How to Retrieve Your Apple ID Password

You cannot retrieve an Apple ID password in readable form; Apple requires you to reset it and create a new password. The fastest method is usually a trusted iPhone, iPad, or Mac that is already signed in to your Apple Account.

Apple ID is now called Apple Account, although many screens and searches still use the older name. If you are asking “how do I retrieve my Apple ID password,” use the recovery method below that matches the devices and contact information you can access.

Can I retrieve my old Apple ID password without resetting it?

Apple does not display a forgotten Apple ID password in plain text. Every official recovery path verifies your identity and then lets you set a new password; it does not reveal the old one.

Do not enter your Apple Account password or verification code on a non-Apple site. Anyone claiming to retrieve an Apple ID password without an identity check or reset may be trying to access your account.

How do I reset my Apple ID password on a trusted iPhone, iPad, or Mac?

A trusted device is an Apple device already signed in to your account with two-factor authentication. Have the device passcode or Mac login password ready because Apple uses it to confirm that you control the device.

On an iPhone or iPad:

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

On a Mac:

1. Open the Apple menu and choose System Settings.
2. Click your name, then Sign-In & Security.
3. Click Change Password.
4. Enter the Mac login password if requested.
5. Follow the prompts to set the new password.

If the device is not signed in under your name, it may not qualify as your trusted device. Use the browser-based process instead.

How can I reset my Apple ID password in a browser?

If you do not have a signed-in device, open {site} and look for the option for a forgotten password or account access. Apple may direct you to its dedicated password-reset service.

1. Enter the email address or phone number used with your Apple Account.
2. Enter any requested characters or account details.
3. Select an available identity-verification method.
4. Use the prompt on a trusted device or enter the code sent to a trusted phone number.
5. Create a new password and confirm it.

The choices shown depend on the security methods already attached to your account. If you cannot use any offered method, select the option explaining that you cannot access the device or phone number.

How do I reset an Apple ID password with a recovery key or trusted phone number?

A recovery key is an optional 28-character code created earlier from your Apple Account security settings. If you enabled one, Apple’s standard account-recovery process is turned off, so keep the recovery key available.

1. Start the password-reset process on an Apple device or Apple’s password-reset service.
2. Enter the recovery key when the reset screen requests it.
3. Choose your trusted phone number and request a verification code.
4. Receive the code by text message or automated call, as offered on the screen.
5. Enter the code and create a new password.

A trusted phone number is a number previously registered for two-factor authentication. Knowing the number is not always enough; you must normally be able to receive the verification code. If a recovery key is enabled and you cannot provide it when required, Apple Support cannot replace the missing key or bypass that security setting.

How do I retrieve my Apple ID and password if I forgot both?

Find the account email address or phone number first, then reset the password. You can use any email address or phone number recorded on the Apple Account to sign in.

• On an iPhone or iPad, open Settings, tap your name, and select Sign-In & Security.
• On a Mac, open System Settings, click your name, and select Sign-In & Security.
• Check whether the App Store, Messages, FaceTime, or iCloud for Windows already shows the account identifier.
• Search your email inbox for messages from Apple, such as support, repair, billing, or receipt messages.
• Ask a member of your Family Sharing group to check the account information shown for you.

After identifying the correct email address or phone number, begin the password reset. This is the practical answer to searches such as “how do I retrieve my Apple ID and password”: locate the account name, then replace the forgotten password.

What if two-factor authentication blocks my Apple ID password reset?

Two-factor authentication requires both account information and access to a trusted device or trusted phone number. On the verification screen, choose “Didn’t Get a Code?” or the option saying that you cannot reach your devices, then follow the prompts for account recovery.

Account recovery is Apple’s identity-check process for people who cannot use their normal trusted methods. Apple may impose a waiting period of several days or longer before allowing a password reset. The exact time depends on the account information available for verification.

Provide a phone number where Apple can reach you and watch for status instructions. After starting recovery, avoid using other devices still signed in to that Apple Account because doing so may interrupt or delay the request. Apple Support cannot shorten the security waiting period.

How do I contact Apple Support when password reset does not work?

Open {site}, choose the support area, and select Apple Account, password, or sign-in help. Follow the prompts to view the official contact options currently available for your location and issue.

Tell the support representative which reset method you tried, what screen or error appeared, and whether you can access a trusted device, trusted phone number, or recovery key. Apple Support can explain the official process and help diagnose a technical problem, but representatives cannot show your old password, provide verification codes, bypass two-factor authentication, replace a missing recovery key, or accelerate an account-recovery waiting period.