I'm trying to reset an iPhone 6 that my roommate's daughter no longer uses. We want to wipe it clean and repurpose it as a game phone, but she can't remember the password. We've connected it to my computer and tried using iTunes, but all we see is a white lock screen, and it says the phone is unavailable for a certain amount of time. What steps can we take to wipe the iPhone? Is taking it to a carrier like Bell an option?
4 Answers
Honestly, the iPhone 6 is quite outdated and hasn't been supported since 2018. Most modern apps probably won’t even run on it anymore. Might be better just to consider it for recycling unless you just want a basic photo frame!
You could try forcing the iPhone into DFU mode and then restoring it, but beware; if the phone is still linked to an Apple ID, you'll hit an activation lock after that. It's really tough to get around that without the ID info.
Unfortunately, without the password, your options are limited. The iPhone's security features are pretty strong, and without that code, you essentially have a brick on your hands. There's no way to bypass this without the correct passcode. Good luck!
To reset it, connect it to your PC, hold the Home + Power buttons until you see the Recovery Mode screen, then restore it using iTunes. If you don’t know the Apple ID, it will stay locked and you’ll need to recover the ID through Apple Support.
Exactly! iTunes will prompt you to download the required software. If you can't access the Apple ID, that’s where you'll hit a wall. Getting proof of purchase to Apple might help, but it’s a long shot.
I've done a similar process with iPads before. If you can get into DFU mode and wipe the device, you're okay on the lock if the Apple ID isn't linked. Just know that if it is, you're stuck without the password!