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How to Reset Your Apple Account Password on iPhone

Updated 2026-08-21 · 1093 words

To reset your Apple Account password on an iPhone you can unlock, open Settings, tap your name, choose Sign-In & Security, and tap Change Password. If you forgot the iPhone screen passcode instead, you generally must erase the iPhone and then restore it from a backup.

An Apple Account password, formerly called an Apple ID password, signs you in to iCloud, the App Store, and other Apple services. The iPhone screen passcode is the numeric or alphanumeric code that unlocks the physical device; resetting one does not automatically reset the other.

What do I need before resetting an Apple password on iPhone?

Before starting an Apple iPhone password reset, identify which password you forgot. If you can open Settings but cannot sign in to iCloud or the App Store, you probably need to reset the Apple Account password. If the Lock Screen rejects your code, you need to reset the iPhone screen passcode.

Have the following ready:

  • Physical access to the iPhone.
  • The iPhone screen passcode, if you are resetting only the Apple Account password.
  • A trusted Apple device already signed in to the same account, if available.
  • Access to a trusted phone number that can receive a verification code.
  • Your Apple Account email address or phone number.
  • A recent iCloud or computer backup if the iPhone may need to be erased.

Do not keep guessing the screen passcode. Repeated incorrect attempts can leave the iPhone unavailable for longer periods. An Apple unlock iPhone procedure must verify ownership; avoid anyone offering a bypass or third-party unlocking tool.

How do I reset my Apple Account password on iPhone?

The simplest answer to “how do I reset Apple password on iPhone?” is to use a trusted iPhone that is already signed in to the account:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap your name at the top.
  3. Tap Sign-In & Security.
  4. Tap Change Password.
  5. Enter the iPhone screen passcode when asked.
  6. Follow the prompts to create and confirm a new Apple Account password.

If your name does not appear because the iPhone is not signed in, tap Apple Account in Settings, choose the option to sign in manually, and select Forgot Password when it appears.

You can also open {site} and choose the password-reset or forgotten-password option. Enter the email address or phone number used for the Apple Account, then follow Apple’s identity-verification prompts. These are the official ways to reset Apple password on iPhone; search phrases such as “forgot Apple password on iPhone,” “Apple iPhone reset password,” and “how to reset Apple password iPhone” refer to this account process.

How do I reset an iPhone when I forgot the screen passcode?

A forgotten screen passcode cannot normally be viewed or replaced from account settings. To reset Apple iPhone access, you must erase the device, which removes its current data and settings, and then set it up again. You will need the Apple Account credentials associated with the iPhone to pass Activation Lock after erasing it.

If the Lock Screen shows iPhone Unavailable or Security Lockout and offers Forgot Passcode, use this path:

  1. Make sure the iPhone has a cellular or Wi-Fi connection.
  2. Tap Forgot Passcode.
  3. Choose the option to start the iPhone reset.
  4. Enter the Apple Account password to sign out of the account.
  5. Confirm that you want to erase the iPhone.
  6. After the restart, follow the setup prompts, create a new screen passcode, and restore an available backup.

The onscreen reset option requires Find My to have been enabled beforehand. You may also erase the locked iPhone from the Find My app on another device signed in to your account. Select the iPhone, choose Erase This Device, and follow the prompts.

If neither option is available, use recovery mode with a Mac or Windows computer and select Restore in Finder or the Apple Devices app. The exact recovery-mode button depends on the iPhone model, so use Apple’s instructions for that model. “Apple iPhone reset,” “reset Apple iPhone,” and “Apple reset iPhone” can also mean a factory reset, but erasing an unlocked phone for routine troubleshooting is different from recovering a forgotten passcode.

What do I do if the two-factor verification code never arrives?

Two-factor authentication, or 2FA, confirms a sign-in with a trusted device or trusted phone number in addition to the password. On the verification screen, select Didn’t Get a Code or Can’t Get to Your Devices, then check whether Apple offers another trusted number or device.

If you permanently lost access to every trusted device and number, choose the option stating that you cannot use the listed number and begin account recovery. Provide only information you can verify. Apple may place the account into a recovery process, and support representatives cannot bypass its security checks or guarantee a completion time.

If you previously enabled a recovery key, you may need that key with a trusted number and an Apple device. If you designated an account recovery contact, that person may be able to provide a recovery code, but the contact does not receive access to your account.

How can I contact Apple Support about a password reset?

Contact Apple Support if the official reset prompts fail, the account is locked or inactive, recovery mode will not complete, or the iPhone buttons do not work. Use the verified contact block shown above this article for the current United States phone option and operating hours, since contact details can change.

You can also open {site}, select Apple Account Support or iPhone Support, and describe whether the problem is the account password, screen passcode, verification code, or Activation Lock. Apple Support can explain the approved recovery path, but it cannot remove security protections without the required ownership verification.

What should I check after resetting my Apple password or iPhone?

After you reset an Apple Account password, confirm that your trusted information and signed-in devices are still correct:

  1. Open Settings, tap your name, and review the devices connected to the Apple Account. Remove any device you do not recognize.
  2. Open iCloud settings and confirm that the services you use are syncing.
  3. Open the App Store and sign in again if prompted.
  4. Update the saved Apple Account password in any password manager you use.
  5. Check the trusted phone numbers under Sign-In & Security and add a backup number if appropriate.
  6. Consider setting up an account recovery contact before another problem occurs.

If you completed an Apple iPhone reset because the screen passcode was forgotten, verify that photos, messages, contacts, and apps restored from the intended backup. Set a memorable device passcode that is different from the new Apple Account password.