I've forgotten the password to my iPhone 13 running iOS 26. I'm logged into iCloud and have FindMy enabled, so I can track it using my Mac. I've tried entering my alphanumeric password a few times, but now I'm facing an 8-hour security lockdown with an 'iPhone unavailable' message. The option to 'Forgot password?' isn't showing up, just the Emergency button. I have the 'Erase data after 10 attempts' feature turned off. Does that mean I can keep trying passwords freely? I need to know how many tries I actually have left and what will happen to my data after the 10th failed attempt. Also, is there any way to back up my data to iCloud or my Mac right now? My phone got locked because I had to restart it, which disabled FaceID, and I've relied on FaceID for everything. Any help would mean a lot!
3 Answers
Remember, every iPhone will ask for the password after a restart. Even if you have FaceID, you need to input the password at least once after a restart to use it again.
Unfortunately, you don’t have unlimited tries to enter the passcode. Also, if you’re locked out, there’s no way to manually back up to iCloud or your Mac. The only hope is if you had automatic iCloud backups running that you weren't aware of. Apple has these security measures to protect your data, so if you've forgotten your passcode and didn't set up proper backups, it’s a tough situation.
Thanks for the info, I really appreciate it!
Once the 8-hour wait is over, you'll have a limit on how many attempts you can make—usually between 1 to 3 tries before it goes to 'iPhone unavailable' screen. After that, you'll need to erase the device and won't be able to recover anything without the password. Unfortunately, without getting into the device, you can't back it up at all.
Thanks for clarifying! But why have the 'Erase data after 10 attempts' option if I can't use it anymore?
Got it, thanks! That explains my situation better.