Depending on which model iPhone, you'll need to do one of these two things: On your computer, start iTunes and connect your iPhone using a USB cable.Ģ.
See our article, " How to backup your iPhone to iCloud, your computer, or an external hard drive ," to make sure your iPhone is regularly creating a backup.ġ.
It's worth pointing out that this is one reason you should always have a current backup. Instead, you need to reset the iPhone to its factory settings and then restore your apps and data from a backup. If your iPhone is disabled, the bad news is that there's no way to bypass the passcode and simply restart the iPhone if that were possible, anyone would be able to do that, and it would defeat the point of the passcode's security.Ī disabled iPhone will warn you that you can't log in for some period of time, which might be anywhere from a minute to forever. How to unlock a disabled iPhone using a computer Here's what you can do if that situation arises. Continue to enter the wrong passcode, and you might find yourself locked out permanently. (Even the FBI has been unable to crack suspects' iPhones after major crimes.)Īfter entering the passcode incorrectly just a few times, your iPhone will lock you out from attempting more codes for a short time. The good news about iPhone security is that a thief or over-curious stranger has virtually no chance of getting to the data on your phone unless you've put the passcode on a yellow sticky note and affixed it to the back of the case. If you don't have iTunes or a computer nearby, you can restore the iPhone to factory settings using Apple's Find My iPhone web page.Using iTunes, you can reset your disabled iPhone to its factory settings and then restore your apps and data from a recent backup.There's no way to bypass the passcode without factory resetting the phone. If you enter the wrong passcode too many times, you will be locked out of your iPhone.