Reset Your Apple ID Password: Step-by-Step Guide
Reset your Apple ID password on a trusted iPhone, iPad, or Mac by opening account security settings and choosing Change Password. If no trusted device or phone is available, use Apple’s web recovery process, a previously created recovery key, or an account recovery contact.
Apple now calls an Apple ID an Apple Account, but the same sign-in details still work. The steps below cover resetting your Apple ID password under either name.
Where do I start resetting my Apple ID password?
Start with a device that is already signed in to your Apple Account. A trusted device is an iPhone, iPad, or Mac that Apple has already associated with your account through two-factor authentication.
If you do not have a signed-in device, open {site} and choose the password-reset or sign-in help option. Apple may direct the browser to its dedicated password-recovery service.
You can also use the Apple Support app on a borrowed iPhone or iPad:
- Open the Apple Support app.
- Scroll to Support Tools and select Reset Password.
- Select Help Someone Else.
- Enter the email address or phone number used for your Apple Account.
- Follow the identity-verification instructions.
Your account information should not remain stored in the borrowed device after this process, but sign out of any browser pages before returning the device.
How do I reset my password with a trusted device?
Resetting your Apple ID password is usually simplest on a device that is already signed in and protected by a device passcode or Mac login password.
On an iPhone or iPad:
- Open Settings and tap your name.
- Tap Sign-In & Security.
- Tap Change Password.
- Enter the device passcode when asked.
- Create a new Apple Account password and follow the remaining prompts.
On a Mac:
- Open the Apple menu and choose System Settings.
- Click your name, then Sign-In & Security.
- Click Change Password.
- Enter the password used to unlock the Mac.
- Follow the prompts to create the new account password.
A security delay may appear when Stolen Device Protection applies. Follow the displayed instructions rather than repeatedly restarting the reset.
How can I reset my Apple ID password without my phone?
Resetting an Apple ID password without a phone may still be possible if another trusted iPad or Mac is signed in. Use Change Password in that device’s Sign-In & Security settings.
Other possible recovery methods depend on what was configured before access was lost:
A recovery contact is a person previously designated to provide a recovery code. The contact cannot view the account or change its password.
A recovery key is a secret code created when the optional recovery-key feature was enabled. Apple’s standard account recovery is turned off when this feature is active, so losing both the key and trusted-device access can cause permanent loss of account access.
An email address associated with the account may receive notices or help identify the account. Email access alone does not necessarily replace a trusted phone number, trusted device, recovery contact, or recovery key.
If the verification screen shows Didn’t Get a Code? or Can’t Get to Your Devices?, select it and report that the trusted number cannot be used. Apple may then offer account recovery.
How do I reset my Apple ID password on the web?
Open {site}, select the password-reset option, and follow Apple’s prompts. The browser may transfer the process to Apple’s dedicated recovery page or ask you to continue on a trusted device.
The web flow may ask for:
- the email address or phone number used to sign in;
- a trusted phone number associated with the account;
- a verification code sent to a trusted device or number;
- a device passcode or approval on a signed-in Apple device;
- a recovery key or help from a recovery contact, if previously configured.
Enter information only on Apple-controlled screens. Do not give a password, verification code, recovery key, or device passcode to anyone who contacts you unexpectedly.
What should I do if my Apple Account is locked?
Repeated unsuccessful sign-in attempts or suspicious activity can lock an Apple Account. Stop guessing the password and use the displayed option to reset the password, unlock the account, or request access.
If standard checks do not work, Apple may start account recovery. Account recovery is a security process that delays access while Apple evaluates whether the request is legitimate. The screen provides the applicable status or timing; Apple Support cannot shorten that waiting period.
After starting account recovery, follow Apple’s instructions about device use. Using devices still signed in to the account can interrupt or cancel some recovery requests.
If a recovery key was enabled, provide that key when Apple requests it. Without the recovery key or an eligible trusted device, Apple’s standard recovery process is unavailable for an account protected by that feature. Accounts without a recovery key may be eligible for standard account recovery.
What should I do after resetting my Apple ID password?
After resetting your Apple ID password, complete these steps:
- Sign back in when each Apple device, browser, or service asks for the new password.
- Update the saved password in your password manager and remove outdated copies.
- Review the trusted phone numbers and devices listed under Sign-In & Security.
- Approve legitimate two-factor authentication prompts when signing in again. A password reset does not normally turn off two-factor authentication.
- Remove devices you do not recognize and review account details for unauthorized changes.
Never approve an unexpected sign-in request. If prompts continue for a location or device you do not recognize, change the password again from a trusted device and review account security.
When should I contact Apple Support for account help?
Contact Apple Support when the self-service flow will not recognize the account, a verification screen repeatedly fails, or the recovery instructions do not match the devices and recovery methods available to you. Use the verified support contact block on this page to reach Apple.
Apple Support can explain available recovery options and troubleshoot technical errors. Support representatives cannot disclose a password, bypass two-factor authentication, replace a missing recovery key, or shorten an account-recovery waiting period.
Keep the affected device nearby and note the exact error message before contacting support. Never send a password, device passcode, verification code, or recovery key in a message or provide it during an unsolicited call.