How to Recover Your Apple Password

To recover an Apple password, open {site}, choose the password-reset option, and verify your identity with a trusted device or trusted phone number. If normal verification is unavailable, start Apple account recovery and follow the instructions Apple sends.

Apple ID is now called an Apple Account, but older devices and help pages may still use the Apple ID name. Both terms refer to the account used with iCloud, the App Store, and other Apple services.

Where do I start the Apple ID password reset?

Use Apple’s official password-reset page rather than a page from an email, text message, or search advertisement. Open {site}, find the Apple Account sign-in or support area, and select the option for a forgotten password.

The official reset service may ask for the email address or phone number associated with the Apple Account. If Apple displays a device notification, read it carefully and approve it only if you started the reset.

If you do not remember the account identifier, look in Settings on a signed-in Apple device. On a Mac, check the Apple Account section of System Settings. Do not repeatedly guess passwords, because additional failed attempts can leave the account locked.

How do I reset my Apple password online?

1. Open Apple’s official password-reset service and enter the email address or phone number used for the Apple Account.
2. Complete any security check shown on the page, then select Continue.
3. Confirm the trusted phone number associated with the account if Apple requests it.
4. Choose an available verification method. Apple may send a prompt to a trusted device or provide instructions involving the trusted phone number.
5. Enter the requested verification information. Never give a verification code to someone who contacted you unexpectedly.
6. Create a new password that meets the requirements displayed on the screen. Use a password that is not used for another account.
7. Confirm the new password and finish the reset. Apple may sign the account out on some devices or services.

The exact screens can differ according to the security settings and devices connected to the account. Follow the options Apple displays rather than restarting the process because a screen looks different.

How do I reset an Apple password from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac?

A trusted device is an iPhone, iPad, or Mac that is already signed in to the Apple Account and can be used to verify identity. Resetting from a trusted device is often the most direct method because the device passcode or Mac login password helps confirm that the device belongs to you.

On an iPhone or iPad:

1. Open Settings and tap your name.
2. Select Sign-In & Security.
3. Select Change Password.
4. Enter the device passcode when requested.
5. Enter and confirm the new Apple Account password.

On a Mac:

1. Open the Apple menu and select System Settings.
2. Select your name, then Sign-In & Security.
3. Select Change Password.
4. Enter the Mac login password if requested.
5. Create and confirm the new Apple Account password.

Menu names can vary on older software. Look for Password & Security if Sign-In & Security is not shown.

How does two-factor authentication work during Apple password recovery?

Two-factor authentication is a security method that checks both account information and access to a trusted device or trusted phone number. During recovery, Apple may show a prompt on a trusted device, request its passcode, or ask you to confirm a trusted number.

If a verification code does not arrive, check that the trusted number is correct, that the phone can receive messages or calls, and that Airplane Mode is off. A signed-in trusted device may also display a code in its account security settings.

Do not approve an unexpected password-reset request. If another person asks for a code, password, device passcode, or recovery key, stop the conversation and use Apple’s official support options yourself.

What should I do if my Apple Account is locked?

If Apple reports that the account is locked or not active, use the recovery option displayed by Apple. First try resetting the password with a trusted device or trusted phone number. If Apple cannot verify enough information, the system may offer account recovery.

Account recovery is Apple’s identity-verification process for people who cannot use their normal sign-in or verification methods. Provide a phone number where Apple can reach you and follow the status instructions shown during the request.

Apple may require a waiting period before access can be restored. Support representatives cannot bypass the verification requirements or shorten a waiting period. Using devices that remain signed in may interrupt or delay recovery if Apple instructs you not to use the account during the process, so follow the specific directions on the recovery screen.

When should I contact Apple Support about a forgotten password?

Contact Apple Support if the reset page will not accept the account identifier, the account is reported as locked or inactive, a trusted device is unavailable, or the recovery instructions are unclear. Use the verified contact block on this page or Apple’s official support area; do not call a number copied from an unverified search result.

Before contacting support, prepare:

• The email address or phone number used for the Apple Account.
• Access to any trusted device and trusted phone number still available.
• The exact error message shown on the device or browser.
• The device model and software version, if available.
• Details of any account-recovery request already started.

Apple Support can explain the approved process, but it cannot reveal the old password or remove identity checks.

What should I update after resetting my Apple password?

After you recover your Apple password, sign in again wherever Apple requests the new password. Check each iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, Windows device using iCloud, and Apple service that shows a sign-in alert.

• Update the saved password in your password manager or iCloud Keychain if the old entry remains.
• Review the devices listed under the Apple Account and remove any device you do not recognize.
• Confirm that trusted phone numbers and account email addresses are current.
• Check that iCloud syncing, Messages, FaceTime, and media services resume normally.
• Review recovery contacts or a recovery key if those security features are enabled.

Never store the new password in an unprotected note or send it by message. If the password changed because of suspicious activity, also change any reused passwords on unrelated accounts.