AppleID iForgot: Reset Your Password

To reset an Apple ID password with iForgot, open {site}, select Reset Password, and follow the identity-verification prompts. Apple may send the request to a trusted device or require account recovery if immediate verification is not possible.

Apple now calls an Apple ID an Apple Account, but the same email address or phone number still works. The terms Apple ID and Apple Account refer to the same sign-in account on the reset screens.

What is Apple iForgot used for?

iForgot is Apple’s account-recovery entry point for people who cannot remember their password or access their account. An apple iforgot password request can lead to an immediate reset, verification on a trusted device, or a longer account recovery process.

iForgot resets the password for the Apple Account. It does not reset an iPhone or iPad screen passcode, and it does not remove Activation Lock.

What do you need before resetting an Apple ID password?

Gather as much account information and device access as possible before starting an apple password reset iforgot request:

• The email address or phone number used with the Apple Account.
• A trusted Apple device already signed in to that account, if available.
• The passcode for the trusted iPhone or iPad, or the login password for the trusted Mac.
• Access to the trusted phone number connected to the account.
• An account recovery contact, if one was set up previously.
• The recovery key, if the optional recovery-key feature was enabled.

A trusted device is an Apple device already signed in to the account using two-factor authentication. A recovery contact is a person previously chosen to help confirm the account holder’s identity; the contact cannot access the account or its data.

How do you reset your Apple ID password with iForgot?

1. Open {site} in a browser and select Reset Password.
2. Enter the Apple Account email address or phone number requested on the page.
3. Complete the displayed check confirming that the request is being made by a person.
4. Follow the verification option Apple presents. The browser may direct the request to a trusted device, ask for information connected to the account, or offer another available recovery method.
5. On a trusted device, approve the request if prompted and enter that device’s passcode or login password.
6. Enter a new Apple Account password that meets the requirements shown on the screen. Enter it again if Apple asks for confirmation.
7. Finish the reset and sign in using the new password.

The exact prompts depend on the security methods already configured for the account. Read each screen before continuing, particularly when more than one email address, phone number, or Apple Account is in use.

What can you do without access to a trusted device?

If no trusted device is available, a trusted phone number may allow Apple to verify the request. Another option is the Apple Support app on a borrowed Apple device: choose Reset Password under Support Tools, select Help Someone Else, enter the Apple Account email address or phone number, and follow the prompts. Apple states that entered information is not stored on the borrowed device.

A previously configured recovery contact can provide a recovery code after confirming the request on their own device. Enter that code only in the Apple recovery process; the contact does not need the account password.

If a recovery key was enabled, use that secret 28-character code with a trusted phone number and an Apple device. Enabling a recovery key turns off Apple’s standard account recovery process, so losing both trusted-device access and the recovery key can prevent recovery.

If none of the immediate methods works, request account recovery. Account recovery is a waiting process Apple uses when there is not enough information to reset the password immediately. After starting a web request, avoid using devices signed in to that Apple Account because account activity can cancel the request.

How long does Apple account recovery take?

Apple says account recovery may take several days or longer. The wait is determined by the account information provided and the verification Apple can complete; Apple Support cannot shorten it.

Apple sends a confirmation message containing the expected recovery date and time or the date when more information will be available. To check the status, return to the iForgot reset page and enter the same Apple Account email address or phone number used to begin recovery.

When the waiting period ends, Apple sends instructions by text message or an automated call. If that message does not arrive after the stated period, return to the recovery page and follow the prompts. Successfully signing in after remembering the correct information automatically cancels the waiting period.

What do common Apple password-reset errors mean?

• The account is locked, inactive, or disabled: Apple is not allowing a normal sign-in. Follow the displayed option to request access; repeatedly guessing the password will not restore access.
• The account information is not recognized: The email address or phone number may not match the Apple Account. Check for typing mistakes and try another address or number known to be associated with the account.
• An answer or verification detail is incorrect: The information entered does not match what Apple expects for that account. Recheck the prompt instead of repeatedly submitting guesses.
• A verification code never arrives: Confirm that the trusted phone number can receive messages or calls, then use any option shown to resend the code or choose another available method.
• The reset link or session has expired: The earlier reset attempt is no longer active. Begin a new password-reset request rather than reusing the old page or message.
• Account recovery was canceled: The account may have been used while recovery was pending, or someone may have signed in successfully. Start again only if access is still needed.

What should you do after resetting your Apple ID password?

Sign in again wherever Apple asks for the account password. Some devices or services may continue working without another prompt, while others may request the new password.

• Check each iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV associated with the account.
• Replace the old password in browsers or device settings where it was saved.
• Review the trusted phone numbers and devices listed for the account, removing anything no longer recognized or used.
• Confirm that Messages, FaceTime, Mail, and other Apple services resume normally.
• Store any recovery key somewhere accessible without signing in to the Apple Account.

Never give a password, verification code, device passcode, or recovery key to someone who contacts you unexpectedly. Enter those details only into an Apple prompt that you opened yourself.