How to Retrieve a Forgotten Apple Password

Apple cannot retrieve or display a forgotten Apple Account password; you must reset it to regain access. If you are asking “how do I retrieve my Apple password,” start on a trusted Apple device or use Apple’s official account recovery process.

Your Apple Account may also be called an Apple ID on some devices and screens. Both names refer to the account used for services such as iCloud, the App Store, Messages, and FaceTime.

Can I retrieve my existing Apple password?

Apple does not reveal, send, or email the password currently protecting an Apple Account. In this context, “retrieve Apple password” means verifying your identity and creating a new password.

The quickest method is usually a password reset on a trusted device. A trusted device is an iPhone, iPad, or other Apple device that is already signed in to your account and protected with its own passcode or password.

If no trusted device is available, Apple may verify you through a trusted phone number, a recovery contact, a recovery key, or account recovery. The options shown depend on the security methods already associated with your account.

What do I need before resetting my Apple password?

Gather as much account information as possible before starting. Apple may ask for different details depending on how the account was configured.

• Your Apple Account email address or another email address or phone number associated with the account.
• An iPhone or iPad that is already signed in to the Apple Account.
• The passcode used to unlock that trusted device.
• Access to the trusted phone number that receives Apple verification codes.
• Access to relevant email accounts in case Apple sends recovery information.
• Your recovery key, if you previously enabled that security feature.
• Help from an account recovery contact, if you set one up before losing access.

Do not share a verification code, recovery key, device passcode, or new password with anyone who contacts you unexpectedly.

How do I reset my Apple password on an iPhone or iPad?

If the iPhone or iPad is already signed in to your Apple Account, you can normally change the password without knowing the old one. The exact labels may vary slightly between devices.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap your name at the top of the screen.
3. Tap Sign-In & Security.
4. Tap Change Password.
5. Enter the passcode used to unlock the iPhone or iPad when prompted.
6. Enter and confirm a new password, then follow the instructions shown on the device.

If your name does not appear at the top of Settings, the device may not be signed in to the locked account. In that situation, use the browser reset process or another trusted device.

How do I retrieve my Apple password from a browser?

A browser cannot show the old password, but it can start Apple’s official password-reset process from a phone, tablet, or computer.

1. Open {site} and go to the Apple Account sign-in area.
2. Select the option for a forgotten password or an account you cannot access.
3. Enter the email address or phone number associated with your Apple Account.
4. Complete the identity checks Apple presents. These may involve a trusted device, trusted phone number, or another recovery method already attached to the account.
5. Create a new password when Apple confirms that you can reset it.

Only enter account details after confirming that you are using Apple’s official site. Close pages that promise to reveal the original password or bypass Apple’s verification process.

How do I reset my Apple password without a trusted device?

If you cannot use a trusted device, begin the official reset process and choose the available option indicating that you cannot access the device or trusted number. Apple will show only the recovery methods that apply to your account.

• If you have a recovery key, enter it when Apple requests it. A recovery key is the code created when that optional security feature was enabled.
• If you previously selected an account recovery contact, ask that person to generate the recovery code through their Apple device. A recovery contact cannot see your password or access your account.
• If you can receive messages or calls at the trusted phone number, use the verification option Apple provides.
• If none of those methods is available, start account recovery. Account recovery is Apple’s identity-verification process for people who cannot complete a normal reset.

Account recovery may require a waiting period. Keep the submitted phone number available, follow Apple’s status messages, and avoid repeatedly restarting the request because doing so may delay access.

What should I do after changing my Apple password?

After an Apple password reset, some devices and services may ask you to sign in again. Use only the new password; the old password will no longer unlock the account.

1. Sign back in when your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or other Apple device displays an account prompt.
2. Check iCloud, the App Store, Messages, FaceTime, and other Apple services you use.
3. Update the password in Apple apps or account settings on non-Apple devices.
4. Review the devices associated with your Apple Account and remove any device you do not recognize.
5. Confirm that your trusted phone number and other recovery information are current.

A device that keeps rejecting the new password may still be submitting an old password saved in its settings. Dismiss repeated prompts, open the device’s Apple Account settings, and enter the new password carefully.

When should I contact Apple Support about a forgotten password?

Contact Apple Support when the official self-service process will not recognize your account information, no usable verification option appears, or account recovery does not progress as Apple indicated. Support is also appropriate if you suspect that another person changed your password or trusted information.

Apple Support can explain the recovery options and help with technical problems, but support representatives cannot disclose the original password or bypass required identity checks. They also cannot replace a missing recovery key when the account’s security configuration requires that key.

Before contacting support, note the Apple Account identifier you entered, the device you used, and the exact error message. Never send your password, verification code, recovery key, or device passcode in an unsolicited message.