Recover Your Apple Account Password: Full Reset Guide

To reset a forgotten Apple Account password, use a trusted Apple device or start Apple ID password reset online through iforgot.apple.com. Apple ID is now called Apple Account, and the same password controls the App Store and other Apple services.

Have your Apple Account email address or phone number, a trusted device, its passcode, and access to a trusted phone number ready. Use only Apple’s password-reset screens, and never give a verification code, device passcode, recovery key, or new password to another person.

Where do I start an Apple Account password reset?

The fastest starting point for Apple account password recovery is usually an iPhone, iPad, or Mac already signed in to the account. A trusted device is an Apple device previously signed in with two-factor authentication and protected by its own passcode or login password.

1. On an iPhone or iPad, open Settings and tap your name.
2. Tap Sign-In & Security, then Change Password.
3. Enter the device passcode and follow the prompts to create a new password.

On a Mac, open the Apple menu, choose System Settings, select your name, then Sign-In & Security and Change Password. Enter the password used to unlock the Mac when asked.

If no signed-in device is available, open {site}, find the Apple Account support area, and choose the password-reset option. Apple may direct you to iforgot.apple.com. Enter the email address or phone number used for the account and follow the displayed Apple password reset steps.

How do I reset an Apple password by email or phone verification?

The exact Apple password recovery checks depend on the security methods already attached to the account. Apple may send a verification code to a trusted phone number or show a prompt on a trusted device.

1. Start at iforgot.apple.com or choose Forgot Password on an Apple sign-in screen.
2. Enter the Apple Account email address or phone number.
3. Select an available verification method if Apple offers a choice.
4. Enter the code exactly as received and complete any additional identity checks.
5. Create a new password, then sign in again where required.

An email from Apple may confirm that account recovery has started and tell you when more information will be available. Do not assume every account will receive an immediate password-reset link by email. Follow only the method shown for your account.

If a code never arrives, confirm that the displayed number is yours, check cellular service, and request another code only after waiting for the current prompt to finish. Repeated requests can invalidate earlier codes.

How do I reset an Apple Account password with two-factor authentication?

Two-factor authentication verifies identity with a trusted device or trusted phone number in addition to the password. If a trusted device is available, the device passcode can authorize the password change without requiring the forgotten password.

1. Open Settings on a trusted iPhone or iPad and tap your name.
2. Select Sign-In & Security, then Change Password.
3. Enter the device passcode.
4. Type the new Apple Account password twice and confirm the change.

On a borrowed iPhone or iPad, open the Apple Support app, find Support Tools, select Reset Password, and choose Help Someone Else. Enter your own account information and follow the prompts. Apple states that the information entered for this process is not stored on the borrowed device.

How do I reset my App Store password?

There is no separate App Store password when the App Store uses your Apple Account. Apple App Store password recovery therefore means resetting the password for the Apple Account currently shown in the App Store or under Media & Purchases.

First confirm which email address or phone number appears on the App Store sign-in prompt. If it matches your main Apple Account, use the standard reset steps. If it belongs to a different or older account, recover that specific account instead; changing another account’s password will not restore access to apps associated with the older sign-in.

After you reset the App Store password, return to the prompt and enter the new Apple Account password. A device passcode, Screen Time passcode, or verification code is not the same as the App Store password.

What if I cannot access my trusted device or phone number?

If a trusted device is unavailable but the trusted number still works, use the Apple Support app on a borrowed Apple device or begin recovery online. If neither the trusted devices nor the trusted number is accessible, select options such as Didn’t Get a Code, Can’t Get to Your Devices, or Can’t Use This Number when they appear.

The Apple account recovery process is a security review used when the normal reset checks cannot verify you. It may take several days or longer, and Apple Support cannot shorten the waiting period.

1. Start recovery through an Apple sign-in screen or iforgot.apple.com.
2. Provide the requested account and contact information accurately.
3. Watch for Apple’s confirmation message and the stated date or next update.
4. Avoid using other devices still signed in to the account because account activity may interrupt or cancel recovery.
5. When Apple sends final instructions, complete them promptly and set a new password.

If you previously enabled a recovery key, Apple’s standard account recovery is turned off. You may need that recovery key, a trusted phone number, and an Apple device to regain access.

What do common Apple password recovery errors mean?

• Account locked, disabled, or not active: This is an account-access issue, not simply a wrong password. Use Apple’s displayed regain-access option.
• Verification code incorrect: The code may be mistyped, expired, or replaced by a newer code. Use the latest code received.
• Cannot reset password: Apple could not complete verification with the information or device provided. Try a trusted device or begin account recovery.
• Server or connection error: Check the internet connection and Apple’s system-status information, then try again later.
• Security delay: Security protections on the device may require a wait before critical account changes. Keep the device in a familiar location and follow its onscreen instructions.

When should I contact Apple Support for password recovery?

Contact Apple Support when the reset screen does not recognize your account, the available recovery choices are unclear, an accessibility issue blocks the steps, or errors continue after you check the connection and account details. Open {site}, choose Apple Account support, and describe the exact message shown.

Apple Support can explain the correct recovery route and help troubleshoot the device or reset screen. Support cannot reveal a password, bypass identity checks, supply missing verification codes or recovery keys, or accelerate an active account-recovery waiting period.