My dad suffered a stroke last week, and unfortunately, one of the side effects has been complete memory loss. We're struggling to access his iPhone and iPad, which contain critical information for us. I'd like to get into these devices—what should I do? We have a full Apple ecosystem, and I can access his Mac Mini 2025 since I know the password. Can I use the Mac to unlock his iPhone without erasing any data? Since it's been too long, we can't use his Face ID and need the password instead.
We also tried adding myself to a new Apple Family group to reset his device password via the Apple Support App, but it says I don't have iMessage set up, which isn't true as all of us do. To complicate things, his iPhone number now shows as deactivated on his Mac Mini. What does this mean? Is it preventing us from resetting his password? Should we contact his mobile carrier about the deactivation?
I'm here to provide more details if needed. Thanks!
3 Answers
First off, check if the iPhone is still tied to an active mobile plan, as sometimes carriers disable devices due to non-payment. If that's the case, reaching out to the carrier would be a good step. Also, hold off on rushing into solutions without considering all options, as it could complicate recovery later.
Have you thought about restoring his iCloud backup on another device? If you can access his iCloud, that might get you the data you need without unlocking the iPhone itself.
It might help to gather medical records and contact Apple directly. If you can prove your dad’s situation, they might be able to assist you in a way, though they can’t directly unlock the device for you.
That’s good to know, but would they be able to help with accessing his iCloud or just the Apple account?