Click on Face ID & Passcode.
• Enter the correct screen passcode and click on Turn Pssscode Off.
• When the passcode is turned off, the iPhone will be unlocked without passcode.

Back up iPhone regularly

To avoid data loss when you face the issue like iPhone passcode not working, we recommend you back up your device data regularly.

• Click on Settings on iPhone.
• Tap your ID name > iCloud > iCloud Backup.
• Turn on Backup and click on Back Up Now.

Conclusion

The above 6 solutions could help you easily overcome the issue of iPhone passcode not working. If nothing worked, you can contact Apple's customer support team for help.

You can make a call, chat online, or visit a local Apple Store and explain the issue you're experiencing. Apple will provide support and help you fix iPhone passcode not working problem.