Forgot iCloud Password? Reset Your Account Access
You can reset a forgotten iCloud password from a trusted Apple device or through Apple’s official password-recovery process. Your iCloud password is the password for your Apple Account, so resetting it changes the password used for iCloud and other Apple services.
What do you need before resetting your iCloud password?
An Apple Account is the account you use to sign in to iCloud and other Apple services; it may be identified by an email address or phone number. Apple previously called this an Apple ID.
Before you begin, have as many of these items available as possible:
- Your Apple Account email address or phone number.
- A trusted iPhone, iPad, Mac, or other supported Apple device that is already signed in to your account.
- The device passcode or Mac login password.
- Access to a trusted phone number connected to the account.
- Your recovery key or recovery contact, if you previously set up either security option.
Never give anyone your password, device passcode, verification code, or recovery key. Apple Support representatives cannot use those credentials to skip the identity-verification process.
How do you reset your iCloud password on a trusted Apple device?
A trusted device is an Apple device that is already signed in to your Apple Account and can help Apple verify your identity. This is usually the quickest reset method because the device itself is part of the verification process.
On a signed-in iPhone or iPad:
- Open Settings.
- Tap your name.
- Tap Sign-In & Security.
- Tap Change Password.
- Enter the device passcode if requested.
- Enter and confirm the new Apple Account password, then follow the prompts.
On a signed-in Mac:
- Open the Apple menu and choose System Settings.
- Select your name.
- Select Sign-In & Security.
- Select Change Password.
- Enter the Mac login password if requested.
- Create the new Apple Account password and complete the onscreen steps.
Menu wording can vary with the device and software version. If Sign-In & Security is not shown, look for Password & Security under your account name. After the reset, you may need to enter the new password on other devices using the account.
How do you reset a forgotten iCloud password on the web?
If no trusted device is available, use Apple’s official account-access process. Avoid password-reset pages reached through unsolicited messages or advertisements.
- Open {site} and locate the option for a forgotten Apple Account password or account recovery.
- Enter the email address or phone number used with your Apple Account.
- Complete the security check shown on the page.
- Follow Apple’s prompts to verify a trusted phone number, device, or other account information.
- Create a new password if Apple can verify your identity immediately.
If Apple cannot verify the account immediately, the process may offer account recovery. Keep the trusted phone number available and follow only the instructions Apple sends during that process.
How do you reset your iCloud password on a borrowed Apple device?
You can use the Apple Support app on another person’s compatible iPhone or iPad without signing their device out of their account. Use the option intended to help someone else.
- Open the Apple Support app on the borrowed device.
- Scroll to Support Tools.
- Tap Reset Password.
- Choose Help Someone Else.
- Enter your Apple Account email address or phone number.
- Follow the identity-verification and password-reset prompts.
If the borrowed device does not have the Apple Support app or does not show these choices, use Apple’s official web recovery process instead. Do not save your new password on the borrowed device, and do not share any verification code with its owner.
What happens if Apple cannot verify your identity?
Account recovery is Apple’s process for helping you regain access when there is not enough information to reset the password immediately. Apple may ask you to confirm the Apple Account identifier, a trusted phone number, or information associated with trusted devices.
Provide information you know is accurate, but never send security credentials to another person. Repeated guesses or changes to account information can make it harder to complete verification.
To check account-recovery status:
- Return to the same official Apple account-recovery service you used to start the request.
- Enter the Apple Account email address or phone number.
- Follow the prompts to view the available status information.
- Watch the trusted phone number and other contact methods for instructions from Apple.
Apple determines when verification is complete. Do not rely on a specific completion estimate, and remember that Apple Support cannot accelerate the account-recovery waiting period.
How do you get official help with a forgotten iCloud password?
Open {site}, choose support for Apple Account sign-in or password issues, and select an official contact option offered for your location. Describe whether you still have a trusted device, access to the trusted phone number, or an account-recovery request already in progress.
Apple Support can explain the correct reset route, help you find the account-recovery tools, and clarify status messages. A representative cannot reveal your password, reset it without the required verification, provide your verification codes, or bypass account security.
If you searched for “forgot icloud pw” or “how to reset icloud pw,” remember that the password you need to change is your Apple Account password. Use a trusted device first when possible; otherwise, use Apple’s official recovery process or the Apple Support app on a borrowed compatible device.