A close friend recently passed away and left me a MacBook Pro and an iPhone. His family would like to check whether they contain important photos, documents, notes, or other information, but nobody knows the device passcodes or his Apple Account password. We have already tried the obvious possibilities, and the Mac uses a regular password rather than biometric login. Apple said the devices can be erased, but the family does not want to wipe anything before determining whether valuable data can be recovered. Are there legitimate options through Apple, a Legacy Contact, or the estate process that could preserve or access the data?
4 Answers
The Mac may also be protected by FileVault. If FileVault is enabled, the data is encrypted and the password or recovery key is generally required; changing or removing the login without those credentials will not recover the files. Even after erasing the Mac, Activation Lock may still require the previous Apple Account credentials before it can be set up by someone else.
Unfortunately, there is no reliable consumer method for bypassing a modern iPhone passcode. Face ID also cannot be fooled with a normal photograph because it uses infrared depth and attention checks. Repeated guesses could eventually erase the phone if that setting was enabled, so it is best left untouched while the family investigates the estate options.
The first thing to investigate is Apple’s process for deceased account holders. If your friend nominated a Legacy Contact, that person may be able to request access to eligible iCloud data using the access key and death certificate. If no Legacy Contact was set up, Apple may require legal documentation, such as proof that someone is the authorized estate representative or a court order. Contact Apple again specifically about the deceased-account and Legacy Contact process rather than asking for a passcode bypass.
It is also worth considering that the missing passcode may have been intentional. Phones and computers can contain private journals, messages, medical information, and personal thoughts. Unless the family has a specific legal or practical need, preserving the devices as they are—or ultimately erasing them through the proper estate process—may be the most respectful option.
That is an important point. The absence of a shared passcode does not necessarily mean the owner expected relatives to search the devices after his death, so any access should go through the estate and Apple’s official procedures.