Have you ever picked up your iPhone, stared at the passcode screen, and completely blanked? It happens more than you’d think. With Face ID and Touch ID doing most of the heavy lifting these days, a lot of people go weeks  or months without ever typing their passcode. And then one day — maybe after a software update, maybe after handing the phone to a kid for five minutes they’ve changed your passcode and don’t remember what it is now.

Perhaps you picked up a used iPhone and the previous owner forgot to wipe it. Or your screen was damaged, started ghost touching, entered the wrong code ten times on its own, and now you’re locked out completely.

Whatever got you here, the end result is the same: you’re staring at a disabled iPhone and need a way in.

Here’s what you need to know.

First — What Does “Removing the Passcode” Actually Mean?

Let’s be straightforward about this: Apple doesn’t give you a backdoor to bypass a passcode.  Unfortunately there’s no secret code, no magic button, no way to regain access to your phone without going through the proper process.

What you can do is erase the iPhone and restore it — which removes the passcode along with everything else on the device. If you have a backup in iCloud or on your computer, you can restore all your data afterwards. If you don’t have a backup, you’ll lose what’s on the phone but you’ll have a working device again.

That’s the honest answer.  With all the sensitive data we have on phones today Apple has opted for this solution, there isn’t another way around it that currently works.

Method 1: Remove iPhone Passcode Using iCloud (Find My iPhone)

If you have Find My iPhone enabled on the device and you remember your Apple ID and password, this is the easiest option.

1. On any browser, go to icloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID.
2. Click Find My.
3. Select All Devices at the top and choose your iPhone from the list.
4. Click Erase iPhone.
5. Confirm the erase. Apple will remotely wipe the device.
6. Once erased, set the iPhone up as new or restore from a backup.

This works even if the phone is sitting in a drawer with a dead battery — as soon as it connects to Wi-Fi or cellular, the erase command will execute.

What you need: Apple ID login, Find My enabled on the device beforehand.

Method 2: Remove iPhone Passcode Using iTunes on a Computer 

This method whether or not Find My  iPhone is enabled — as long as you can get the phone into Recovery Mode.

On a Mac running macOS Catalina or later, you’ll use Finder. On a PC or older Mac, you’ll use iTunes.

Step 1: Put Your iPhone into Recovery Mode

The steps vary slightly depending on your iPhone model.

iPhone 8 and later (including all iPhone X, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 models):

• Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
• Press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
• Press and hold the Side button until the recovery mode screen appears (the cable-and-laptop image).

iPhone 7 / iPhone 7 Plus:

• Press and hold both the Volume Down button and the Sleep/Wake button at the same time until the recovery mode screen appears.

Step 2: Connect to Your Computer

Connect your iPhone to your computer with a USB cable while holding the buttons. Keep holding until you see the recovery mode screen on the phone — the image of a cable pointing to a laptop.

Step 3: Restore in iTunes or Finder

Your computer should automatically detect that there’s an iPhone in recovery mode. You’ll see a prompt asking if you want to Update or Restore.

Choose Restore.

iTunes or Finder will download the latest iOS software and restore your iPhone. This process erases everything on the device including the passcode. When it finishes, you’ll be at the setup screen.

If you had an iCloud or computer backup, you can restore from it during setup and get your data back. 

Method 3: Use iPhone Reset from Settings (If You Can Still Get In)

If your iPhone isn’t fully disabled yet and you can still access it — maybe you want to remove the passcode so someone else can use the phone, or you’re preparing to sell it — you can do this directly from Settings.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode on older models).
3. Enter your current passcode.
4. Scroll down and tap Turn Passcode Off.
5. Confirm when prompted.

That’s it. The passcode is removed and the phone will no longer ask for it on wake.

What if there is an iCloud Activation Lock?

Even after you erase an iPhone, if the device had Find My iPhone enabled, it will ask for the original Apple ID and password before it can be set up. This is called Activation Lock and it’s Apple’s anti-theft system.

If you’re the original owner, just sign in with your Apple ID and you’re good to go. If you have forgotten your icloud login or password, you can reset them on icloud.com   If you no longer have access to the email your icloud is linked to contact Apple directly with proof of purchase for icloud removal. 

If you bought the phone used and the seller didn’t remove their Apple ID, you’ll need to contact them to sign out remotely through iCloud, or contact Apple directly with proof of purchase. Unfortunately there’s no workaround for this — it’s designed that way intentionally.

This is also why we always tell customers buying used iPhones: make sure the seller removes their Apple ID and disables Find My before the sale. Check it in person before you hand over any money.

Still Stuck? Come See Us in Baltimore.

We deal with disabled and locked iPhones on a regular basis at Mobile Lizard. Whether your screen was cracked and started ghost-typing wrong passcodes, you’ve got a used phone you can’t get into, or you just can’t remember the code — we can walk you through the process or handle the restore for you right in the store.

We’re located at 2621 Eastern Avenue in Baltimore MD, in the Canton/Patterson Park neighborhood — close to Fells Point, Harbor East, Downtown, Federal Hill and the Inner Harbor. Walk-ins are always welcome.

Give us a call or text at 443-863-9738 for a free quote, or just stop in. We’re here Tuesday through Friday 11am–6:30pm and Saturday 11am–5:30pm.