Change or Reset Your iPad Password

To change your iPad password when you know the current one, open Settings, select Face ID & Passcode or Touch ID & Passcode, enter the current passcode, and choose Change Passcode. If you forgot the iPad passcode, Apple’s official recovery process requires erasing the iPad before you can create a new one.

Apple calls the code used to unlock an iPad a passcode. Your Apple Account password is separate and may be required to erase, reactivate, or restore the device.

How do I change my iPad password from Settings?

If you are searching for “how to change my iPad password” and can still unlock the device, use the Settings app. Back up important information first if the iPad has not been backed up recently.

1. Open Settings on the iPad.
2. Select Face ID & Passcode or Touch ID & Passcode, depending on the iPad model. Some older models may show Passcode.
3. Enter the current iPad passcode.
4. Select Change Passcode.
5. Enter the current passcode again if prompted.
6. Enter the new passcode, then enter it a second time to confirm it.

The new passcode takes effect immediately. Lock the screen and unlock it once to confirm that you remember the new code. Changing the passcode for an iPad does not automatically change the password for your Apple Account, email, apps, or websites.

What should I do if I forgot my iPad password?

An iPad cannot reveal or bypass a forgotten passcode. After too many incorrect attempts, the iPad may display messages such as iPad Unavailable or Security Lockout and require you to wait before trying again.

If a Forgot Passcode? option appears on the locked screen, you may be able to start an erase and reset directly on the iPad. The exact prompts depend on the iPad software version and how the device was configured.

1. Select Forgot Passcode? on the locked screen.
2. Choose the option to start the iPad reset.
3. Enter the Apple Account password requested on the screen.
4. Confirm that you want to erase the iPad.
5. After the erase finishes, complete setup and create a new passcode.
6. Restore a backup when offered, if an iCloud or computer backup is available.

Erasing removes the forgotten passcode along with the data currently stored on the device. Information already synchronized with iCloud may return after you sign in, while other information can return only from an available backup.

Can I use iCloud or Find My to reset the iPad passcode?

Find My cannot replace a forgotten iPad passcode with a new one remotely. It can erase a locked iPad, which clears the passcode and allows the device to be set up again.

This method requires Find My to have been enabled for the iPad before it was locked. The iPad must also connect to the internet before it can receive the erase command.

1. On another device, open the Find My app, or open {site} and go to the Find Devices feature.
2. Sign in with the Apple Account connected to the locked iPad.
3. Select the iPad from the device list.
4. Choose Erase This Device or Erase iPad.
5. Review the warning and confirm the erase.
6. When the iPad restarts, follow the setup prompts and create a new passcode.

If the iPad is offline, the erase remains pending until the device connects. Activation Lock may ask for the Apple Account and password previously associated with the iPad before setup can continue.

How do I restore a locked iPad with a computer?

A Mac or Windows PC can restore an iPad in recovery mode when the passcode is unknown. Restoring erases the iPad and installs iPad software again.

1. Have a compatible cable ready. On a Mac, open Finder. On a Windows PC, use the Apple Devices app or iTunes where applicable.
2. Turn off the iPad and disconnect it from the computer.
3. For an iPad without a Home button, hold the top button while connecting the cable. For an iPad with a Home button, hold the Home button while connecting it.
4. Keep holding the button until the recovery-mode screen appears, then release it.
5. Select the iPad in Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes.
6. Choose Restore when the computer offers Restore or Update.
7. Keep the iPad connected while the computer downloads and installs the software.
8. After restoration, set up the iPad, create a new passcode, and restore an available backup if desired.

If the download takes long enough for the iPad to leave recovery mode, let the download finish and then repeat the steps to enter recovery mode.

How do I choose a new iPad password?

Apple normally offers a six-digit numeric passcode, but other formats are available. While creating or changing the passcode, select Passcode Options on the passcode-entry screen.

• Custom Alphanumeric Code uses letters, numbers, and available characters.
• Custom Numeric Code allows a numeric code with a length you choose.
• Four-Digit Numeric Code uses four numbers.

A longer passcode is generally harder for another person to guess. Avoid birthdays, repeated digits, simple sequences, and codes used for other accounts. Store the passcode in a secure password manager or another protected place rather than an unprotected note on the iPad.

What should I do if I’m still locked out of my iPad?

Contact Apple Support if recovery mode is not recognized, the erase cannot complete, or Activation Lock requests an Apple Account you cannot access. Apple Support cannot simply disclose or remove a forgotten passcode without the official recovery process.

Before requesting help, have the iPad model, serial number if available, the Apple Account email address or phone number associated with the device, and any proof of ownership ready. Explain the exact message shown on the screen and which erase or restore steps you already tried.

If the iPad belongs to an employer or school, contact that organization’s administrator before erasing it. A managed iPad may require organization credentials or enrollment steps after restoration.