I'm using an iPhone 15 Pro, but I've forgotten the password for my Apple Account. The account is tied to an old university email address that I can no longer access, so I can't reset the password through email. I'm also unable to download new apps and keep receiving prompts to enter the password. Apple support hasn't been able to resolve it, so I considered signing out and creating a new account, but the phone requires the existing Apple Account password before it will let me sign out. Is there any legitimate way to recover the account or remove it from the phone?
3 Answers
If the phone is still a trusted device, try changing the password directly from Settings > Apple Account > Sign-In & Security > Change Password. That can sometimes work without access to the old email address, as long as the device lets you authenticate with its passcode.
Unfortunately, signing out normally requires the current Apple Account password. If you still have the original proof of purchase, Apple may be able to help with account or device recovery after verifying ownership. Without that verification, there usually isn’t a legitimate way to bypass the account lock.
I’ll look for the original receipt and see whether that helps. Thanks for the suggestion.
Your trusted phone number might help with account recovery, but only if it was previously added to that Apple Account. Simply having the same phone number on the device won’t connect it to the account or remove the password requirement.
I can’t open the Sign-In & Security section because it asks for the Apple Account password first, so I’m blocked there.