An iPhone that says iPhone Unavailable or Security Lockout has rejected too many wrong passcodes, and a forgotten passcode cannot be bypassed without erasing the phone. Apple's order of attempts is to try Passcode Reset with your old passcode first, then reset on the iPhone itself, then use a Mac or Windows PC in recovery mode. Only the first of these keeps your data, and it works only for 72 hours after a passcode change.
Who this is for and what you will have at the end
This guide is for anyone looking at an Unavailable or Security Lockout screen on an iPhone, and for the family member or office manager trying to help. By the end you will know which of the three routes applies to your phone, the exact taps or button presses for each, what you need on hand before you start, and how to get your photos and apps back afterward. It does not cover getting into someone else's phone, and it does not cover bypassing Activation Lock on a device you do not own. Apple does not offer a supported way to do either, and neither does this article.
What the two screens mean
Two messages appear after repeated wrong passcodes.
| Screen | What you see | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone Unavailable | A message with a Forgot Passcode? option in the bottom corner (iOS 17 or later) | The phone has rejected your passcode attempts and is locked against more guesses |
| Security Lockout | A screen with a Start iPhone Reset option | You chose Forgot Passcode? and are being offered the reset |
Apple's Passcode Reset article says the Unavailable screen appears after five incorrect passcode attempts. This guide does not give wait times for each further attempt because they are not stated in the Apple pages used here. The practical point is the same either way: waiting does not remove the need to know the passcode, and entering more guesses only keeps the phone locked.
If you remember the passcode but the screen is simply locked for a while, wait until the screen offers another attempt and enter it carefully. The rest of this guide is for when you cannot remember it.
Before you start: the checks that decide your route
Spend two minutes on these, because they decide which route is open to you and how much you can recover.
- Did you change your passcode in the last 72 hours? If so, and the phone runs iOS 17 or later, the first route may save your data.
- Is the phone online? The on-device reset needs an active cellular or Wi-Fi connection.
- Was Find My turned on? The on-device reset needs it, and it cannot be switched on now that you are locked out.
- Do you know the Apple Account password? You need it to sign out during the reset. If you do not, start recovery at Apple's account recovery page, iforgot.apple.com, on another device. Apple notes that recovery can take several days or longer, and that contacting Apple Support cannot shorten the wait.
- Do you have a backup? Check iCloud from another device under your Apple Account, or look for a recent backup on the Mac or PC you normally sync with. Everything not in a backup is lost when the phone is erased. Our guide to iCloud versus computer backups explains how to tell what a backup contains.
- Is the phone yours? If you bought it used and it asks for the previous owner's account, see the Activation Lock section below.
Route 1: Passcode Reset with your old passcode
Apple's Passcode Reset feature lets you unlock the phone temporarily with your previous passcode. After you change your passcode on iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 or later, you have 72 hours to use the old one. This is the only route in this guide that does not erase the phone.
- On the Unavailable screen, tap Forgot Passcode? in the bottom corner.
- Tap Enter Previous Passcode.
- Enter the old passcode.
- Follow the onscreen prompts to set a new passcode right away.
Apple lists the same conditions as the on-device reset: the Forgot Passcode? option appears only if you are locked out, connected to a cellular or Wi-Fi network, signed in to your Apple Account and have Find My turned on. If Enter Previous Passcode is missing, either more than 72 hours have passed, the phone runs an older iOS, or one of those conditions is not met. Move to route 2.
Route 2: Reset on the iPhone without a computer
This is the fastest route when the phone is online and Find My was on. It erases everything on the phone, and Apple states that tapping Erase permanently deletes all your data and settings.
iOS 17 or later
- On the Lock Screen, keep entering a passcode until the Unavailable screen appears.
- Tap Forgot Passcode?.
- On the Security Lockout screen, tap Start iPhone Reset to confirm.
- Enter your Apple Account password to sign out of your Apple Account on the phone.
- Tap Erase iPhone. If the phone uses an eSIM, you are offered a choice: keep the eSIM and erase data, or delete the eSIM and erase data.
- After the phone restarts, follow the onscreen setup, restore from a backup if you have one, and set a new passcode.
For iOS 16 or earlier, Apple's page says to contact your carrier for a QR code before starting if you use an eSIM.
iOS 15.2 to iOS 16
On these versions the option reads Erase iPhone rather than Forgot Passcode?. It appears under the same conditions: the phone is locked out, connected to a network, signed in to your Apple Account, and has Find My turned on. Tap it, enter your Apple Account password when asked, and let the erase finish.
If the option never appears
If you do not see Forgot Passcode? or Erase iPhone, one of the requirements is missing, most often because Find My was off or the phone cannot get a connection. Move to route 3. A computer does not need the phone to be online.
Route 3: Reset with a Mac or Windows PC in recovery mode
Apple's computer method needs a Mac or Windows PC, a cable that can charge your iPhone, an internet connection and up to 60 minutes. It erases the data on the phone.
What you need
- A Mac, or a Windows PC with the Apple Devices app from the Microsoft Store.
- A cable that carries data. A cable that only charges will not make the phone appear on the computer.
- A stable internet connection, since the computer may need to download iOS.
If you do not have a computer and cannot borrow one, Apple says to visit an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider. You can find one at locate.apple.com.
Step 1: Turn the iPhone off
- Face ID models: Hold the side button and a volume down button together until the power-off slider appears, then drag the slider.
- Home button models, or models with a top button: Hold the top or side button until the slider appears, then drag it.
Step 2: Enter recovery mode
Connect the cable to the computer first, then to the iPhone. Then press and hold the button for your model and keep holding it through the Apple logo until you see an image of a computer and a cable.
| iPhone model | Button to hold |
|---|---|
| Face ID models | Side button |
| iPhone 8, 8 Plus, SE (2nd and 3rd generation) | Side button |
| iPhone 7 and 7 Plus | Volume down |
| iPhone 6s and earlier, SE (1st generation) | Home button |
Step 3: Restore from the computer
On a Mac:
- Open a Finder window and select your iPhone under Locations in the sidebar.
- Allow the accessory to connect if prompted.
- When Finder offers Restore or Update, choose Restore.
On a Windows PC:
- Open the Apple Devices app and select your iPhone in the sidebar.
- Trust the device if prompted, then select General.
- Select Restore and follow the onscreen instructions.
You may need to update iOS before the restore can finish. Apple warns that the download can take more than 15 minutes. If the phone leaves recovery mode during a long download, let the download finish if possible, then turn the phone off and start recovery mode again.
Step 4: Set up the iPhone
When the restore finishes, the Hello screen appears. Disconnect the phone and follow the setup prompts. Restore your data from a backup during setup if you have one.
What happens to your data
| Route | Data on the phone | How to get it back |
|---|---|---|
| Passcode Reset (old passcode, within 72 hours) | Kept | Nothing to restore |
| Reset on the iPhone (Erase iPhone) | Erased | iCloud or computer backup during setup |
| Recovery mode on a computer | Erased | iCloud or computer backup during setup |
If you have no backup, none of the Apple pages used for this guide describe a way to recover the contents of an erased iPhone. Data that already lives in your Apple Account in iCloud is not stored only on the phone, but anything kept only on the phone is gone.
Activation Lock and the Apple Account password
After an erase, Activation Lock stays in place. Apple explains that it turns on automatically when Find My is on, and that the previous owner's Apple Account password is required before anyone can turn off Find My, erase the device or reactivate and use it. On iOS 15 or later, a locked device shows an iPhone Locked to Owner screen.
For you, this means two things:
- If it is your own phone, have your Apple Account password ready during setup after the erase. If you have forgotten it, use Apple's account recovery on another device before you start.
- If you bought the phone used and setup asks for someone else's Apple Account, do not take ownership of it. Apple says the seller can enter their password on the device or, if they are not present, remove the device from their account in a browser. Our guide to Stolen Device Protection covers related settings that protect your own phone.
Troubleshooting
The phone does not show the computer-and-cable image
Check that the cable carries data, try another port, and repeat the power-off and button sequence for your model. Apple's recovery mode page also says to update macOS, or install the latest Apple Devices app on a PC, before starting. If a button does not respond or sticks, so you cannot enter recovery mode, Apple says to use its service options.
The computer says the phone is in recovery mode but offers Update or Restore
Apple's computer method for a forgotten passcode tells you to choose Restore. Apple notes that Restore reinstalls iOS and erases all data, and its general recovery guidance suggests trying Update first when you are fixing a phone you can still unlock. For a forgotten passcode, follow the Restore step in the reset guide.
The download takes too long and the phone leaves recovery mode
If the download runs longer than 15 minutes, the phone may exit the Connect to computer screen. Let the download finish, then repeat the recovery mode steps.
The Apple logo stays on screen with no progress bar
Apple lists this as a symptom that calls for recovery mode. Connect the phone to a computer with the latest software and follow the steps above.
The Apple Account password is not accepted
Do not keep retrying the reset. Start account recovery at iforgot.apple.com from another device, and expect a wait of several days. If you start recovery on a device running iOS 17, iPadOS 17 or macOS 27 or later, Apple says you can keep using that device while you wait, but signing in successfully on a device already linked to the account cancels the request.
Prevent the next lockout
- Turn on Find My now, since the on-device reset depends on it.
- Keep iCloud Backup or a regular computer backup up to date, so an erase costs you minutes rather than data.
- Remember your Apple Account password, or store it in a password manager.
- If you change your passcode, note the old one for 72 hours in case you forget the new one.
- Do not let children or visitors guess at the passcode on your phone. Five wrong attempts put the phone on the Unavailable screen.
Checklist
- Check whether you changed your passcode within 72 hours and use Enter Previous Passcode if so.
- Otherwise, if the phone is online and Find My was on, use Forgot Passcode?, Start iPhone Reset, then Erase iPhone.
- If neither is available, use a Mac or Windows PC and recovery mode, and choose Restore.
- Have your Apple Account password ready and recover the account first if you do not know it.
- Restore from an iCloud or computer backup during setup, then set a new passcode.
- Turn on Find My and keep a current backup so the next lockout is a minor event.
References
- Apple Support, If you see an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Vision Pro unavailable message or Security Lockout screen
- Apple Support, Use a computer to reset your iPhone and your passcode
- Apple Support, If you forget your new passcode, use your old passcode to unlock your iPhone or iPad within 72 hours
- Apple Support, If you can't update or restore your iPhone or iPod touch
- Apple Support, Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to factory settings using a computer
- Apple Support, Activation Lock for iPhone and iPad
- Apple Support, Apple Account recovery
This guide was researched and drafted with AI assistance and checked against the vendor documentation listed in its References. Read the maintained version and related guides on EpiFive.
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