What to Do If You Forgot Your iPad Passcode

If you forgot your iPad passcode, regain access by using Passcode Reset when eligible or by erasing the iPad and setting it up again. Except for the limited old-passcode option after a recent passcode change, Apple cannot retrieve or display a forgotten iPad passcode.

What happens when you forget an iPad passcode?

The iPad passcode protects encrypted information stored on the device. Apple does not keep a readable copy that it can show or send to you.

Repeated incorrect entries trigger waiting periods. After enough failed attempts, the screen may say iPad Unavailable or Security Lockout, and further passcode attempts may be restricted.

If you changed the passcode recently on iPadOS 17 or later, Passcode Reset may let you use the previous passcode within 72 hours. Tap Forgot Passcode? on the unavailable screen, choose the previous-passcode option if shown, enter the old passcode, and create a new one. Otherwise, the supported solution is to erase the iPad, which also removes its passcode.

What should you check before resetting a locked iPad?

Before deciding what to do if you forgot your iPad passcode, confirm the following:

• The email address or phone number for the Apple Account associated with the iPad, plus its password.
• Whether an iCloud or computer backup exists. A backup determines which apps, settings, photos, and other data may be restored after erasure.
• Access to a trusted device or trusted phone number if Apple requests a verification code.
• A working Wi-Fi or cellular connection for an on-device reset.
• A Mac or Windows PC, a compatible cable, and an internet connection if recovery mode is necessary.

Do not start an erase expecting unbacked-up information to remain. Erasing permanently removes the content stored only on the iPad.

How do you reset an iPad from the Lock Screen?

An on-device reset is available only when the iPad shows an unavailable or Security Lockout screen and meets Apple’s requirements. The iPad must use iPadOS 15.2 or later, have Find My already enabled, be connected to Wi-Fi or cellular service, and remain signed in to an Apple Account.

1. Continue to the unavailable screen, then tap Forgot Passcode? On iPadOS 15.2 or iPadOS 16, the option may instead be labeled Erase iPad.
2. Select the option to start the iPad reset.
3. Enter the password for the Apple Account associated with the iPad.
4. Confirm that you want to erase the iPad.
5. After the iPad restarts, follow the setup prompts and create a new passcode.

If the reset choice never appears, the iPad is offline, Find My was not enabled, or the software is not eligible, use recovery mode with a computer.

How do you erase a locked iPad with a Mac or Windows PC?

Recovery mode is a special startup state that lets supported computer software erase and reinstall the iPad’s system. Use Finder on a Mac or the Apple Devices app on a Windows PC.

1. Turn off the iPad and disconnect it from the computer.
2. Connect the cable to the computer.
3. For an iPad without a Home button, connect the iPad while holding the top button. If necessary, quickly press and release the volume button nearest the top button, quickly press and release the other volume button, then hold the top button.
4. For an iPad with a Home button, connect it while holding the Home button.
5. Keep holding the required button until the recovery-mode screen shows a computer and cable. Do not release it at the Apple logo.
6. Find the iPad in Finder or Apple Devices and choose Restore when offered Restore or Update.
7. Allow the software download and restoration to finish. If the iPad leaves recovery mode before the download finishes, let the download complete, turn off the iPad, and repeat the recovery-mode steps.

The Restore command erases the passcode, settings, and locally stored data before reinstalling iPadOS.

How do you restore apps and data after erasing an iPad?

When the Hello screen appears, choose the language, region, network, and other setup options. Sign in with the Apple Account previously associated with the iPad; Activation Lock may require those credentials before setup can continue.

At the Apps and Data screen, select the available iCloud or computer backup and follow the prompts. Use the same Apple Account connected to the backup, and keep the iPad connected to power and the internet while content continues restoring.

If no backup exists, set up the iPad as new. Information stored only on the erased iPad cannot be recovered, although content already synchronized with an online account may reappear after you sign in to that account.

What if you cannot reset the locked iPad?

• If recovery mode will not appear, verify that the iPad is fully off, use the correct buttons for its model, check the cable and connection, and repeat the sequence.
• If you forgot the Apple Account password, use Apple’s official account-recovery process before attempting setup again.
• If Activation Lock requests an unfamiliar account, the previous owner or the organization managing the iPad must remove the device from that account. Erasing it does not bypass Activation Lock.
• If the iPad belongs to an employer or school, contact its technology administrator rather than changing account ownership yourself.
• If no computer is available, seek help from an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider.

Open the company’s official website to find Apple’s official account-recovery guidance or support choices. Proof of ownership may be requested, but it does not guarantee that locally stored data can be preserved.

How can you prevent another iPad lockout?

• Enable regular iCloud backups or make encrypted computer backups and confirm that recent backups complete successfully.
• Keep the trusted phone numbers and trusted devices on the Apple Account current.
• Store the Apple Account identifier, recovery details, and passcode in a secure password manager or another protected place.
• Add an account recovery contact if that Apple Account offers the feature.
• After changing the iPad passcode, memorize or securely record the new code before the previous-passcode reset window ends.
• Make sure important photos, documents, and contacts synchronize with an appropriate backup or cloud service.