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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →After a reboot, an iPhone requires its passcode before Face ID or Touch ID can unlock it. If you forgot the passcode, first check whether you changed it within the last 72 hours: on iOS 17 or later, you may be able to use the previous passcode once. Otherwise, Apple’s supported recovery options erase the iPhone—either from the locked device when eligible or with a computer in recovery mode. You can restore a backup during setup if one is available.
Why is my iPhone asking for a passcode after a reboot?
A restart requires you to enter the device passcode before Face ID or Touch ID can be used again. Biometrics do not replace that first passcode unlock. If you cannot remember the passcode, use the recovery options below rather than expecting Face ID or Touch ID to get past the screen.
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I forgot my iPhone passcode—what should I do?
Use the least destructive option that applies. If you recently changed your passcode and know the old one, try Passcode Reset first. If that is unavailable, erase the iPhone from its lock screen if the required conditions are met; otherwise, reset it with a computer.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors| Option | When it applies | What you need | Consequence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Previous-passcode reset | Passcode changed within the last 72 hours; iOS 17 or later | Previous passcode and the supported option on the lockout screen | Set a new passcode without erasing through this route |
| Erase on the iPhone | On-device reset is supported and its conditions are met | Find My enabled before lockout, network connection, and Apple Account password | Erases data and settings; restore a backup if available |
| Computer recovery mode | On-device reset is unavailable | Mac or Windows PC, internet connection, and a cable that can charge the iPhone | Erases the iPhone; restore a backup if available |
Can I use my old passcode?
If you changed the passcode within the previous 72 hours and the iPhone runs iOS 17 or later, Apple provides a one-time Passcode Reset option. After five incorrect attempts, the Device Unavailable screen appears. Tap Forgot Passcode?, choose Enter Previous Passcode, enter the old passcode, and follow the prompts to set a new one. Apple says the previous passcode can be used once within that 72-hour window; this is not an indefinite way to unlock the phone.
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Can I unlock it with Face ID or Touch ID?
No. After a reboot, the first unlock must use the device passcode. Face ID or Touch ID may be available again only after that passcode unlock.
How do I erase the iPhone from the lock screen?
Apple documents on-device reset for iOS 15.2 or later. You must have enabled Find My before being locked out, have an active Wi-Fi or mobile connection, and know the Apple Account password associated with the iPhone. Apple’s current flow for iOS 17 and later uses the Forgot Passcode? option on the lockout screen.
- On the Security Lockout screen, tap Forgot Passcode? and start the reset flow.
- Confirm that you want to reset the iPhone, then sign out with your Apple Account password when prompted.
- Choose Erase [Device] and follow the on-screen setup after the erase finishes.
- Restore a backup during setup if one is available, then create a new passcode.
Apple’s instructions for this flow are at Erase your iPhone passcode with an iPhone. On iOS 17 or later, the erase process may offer a choice to keep or delete the eSIM.
How do I reset the iPhone with a computer?
If the lock-screen reset option is unavailable, use Apple’s recovery-mode process. You need a Mac or Windows PC with internet access and a cable that can charge the iPhone. The recovery-mode button sequence differs by iPhone model, so follow Apple’s model-specific instructions rather than trying a sequence intended for another model.
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- The iRecovery Stick processes phone backup files stored on your Windows PC or copied from a Mac computer. If a device was backed up to a computer before items were deleted, those items may still be recoverable from the backup. Photos sent in text message conversations but deleted from the photo library may also be recovered if the conversation was not deleted.
- The iRecovery Stick requires physical access to the target device. The user must be able to disable the passcode, Touch ID, or Face ID before extraction begins. If the device was previously backed up to a computer using a password, that password will also be required to process the backup data.
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- Open Apple’s guide, Use a computer to reset your iPhone and your passcode, and select the instructions for your iPhone model and computer.
- Connect the iPhone to the computer with a suitable charging cable and put it into recovery mode using the model-specific steps.
- Use the computer’s restore option to erase and reset the iPhone, following Apple’s on-screen instructions.
- When the reset is complete, set up the iPhone and restore a backup if available.
The reset erases the data currently on the iPhone. If a software download takes more than 15 minutes and the iPhone exits recovery mode, Apple says to let the download finish, turn off the iPhone, and enter recovery mode again.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Will I lose my photos and other data?
Both the on-device erase and computer recovery-mode reset delete the data and settings on the iPhone. Afterward, you can restore from a backup if one exists; without a backup, you must set up the iPhone as new. Do not count on recovering data that exists only on the locked device. Apple’s passcode guidance is in the iPhone User Guide.
What should I know about my eSIM?
For the on-device erase flow on iOS 17 or later, Apple says you may be asked whether to keep or delete the eSIM. If your iPhone runs iOS 16 or earlier and uses an eSIM, Apple advises contacting your carrier before erasing it.
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Quick Recap
What if the reset does not work?
- Forgot Passcode? is missing: Check whether the iPhone meets the on-device reset requirements. If it does not, use a computer recovery-mode reset.
- You do not know your Apple Account password: The on-device reset requires it. Resolve access to the account before attempting that route.
- The iPhone leaves recovery mode during a long download: Let the download finish, turn off the iPhone, and repeat the model-specific recovery-mode steps, as Apple instructs.
- You have no backup: The reset still erases the device; setup afterward must be as new.
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