How Many Attempts to Unlock iPhone [Everything you should know]

by Aria Ford

Updated on 2024-02-29

5min read

“Hello, I recently got my first iPhone, and I have forgotten the passcode I used for my screen lock. I’ve tried six different passwords (they turned out to be incorrect) and my iPhone says “iPhone is disabled, try again in 1 minutes”. Please, how many attempts do I have left?” 

If you’re new to the Apple ecosystem and you’re wondering how many attempts you have to unlock a locked iPhone, you’re not alone. To help you out, we’ve created this comprehensive guide explaining how many attempts you have to unlock an iPhone, and the best ways to unlock an iPhone after ten failed attempts.

Quick Answer: How Many Attempts Do I Get To Unlock My iPhone

So, the truth is you’ve got several attempts to unlock your iPhone when you forget the password. Yes, you have up to five unlocking attempts before your iPhone starts getting disabled.

Here are how the unlocking attempts on iPhone works:

  • First, you have the chance to enter 5 incorrect passcodes in a row.
  • Then, when you enter the 6th incorrect passcode in a row, a message that says "iPhone is Disabled, Try Again in 1 Minute" will appear on your iPhone screen.
  • If you type the 7th incorrect passcode entry in a row, your iPhone will be disabled again, but this time you can only try again after 5 minutes.
  • On your 8th incorrect passcode attempt in a row, your iPhone will be disabled for 15 minutes.
  • On your 9th incorrect passcode attempt in a row, you’ll receive the prompt "iPhone is Disabled Try Again in 1 Hour".
  • On the 10th incorrect passcode attempt, your iPhone will be totally locked out. All you’ll see on your screen is a message that says “iPhone is disabled, connect to iTunes”.
tipsNote:
  • The prompt varies depending on the iOS/iPadOS version. For example, you will get “iPhone is available, try again in 1 minute” on iPhone running the recent iOS version.

iPhone is available | How Many Attempts to Unlock iPhone

Part 1: How To Unlock iPhone After 10 Failed Attempts Without Password – Efficient Solution!

If you’re looking for a quick and efficient solution to unlock your iPhone after 10 failed attempts without password or Apple ID, we recommend using Passixer iPhone Unlocker.

Key Features

  • Unlock disabled/unavailable iPhone/iPad without password or iTunes or iCloud.
  • Remove Apple ID from used iPhone/iPad so that you can sign into the device with your own Apple ID.
  • Remove iTunes backup password without any damage to the backup.
  • Bypass iCloud Activation Lock on iDevices without iCloud account.

Follow these steps to use Passixer iPhone Unlocker to unlock your iPhone after 10 failed attempts:

Step 1: Install and launch Passixer iPhone Unlocker on your Mac or PC.

Step 2: Click on “Wipe Passcode”.

click Wipe Passcode | How Many Attempts to Unlock iPhone

Step 2: Connect your iPhone to the computer. Then, Passixer iPhone Unlocker will display your iPhone information on the screen. Please confirm the details and click the “Start” button to download the “Firmware package” that is required for the unlock process.

download Firmware package | How Many Attempts to Unlock iPhone

Step 3: Type “0000” into the empty field and click “Unlock.”

hit Unlock | How Many Attempts to Unlock iPhone

Wait a few minutes for the tool to remove the lock error from your iPhone. Afterward, you can unplug your device from the computer and start using it without passcode.

successfully remove iPhone passcode | How Many Attempts to Unlock iPhone

tipsNote:
  • Your iPhone will be erased and automatically updated to the latest iOS version after you bypass the locked screen.

Part 2: How To Unlock iPhone After 10 Failed Attempts – Free Solutions

Besides Passixer iPhone Unlocker, there are free workarounds you can use to achieve your goal to unlock your iPhone after 10 failed attempts. Although these methods may not be as quick or efficient as using Passixer iPhone Unlocker, they can still help you regain access to your device if you use them correctly.

Method 1: Erase iPhone with Apple ID (iOS 15.2 or Later)

Got the “Erase iPhone” option at the bottom left side of the iPhone screen? You can use the option to unlock the unavailable iPhone by wiping everything including the passcode from your device. However, the corresponding Apple ID password is needed.

Follow these steps to use this method:

Step 1: Tap Erase iPhone on the unavailable or security lockout screen.

Step 2: Tap Erase iPhone again if you don’t mind the data loss caused by erasing iPhone.

Step 3: Enter your Apple ID password to confirm the erasure. Your iPhone will then be reset, and you can set it up as a new device.

use Erase iPhone on lock screen | How Many Attempts to Unlock iPhone

Limitations:
  • You need a cellular or WiFi network.
  • You must have signed in to your Apple ID account on the locked iPhone.
  • The method is only available to iOS 15.2 or later.

Method 2: Unlock iPhone via Old Passcode (iOS 17 or Later)

Apple made a huge upgrade in the latest iOS 17 release, and one of the interesting features that was introduced is the “Passcode Reset” feature. With this feature, you’ll be granted a 72-hour window to use your old iPhone passcode to reset the new one if you forget it. However, this only works on iPhones using iOS 17 or later. Here is how it works:

Step 1: Tap “Forgot Passcode” at the bottom right side of your iPhone screen.

Step 2: Select “Enter Previous Passcode.”

access locked iPhone with old passcode | How Many Attempts to Unlock iPhone

Step 3: Finally, enter your previous passcode to unlock the iPhone and set a new one by following the onscreen instructions.

Limitations:
  • The iOS version on your iPhone is required to be 17 or later.
  • You must have changed the passcode in the last 72 hours.

Method 3: Erase iPhone in iCloud

If you’ve enabled the Find My feature on your iPhone, you can easily erase the locked iPhone and regain access to it. However, this will result in complete data loss. Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Visit “iCloud.com” using another device’s browser and log in to your iCloud account using your correct credentials.

login iCloud | How Many Attempts to Unlock iPhone

Step 2: Click on the “Find My” icon.

click Find My | How Many Attempts to Unlock iPhone

Step 3: Expand the “All Devices” list.

click All Devices | How Many Attempts to Unlock iPhone

Step 4: Select the locked iPhone and click on “Erase This Device.”  Your iPhone will reset to factory settings once you complete this step.

choose Erase This iPhone | How Many Attempts to Unlock iPhone

Limitations:
  • Find My iPhone must be on.
  • You have the Apple ID used on the disabled iPhone.

Method 4: Use iTunes to Factory Restore iPhone

Apple iTunes can also come in handy to unlock a security-locked iPhone. All you need is to connect your iPhone to the computer and use the “Restore” option to restore your iPhone settings to default. But ensure you disabled “Find My” on your iPhone and have a backup of your iPhone data to prevent total loss.

Situation 1: You’ve Synced iTunes With iPhone

Step 1: Launch the “Finder” app if your using a Mac using macOS Catalina or later. However, if you use a Mac with macOS Mojave or earlier, or a PC, open the iTunes app.

Step 2: Connect your iPhone to the computer. (Since you’ve synced your iPhone before, you won’t be asked for any authorization to establish the connection between both devices.)

Step 3: Click on “Restore iPhone”. Then, in the pop-up windows, click “Restore” to confirm the operation.

Restore iPhone via synced iTunes | How Many Attempts to Unlock iPhone

Your iPhone will reset to factory settings and automatically restart once you complete the steps.

Situation 2: If You’ve Never Synced iTunes With iPhone

Step 1:  Open the iTunes app on your Mac or Windows PC and connect your iPhone to the computer.

Step 2: Boot your iPhone into recovery mode using the following procedures.

  • iPhone 6S & earlier: Press the “Home” and the “Power” buttons. Keep holding until the recovery mode screen appears.
  • iPhone 7 or 7 Plus: Hold the Side and Volume Down buttons and release them when you see the recovery mode screen.
  • iPhone 8 & later: Press and release the Volume Up button. Do the same for the Volume Down button. Then, press and hold the Side button to reach the recovery mode screen.
  • put your iPhone into Recovery Mode | How Many Attempts to Unlock iPhone

Step 2: Connect your iPhone to the computer, and once iTunes recognizes the device, you’ll see an error message like the one in the screenshot below displayed on your screen.

restore iPhone in Recovery Mode iTunes | How Many Attempts to Unlock iPhone

Step 3: Click on “Restore” to factory reset your iPhone. This will erase your iPhone data together with the screen lock. After that, you can set up your iPhone as a new device.

Part 3: Helpful Tips To Prevent Locked iPhone Due To Failed Attempts

At this point, we believe you already understand how to unlock iPhone after 10 failed attempts. However, there are several tips you can use to prevent this kind of iPhone lock problem from recurring in the future. Some of them have been listed below:

  • Use a strong and memorable passcode that is not easily guessable.
  • Enable Touch ID or Face ID for quick and secure unlocking.
  • If you’re prone to forgetting passcodes, consider using a password manager to securely store your passwords.
  • Write down your passcode in a safe place, like your journal.

FAQs

Q1: Does iPhone Reset After 10 Tries?

It depends. If you set it to erase via settings after 10 failed passcode attempts, it will automatically lock and reset to factory settings after the 10th attempt. However, if you did not enable the setting, your iPhone will only be permanently disabled after the 10th attempt.

In all, you’ll still need to take additional steps, like using Passixer iPhone Unlocker or following the free methods mentioned earlier in this guide to unlock your iPhone after 10 failed attempts.

Q2: What Happens After 10 Failed Restrictions Passcode Attempts?

After 10 failed attempts to enter the restrictions passcode on your iPhone, your device will be permanently locked, and you’ll see the prompt like “iPhone Disabled – Connect to iTunes”, “iPhone Unavailable” or “iPhone Security Lockout” message displayed on your screen. The prompt varies depending on your iOS version. Besides, your iPhone data will be erased if you have set this feature on iPhone before.

Conclusion

Exceeding the maximum number of unlocking attempts on your iPhone can lead to inconvenience and potentially result in a permanently disabled device. However, with tools like the Passixer iPhone Unlocker or the free solutions mentioned in this guide, you can easily unlock your locked iPhone without password. We recommend the Passixer iPhone Unlocker for a seamless and straightforward unlock process.

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