iPhone 17 Password Reset: How to Get Back In

To reset an iPhone 17 passcode after you are locked out, you must usually erase the iPhone and set it up again. You can erase the iPhone with Find My, restore it with a Mac or PC, or erase it from another Apple device signed in to the same Apple Account.

If you recently changed the passcode, the lock screen may let you use the previous passcode temporarily and create a new one without erasing the iPhone. Select Forgot Passcode? and follow the displayed instructions if that option appears.

What do you need before you reset an iPhone 17?

Before you reset iPhone 17, gather the account details and equipment needed for the method you plan to use.

• Your Apple Account email address or phone number. Apple Account is the current name for what was formerly called an Apple ID.
• Your Apple Account password, especially if Find My and Activation Lock are enabled.
• A trusted Apple device or trusted phone number that can receive a verification code.
• A Mac or Windows PC, a compatible cable, and an internet connection if you will use recovery mode.
• Your latest iCloud or computer backup, if one exists.

Check whether the iPhone is signed in to iCloud and appears in Find My. Remote erasing works only if Find My was enabled before the lockout. If the iPhone is offline, the erase request may remain pending until the device connects.

An iPhone passcode is different from a Screen Time passcode. If you can unlock the phone but cannot change restrictions or app limits, reset the Screen Time passcode through the Screen Time settings instead of erasing the iPhone.

How do you reset an iPhone 17 with Find My?

Find My can remotely erase a locked iPhone 17. This method requires Find My to have been enabled on the phone and requires access to the Apple Account associated with it.

1. On another phone, tablet, or computer, open {site} and locate the Find Devices service.
2. Sign in with the Apple Account used on the locked iPhone 17.
3. Select the iPhone 17 from the device list.
4. Choose the option to erase the device and confirm the request.
5. Wait for the iPhone to erase. An offline iPhone must reconnect before the request can finish.
6. Start the onscreen setup, sign in with the same Apple Account, and create a new device passcode.
7. Restore an available iCloud or computer backup when the setup assistant offers that choice.

Erasing does not remove Activation Lock. Activation Lock is an ownership safeguard that requires the Apple Account previously linked to the iPhone before the device can be activated again.

How do you reset an iPhone 17 with a Mac or PC?

A computer can restore an iPhone 17 when Find My is unavailable or the phone cannot be erased remotely. Restoring installs iOS again and erases the passcode and local data.

1. Update the Mac or Windows PC and open Finder on a current Mac. On Windows or an older compatible Mac, open the Apple device-management software available on that computer.
2. Turn off the iPhone 17.
3. Connect the iPhone to the computer while holding the side button.
4. Keep holding the side button until the recovery-mode screen appears. Do not release it when the Apple logo first appears.
5. Select the iPhone in Finder or the device-management software.
6. Choose Restore when the computer offers Restore or Update.
7. Allow the download and restore to finish. If the iPhone leaves recovery mode during a long download, repeat the recovery-mode steps after the download completes.
8. Set up the iPhone, create a new passcode, and restore a backup if one is available.

If the computer does not detect the iPhone, try another compatible cable or USB port and restart the computer. Avoid disconnecting the phone while a restore is in progress.

How do you erase an iPhone 17 from another Apple device?

A trusted iPhone, iPad, or Mac signed in to the same Apple Account can erase the locked iPhone 17 through the Find My app.

1. Open Find My on the trusted Apple device.
2. Select Devices, then select the locked iPhone 17.
3. Choose Erase This Device and review the warning.
4. Confirm with the requested account credentials or device authentication.
5. Wait for the erase to complete, then set up the iPhone 17 with a new passcode.

This method erases the iPhone just like the web-based Find My method. Removing the iPhone from the account is not necessary when you plan to keep using it.

What if you forgot your Apple ID password too?

Recover the Apple Account password before using a reset method that asks for it. A trusted Apple device may let you change the password in its account settings after you confirm that device’s passcode.

If no trusted device is available, use Apple’s account-recovery process through {site}. Provide the Apple Account identifier and a trusted phone number when requested. Account recovery can require a waiting period, and Apple Support cannot bypass that security delay.

Do not create a different Apple Account to get around Activation Lock. The iPhone will continue to request the account previously associated with the device.

Will resetting an iPhone 17 erase your data?

Find My erasing and computer recovery-mode restoring both erase the iPhone 17. They remove the forgotten device passcode, apps, messages, photos, settings, and other information stored only on the phone.

• An iCloud backup can restore supported settings, app data, messages, and photos included in that backup.
• A Mac or PC backup can restore the information captured when that backup was made.
• Information already syncing with iCloud may return after you sign in and synchronization finishes.
• Anything added after the most recent backup may be lost.
• Using a recently changed previous passcode, when the lock screen offers that option, can preserve the data because it does not erase the phone.

A backup does not restore the forgotten passcode. You create a new passcode during setup.

When should you contact Apple Support about a locked iPhone 17?

Contact official Apple Support if the iPhone will not enter recovery mode, a restore repeatedly fails, the device is missing from Find My, or account recovery cannot confirm your identity.

Apple may also help when Activation Lock remains after a legitimate ownership transfer. Be ready to provide proof of ownership showing the device details. Apple cannot disclose another person’s credentials or help bypass the lock on a device you do not own.

If the buttons, connector, display, or computer connection appear damaged, request service guidance rather than repeatedly interrupting a restore. Explain the exact screen message and any error shown by the computer.