Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Using iTunes
• Method 2 of 3: Using iCloud
• Method 3 of 3: Using Recovery Mode
• Tips
• Warnings

This article will show you how to unlock a disabled iPhone. This smartphone turns off if you enter the wrong password several times in a row. As a rule, the blocking is automatically released after a period of time, which ranges from 1 to 60 minutes. But if you continue to enter incorrect passwords, the smartphone may turn off indefinitely. To unlock a disabled smartphone, you need to restore the iPhone to factory settings; this can be done using iTunes, iCloud, or iTunes recovery mode.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Using iTunes

1. 1 Connect your iPhone to your computer. Connect one end of the charging cable to your smartphone and the other end to a USB port on your computer.
   • If you have a Mac, buy a USB3.0 to Thunderbolt adapter to connect the charging cable to it.
2. 2 Launch iTunes. Click on the multi-colored musical note icon.
   • If iTunes says it can't work with the connected iPhone, or that you need to enter a password, go to this section.
3. 3 Click on the iPhone icon. You will find an iPhone-shaped icon in the upper left corner of the iTunes window.
4. 4 Click Restore iPhone. You will find this option in the upper right corner.
   • If Find My iPhone is activated on your smartphone, you will be prompted to turn it off. Since this feature cannot be deactivated because the iPhone is disabled, use this method.
5. 5 Click on Restorewhen prompted. The process of restoring iPhone to factory settings will start.
   • You may need to enter a password.
6. 6 Wait for the recovery process to complete. This will take a few minutes or more if the iPhone is updated. When the factory settings are restored, the smartphone is unlocked and the password is removed.
7. 7 Restore your backup (if needed). If you've backed up iPhone using iTunes or iCloud, restore settings, apps, photos, and the like.
   • If your iPhone has Activation Lock, enter your Apple ID email address and password to restore your backup using iTunes.
   • If there is no backup, set up iPhone as a new device.

Method 2 of 3: Using iCloud

1. 1 Remember if Find My iPhone is turned on on your smartphone. If not, this method cannot be used; try unlocking your iPhone using iTunes or recovery mode.
2. 2 Sign in to your iCloud account. Go to https://www.icloud.com/ in a web browser, and then enter your Apple ID email address and password. Your iCloud dashboard will open.
3. 3 Click on Find iPhone. This option is marked with a radar icon on a green background and is located at the bottom of the toolbar. iCloud will start searching for the iPhone.
   • You may need to enter your Apple ID password again first.
4. 4 Open the menu All devices. You will find it at the top of the window.
5. 5 Select iPhone. Click on his name in the menu. The iPhone panel will open on the right side of the window.
   • If your iPhone's name is not in the menu, Find My iPhone is disabled.
6. 6 Click on Erase iPhone. You will find this option in the lower right corner of the iPhone panel.
7. 7 Click on Erasewhen prompted. A line for entering a password will open.
8. 8 Enter your Apple ID password. Do it in the opened line.
9. 9 Click on Further. You will find this option in the upper right corner of the iPhone bar.
10. 10 Click on Ready. You will find this green button in the upper right corner of the iPhone bar. The iPhone erasing process will start.
11. 11 Wait for the process to complete. As a rule, it lasts a few minutes. The word “Hello” will be displayed on the smartphone screen in different languages.
12. 12 Restore your backup (if needed). If you've backed up iPhone using iTunes or iCloud, restore settings, apps, photos, and the like.
    • If your iPhone has Activation Lock, enter your Apple ID email address and password to restore your backup using iTunes.
    • If there is no backup, set up iPhone as a new device.

Method 3 of 3: Using Recovery Mode

1. 1 Remember when to use this method. With iTunes recovery mode, you can restore iPhone to factory settings on a computer that you have never connected your iPhone to. Try this method if you can't use iTunes to factory reset your iPhone and can't use iCloud because Find My iPhone is disabled on your smartphone.
2. 2 Close iTunes if it is running. Be aware that if you turn on recovery mode while iTunes is running, an error message will appear.
3. 3 Connect your iPhone to your computer. Connect one end of the charging cable to your smartphone and the other end to a USB port on your computer.
   • If you have a Mac, buy a USB3.0 to Thunderbolt adapter to connect the charging cable to it.
   • If iTunes starts automatically, close it.
4. 4 Turn iPhone into recovery mode. On iPhone 8 and newer models, quickly press the volume up button, quickly press the volume down button, and then press and hold the power button until the smartphone displays “Connect to iTunes” and the charging cable and iTunes logo icon.
   • On iPhone 7, press and hold the Volume Down and Power buttons until the smartphone displays "Connect to iTunes"
   • On iPhone 6S and older models, press and hold the Power button and Home button until your smartphone displays “Connect to iTunes”.
5. 5 Launch iTunes. Click on the multi-colored musical note icon. ITunes will open the Recovery Mode page.
6. 6 Click Restore iPhone. You will find this option at the top of the window.
7. 7 Click on Restorewhen prompted. The process of restoring iPhone to factory settings will start.
   • You may need to enter your Apple ID password.
8. 8 Wait for the recovery process to complete. This will take a few minutes or more if the iPhone is updated.
9. 9 Restore your backup (if needed). If you've backed up iPhone using iTunes or iCloud, restore settings, apps, photos, and the like.
   • If your iPhone has Activation Lock, enter your Apple ID email address and password to restore your backup using iTunes.
   • If there is no backup, set up iPhone as a new device.

Tips

• We recommend that you wait for a while for the lock to unlock automatically, rather than resetting your iPhone to factory settings.
• To call emergency services while iPhone is turned off, tap Emergency Call at the bottom of the screen and then manually dial the number.

Warnings

• If iPhone is disabled and you have never backed up your smartphone using iTunes or iCloud, all your data will be erased when the iPhone is restored to factory settings.