I've got this old phone that's currently locked because I forgot the passcode. Right now, it's telling me I can't try again for an hour, and I'm really nervous about guessing the passcode wrong again since I don't want to get permanently locked out. I've got some important stuff on there. If I were to leave it for several months or even a year, will I get more chances to try and unlock it? And also, has anyone ever thought about asking at the Apple Store to turn on Touch ID so I could just use my fingerprint?
I can't help but think how frustrating it would be if I misguessed just once more after waiting all that time and then being locked out forever. I mean, it seems silly to be penalized for trying to unlock your own phone over the years! I just want to access my phone again!
4 Answers
I don't think it’s stupid at all. Time-based attacks can happen too, and Apple is big on securing personal data, assuming people back things up. What if your phone was lost or broken – how would you retrieve your important files then?
The attempts are capped, and in iOS 14 you specifically get 10 tries. If you run out, the only way to reset those attempts is to completely erase your iPhone. You can find more info on the Apple support website about that.
It sounds like even if you leave it for a long time, it won't let you try again unless you reset the phone entirely. I had a similar issue with an iPad, and I ended up having to restore it to get back in.
I’m curious why you haven’t transferred your important things to a new device or couldn't restore them from a backup. Old batteries can expand too, causing devices to fail. If you can prove it's yours with a bill of sale or something, Apple can help you out.
Wait, so you're saying the device locks you out for good even before you completely run out of attempts?