How to Reset or Unlock Your Apple ID Password

To reset an Apple ID password, use a trusted Apple device or open {site}, choose the password-reset option, and complete Apple’s identity checks. If the Apple ID is locked, reset the password or select Request Access when Apple displays that option.

Apple now calls an Apple ID an Apple Account, but the same email address or phone number and password still work.

What are the signs your Apple ID is locked or the password is wrong?

A password reset or unlock may be needed when Apple rejects a password you previously used, repeatedly returns you to the sign-in screen, or says the account is locked, inactive, or disabled.

Typical security messages say that the Apple Account has been disabled or locked for security reasons, or that you cannot sign in because it was disabled. This can happen after the password or other account information is entered incorrectly too many times.

If only one app is failing, first confirm that the device has an internet connection and that you are using the same Apple Account across Apple services. Do not keep guessing passwords, because repeated failed attempts may trigger additional security restrictions.

How do you reset your Apple ID password?

If you are asking “how do you reset your Apple ID password,” the easiest method is usually a trusted device. A trusted device is an Apple device already signed in to your account with two-factor authentication.

1. On an iPhone or iPad, open Settings and tap your name.
2. Tap Sign-In & Security, then tap Change Password.
3. Enter the device passcode and follow the prompts to create a new password.

On a Mac, open System Settings from the Apple menu, select your name, choose Sign-In & Security, and select Change Password. Enter the Mac login password if requested.

If you do not have a trusted device, open {site} and find the option for resetting a forgotten Apple Account password. Enter the email address or phone number associated with the account and follow the identity-verification prompts.

You may also use the Apple Support app on a borrowed Apple device. Under Support Tools, select Reset Password, choose Help Someone Else, enter your Apple Account information, and continue through the prompts. Apple says the information entered in this flow is not stored on the borrowed device.

How do you unlock your Apple ID?

A forgotten password means you cannot supply the correct sign-in credential. A locked account means Apple has restricted access, commonly after too many incorrect attempts or another security concern.

1. Read the exact alert to determine whether Apple asks for a password reset or offers Request Access.
2. If the account was disabled for security reasons, complete the official password-reset process.
3. If the alert says the account is locked or inactive, tap Request Access when that choice appears.
4. Follow Apple’s prompts and provide only information you can verify.

These steps answer “how do you unlock Apple ID” and “how do you unlock your Apple ID” without using a third-party service. Apple’s identity checks cannot legitimately be bypassed, and submitting a request does not guarantee that access will be restored.

What should you do if you forgot your Apple ID itself?

Before attempting a reset, identify the email address or phone number used for the Apple Account. On an iPhone or iPad where you may still be signed in, open Settings, tap your name, and select Sign-In & Security. On a Mac, open System Settings, select your name, and choose Sign-In & Security.

• Check iCloud for Windows for the account information shown beneath your name.
• Check whether the App Store, Messages, or FaceTime already shows the account.
• Search your email inbox for messages from Apple that include the account address.
• Ask a member of your Family Sharing group to check the account information listed for you.
• Try an email address or phone number you regularly use with Apple services.

Once you identify the account, use that same email address or phone number throughout recovery.

How does Apple verify your identity during account recovery?

Two-factor authentication is a security method that requires both the password and confirmation through a trusted device or phone number. Apple may send a verification code to a trusted phone number, display a prompt on a trusted device, or ask for that device’s passcode.

If you previously enabled a recovery key, Apple may require that secret 28-character code along with access to a trusted phone number. Enabling a recovery key turns off Apple’s standard account-recovery process, so losing both the key and trusted access can prevent recovery.

Apple may also support recovery through a recovery contact that you set up earlier. These checks matter because changing an Apple ID password can expose personal data, messages, photos, and device controls.

What can you do if you still cannot get back into your Apple ID?

If the standard reset choices fail, start account recovery when Apple offers it. Account recovery is Apple’s identity-review process for people who cannot reset a password through their trusted devices or phone numbers.

Follow the onscreen directions carefully and avoid repeatedly restarting the request. If Apple gives instructions about the use of devices already signed in to the account, follow those instructions because account activity can affect an active recovery request.

For help understanding the available options, contact official Apple Support through the verified support information on this page. Apple Support can explain the process, but it cannot bypass identity verification or accelerate Apple’s security review.

How should you secure your Apple ID after recovery?

1. Create a unique password that you do not use for another account.
2. Enable two-factor authentication if it is not already active.
3. Review trusted phone numbers and remove any that you no longer control.
4. Review trusted devices and remove devices you do not recognize.
5. Add another trusted phone number or a recovery contact where appropriate.
6. Store any recovery key somewhere secure and accessible without signing in to the Apple Account.

If you wonder “how do you check your Apple ID password,” Apple does not display the current password in account settings. Test it only through an official sign-in screen, or reset it if you cannot remember it.

Whether the question is “how can you reset your Apple ID,” “how do you reset Apple ID,” or “what to do when you forgot your Apple ID password,” use Apple’s official prompts and keep recovery codes private.