Entering the wrong passcode too many times on your iPhone or iPad and encountering the Security Lockout screen can be a frustrating experience for some Apple users.
In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps to unlock your iPhone or iPad when it's in a Security Lockout. Let's get started!
The Security Lockout feature on an iPhone is a protective measure introduced by Apple in the iOS 15.2 update. It is designed to protect your device and its data from unauthorized access after multiple incorrect passcode entries.
If you or someone else enters the wrong passcode 8 or 9 times, the device enters a Security Lockout state, displaying either the "iPhone Unavailable" or "Security Lockout" screen, along with a message to try again in 3 hours, 8 hours, or without a timer at all. This feature prevents sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands.
To prevent permanently locking yourself out of your iPhone in a short time, Apple introduced Security Lockout durations. The length of these lockout times depends on how many incorrect passcode attempts have been made and the version of iOS you're using.
You have several attempts to enter the correct passcode before your iPhone displays the "iPhone Unavailable" or "Security Lockout" screen. After that, the lockout time increases with each failed attempt.
For iOS 16 or later
For iOS 15.2 - iOS 15.8
Although the terms "Security Lockout" and "iPhone Unavailable" both indicate the same issue, the key difference is that you'll see the "Security Lockout" screen if your phone is connected to the internet (via cellular or Wi-Fi) and you've enabled Find My iPhone. If your device is not connected to the internet or Find My iPhone is turned off, you'll see the "iPhone Unavailable" message instead.
If your iPhone is showing a message like "try again in 3 hours" or "8 hours" on the "Security Lockout" screen, the first thing to do is simply wait for the timer to finish. Once the waiting period is over, you can try unlocking your iPhone by entering the correct passcode.
Be careful when entering the passcode—if you get it wrong again, the timer will increase (for example, it could go from 3 hours to 8 hours on the next attempt). After several failed attempts, Apple will no longer allow you to try unlocking it. At that point, the only way to regain access is by erasing everything on your iPhone and resetting it to factory settings.
If your iPhone doesn't show the "Erase iPhone" or "Forgot Passcode" options, and you'd prefer not to use iTunes or iCloud to fix the Security Lockout, don't worry—there's a faster solution: Unlockit iPhone.
This software is one of the most effective tools for unlocking iPhones. It can help you remove the "iPhone Unavailable" or "Security Lockout" screen and regain access to your device in just a few simple steps.
In addition to unlocking, Unlockit iPhone also offers features such as bypassing Apple ID, MDM lock, and screen time passcodes.
Here's how you can use it after downloading the software onto your computer:
After downloading and installing the program on your computer, open it, connect your locked iPhone to the computer, and select the "Unlock Screen Passcode" option.
Unlockit iPhone will automatically detect your iPhone model and display the appropriate firmware version. Click "Download" to get the firmware.
Once the firmware download is complete, click the "Remove" button to bypass the security lockout screen on your iPhone.
It is that simple!
Before applying "Erase Device" to bypass the iPhone security lockout, Please ensure:
Here are the steps:
1. Once the iPhone is locked out, and you cannot further enter the passcode, tap the Erase Device option.
2. Tap Erase Device again before providing your Apple ID credentials.
3. Press Erase Device again to reset the device to default settings.
4. Now, follow the onscreen instructions to enable the phone, and if you have a backup on iCloud, restore it as well.
If you're using an eSIM and your iPhone is running iOS 16 or an earlier version, it's crucial to reach out to your carrier first. Ask them for a QR code to help you reconfigure your eSIM.
Follow these steps if you encounter the "[Device] Unavailable" screen on an iOS 17 device:
1. Enter your passcode on the Lock Screen until the "[Device] Unavailable" screen appears.
2. Tap on the "Forgot Passcode?" option in the bottom corner of the screen when it becomes available.
3. On the next screen, tap "Start [Device] Reset" to confirm.
4. Enter your Apple ID password to sign out of your Apple ID on your device.
5. Tap "Erase [Device]" to permanently delete all your data and settings.
6. If you use an eSIM with iOS 17 or later, you can choose to keep your eSIM and erase your data or delete your eSIM and erase your data.
Once your device restarts, follow the on-screen instructions to set it up again, restore your data and settings from a backup, and set a new passcode.
Notes:
If you recently changed your passcode on iOS 17 or later, you have a 72-hour window during which you can still sign in using your old passcode. Here's how to do it:
1. On your device's Lock Screen, keep trying your passcode until you see the "[Device] Unavailable" screen asking you to try again later.
2. When possible, tap on "Forgot Passcode?" in the bottom corner of the screen.
3. Select "Try Passcode Reset."
4. Enter your old passcode and follow the onscreen instructions to set a new passcode. Remember to change it immediately after signing in.
With the help of the Find My iPhone feature on your iCloud account, you can also quickly bypass the security lockout.
However, please make sure the following requirements:
The steps are as follows:
1. Open the iCloud website and enter your login credentials to access the platform. You can use any device and browser here.
2. Next, tap the Find My option, and click on All Devices before selecting the locked iPhone.
3. Next, click on Erase iPhone to reset the device to default settings. This will also remove the passcode on your device.
4. Wait for the process to finish. After that, you can setup your device without the security lockout screen!
Another quick way to unlock Security lockout involves using a computer. If you've synced your iPhone or iPad to iTunes or Finder before, you can use a recent backup to restore your device and the passcode as well.
Here's how to do it using iTunes or Finder on your Windows or Mac computer:
If you haven't synced your iPhone or iPad to iTunes or Finder before, your only choice is to restore your device in Recovery Mode. This will wipe out all your data and set up your iPhone or iPad as a brand new one.
Check the following steps to learn how to unlock the iPhone security lockout using Recovery Mode:
1. Turn off the iPhone.
2. Then, enter Recovery Mode by applying the below-mentioned instructions relevant to your iPhone model:
For iPhone X and later:Quickly press and release the volume up button. Quickly press and release the volume down button. Then, press and hold the side button until the recovery mode screen appears.
For iPhone 7 and subsequent versions: Keep pressing the the top (or side) and Volume Down buttons until the Recovery Mode is shown.
For iPhone 6 and older: Continue holding the Home and the top (or side) buttons till the point when the screen shows the Recovery Mode icon.
3. Now, access iTunes on Windows computer or older macOS versions or open Finder on later Mac computer.
4. Connect the iPhone to the computer.
5. Click Restore when iTunes displays the following notification: "There is a problem with the iPhone that requires it to be updated or restored".
It will take approximately 15 minutes for iTunes to restore the device.
Yes! You can use your smartphone to access your iCloud account and remotely reset the locked iPhone. Once the reset is complete, power on the iPhone and set it up using your Apple ID credentials.
Unfortunately, if you've entered the wrong passcode 10 times and the device is permanently locked, there's no way to unlock it without data loss.
To avoid this, it's essential to regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud or iTunes. This way, you can restore your data after a factory reset.
Getting locked out of your iPhone due to a forgotten passcode can be frustrating, but it happens to the best of us. The key is to act quickly and regain access using one of the reliable methods from this guide. Whether you choose Unlockit iPhone or another solution, you'll soon have your device up and running again.
Mako is a technical writer with a passion for all things tech. Whether you're wondering about how to fix your iPhone or Android device or trying to get something to work in your settings, Mako is your go-to for professional help. He loves writing, testing solutions, and most of all, making sure his research is factually accurate.
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