My wife is setting up a new iPad for writing. We reset the password for her old Apple ID, but sign-in asks for the passcode from an iPad she used years ago and can no longer access.
Is there a way to get into the account without that passcode? She also wants to recover photos stored in iCloud.
The Apple ID password and an old device passcode can be used for different checks. If the prompt is asking to recover encrypted iCloud data, look carefully for an option saying you can't use that passcode or can't access the device.
Read any reset warning before continuing. Resetting encrypted data may let her proceed, but it can make some existing data inaccessible. Don't assume the password reset means all the old iCloud data is recoverable.
If the photos matter, contact Apple Support before choosing any option that resets data. They can help identify what the prompt is asking for and explain the available recovery steps. An Apple Store is also worth asking, but don't count on staff being able to bypass the security check.
A new Apple ID is an option if she mainly wants to get writing on the new iPad. It won't bring over the old account's photos or other iCloud content, though, so it doesn't solve the recovery part.
First check whether the screen is asking for a previous device passcode or says the new iPad is locked to an Apple ID. Those are different problems. An Activation Lock issue may require the linked account credentials or eligible proof of purchase, rather than recovery of an old device passcode.
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mild_mannered_magnetism:
It would help to know the exact wording of the prompt. A request for an old passcode isn't necessarily the same thing as a request for the Apple ID password.