My neighbor's iPhone 15 started behaving strangely yesterday and then suddenly went completely black. She believes it was charged, but it won't power on or respond. She also forgot the password for her Apple Account. A store visit didn't resolve anything because she couldn't provide the password, and there wasn't anyone available who spoke Spanish.
She relies on the phone to manage the household and pay bills. I helped her begin Apple's account-recovery process, but it said there could be an initial wait of up to several days. Since the phone is currently unusable, we're unsure how Apple will contact her. Other family members have phones, but there isn't another trusted Apple device or computer linked to her account. Her mobile service is through Metro by T-Mobile. What should she do next?
2 Answers
The password issue and the hardware problem are separate. If the phone is completely black, try a force restart: quickly press and release Volume Up, quickly press and release Volume Down, then hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears. It may take 20–30 seconds. Also try a known-good cable, charger, and wall outlet for at least 30 minutes.
If there is still no response, the phone may need hardware service. The store may be unable to access or reset the Apple Account without proof of ownership and account credentials, but they should still be able to evaluate whether the phone powers on. Bring the purchase information and identification if available.
Starting account recovery is probably the correct step. The first waiting period is usually an evaluation period, not the actual password-reset time. After that, Apple should provide an update with the next date or waiting period. She can check the email address or phone number used during recovery, and she can also check the official account-recovery page from another phone or computer.
When the recovery period ends, follow the instructions promptly to reset the password. If she can’t receive a call or text on the broken iPhone, she may still be able to complete the process through the recovery website or use another trusted number, if one was provided. Avoid restarting the recovery process or changing account details while waiting, since that may cancel or delay it.
The phone can’t receive calls or texts right now, so we’ll check the recovery status from another device and watch the email account used for the Apple Account.
She went to the store mainly to have them diagnose the dead phone, but they said they couldn’t proceed without the account password. We’ll try the force restart and another charger first.