How to Restore an iPad to Factory Settings Without a Password

You can restore a locked iPad to factory settings without entering its screen passcode by connecting it to a Mac or Windows PC and using recovery mode. The restore erases the iPad, but it does not remove Activation Lock or the requirement to sign in with the Apple Account previously linked to the device.

What does restoring an iPad without the password do?

A normal factory reset starts in the iPad Settings app and requires the current screen passcode. If you cannot unlock the iPad, recovery mode lets Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes reinstall iPadOS and return the device to its factory settings.

Restoring an iPad without the password removes:

• The screen passcode and saved Face ID or Touch ID settings.
• Apps, photos, messages, downloads, and other locally stored data.
• Accounts, preferences, network settings, and payment cards stored on the iPad.

Data can be recovered only if it was previously saved in iCloud or in a computer backup. If no backup exists, the erased information normally cannot be restored.

The reset does not remove Activation Lock. Activation Lock is an anti-theft feature that connects an iPad to the Apple Account used to enable Find My.

What do you need before restoring a locked iPad?

Before learning how to restore an iPad to factory settings without a password, gather the following:

• A Mac or Windows PC with an internet connection.
• A compatible cable for connecting the iPad to the computer.
• Finder on a current Mac, Apple Devices on a supported Windows PC, or iTunes where Apple Devices is not being used.
• The email address or phone number and password for the linked Apple Account, formerly called an Apple ID.
• Enough time for the computer to download and install iPadOS.

If Find My was enabled, the Apple Account credentials will be required after the restore. Reset the account password before erasing the iPad if you have forgotten it but can still complete Apple's account-recovery process.

Charge the iPad if possible. Disconnect other unnecessary mobile devices from the computer so that you do not accidentally select the wrong one.

How do you restore an iPad using recovery mode on a computer?

Use the button instructions that match the iPad. Keep holding the required button or buttons past the Apple logo; release them only when the recovery-mode screen appears, showing a cable and computer.

1. Connect the iPad to the Mac or Windows PC with the cable.
2. Open Finder on a Mac. On Windows, open Apple Devices or iTunes, depending on which application manages the iPad.
3. For an iPad without a Home button, quickly press and release the volume button closest to the top button. Quickly press and release the other volume button. Then press and hold the top button until the recovery-mode screen appears.
4. For an iPad with a Home button, press and hold the Home button and the top button at the same time. Continue holding them until the recovery-mode screen appears.
5. Select the iPad in Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes. When the computer offers Update or Restore, choose Restore.
6. Confirm the restore and allow the computer to download iPadOS. Do not disconnect the cable while the restore is running.
7. If the download takes long enough that the iPad leaves recovery mode, let the download finish. Then repeat the correct button sequence and choose Restore again.
8. Wait for the iPad to restart and display its setup screen before disconnecting it.

If the computer does not recognize the iPad, reconnect the cable, try another compatible port, and reopen Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes. A different working cable or computer may help identify a connection problem.

How do you sign back in after resetting the iPad?

After you restore an iPad to factory settings without a password, follow the setup prompts for language, region, Wi-Fi, and other basic choices. The old screen passcode is no longer needed.

If Activation Lock appears, enter the Apple Account email address or phone number and its password. This must be the account that was linked to Find My on the iPad before it was erased.

After activation, choose whether to set up the iPad as new or restore an available iCloud or computer backup. A backup may return supported apps, settings, and personal data, but it does not restore the forgotten screen passcode.

What happens if Find My iPad is still enabled?

If Find My iPad was enabled before the reset, Activation Lock remains enabled after recovery-mode restoration. Erasing the storage does not separate the iPad from its linked Apple Account.

You cannot finish setting up the iPad without the linked account credentials or assistance from Apple after ownership is verified. Repeating the restore, changing computers, or erasing the iPad again will not remove Activation Lock.

If the iPad belongs to another person or organization, ask the previous owner or managing organization to remove the device from its account. Do not use services or software that claim to bypass Activation Lock.

When should you contact Apple Support instead?

Contact Apple Support when recovery mode does not appear, the restore repeatedly fails, the computer never detects the iPad, or the iPad reports a persistent restore error. Have the iPad model and any displayed error message ready.

Apple Support is also the correct place to ask for help when you cannot recover the Apple Account linked to Activation Lock. Apple may require acceptable proof that you own the device; a factory reset by itself is not proof of ownership.

If the iPad is secondhand and remains connected to someone else's account, contact the previous owner. If the device belongs to an employer or school, contact that organization's technology administrator. Apple Support cannot help you bypass another person's account, and recovery mode cannot make a lost or чужое device available for unrestricted use.