Step By Step How To Unlock A Disabled Iphone

How do you unlock a disabled iPhone?

how to unlock disabled iPhone without losing data

How to unlock disabled iPhone without losing data

In this post I am going to show how to unlock disabled iPhone without losing data.

I have come across many iPhone users asking the question – how to undisable an iPhone when locked out and fix the issue – iPhone disabled connect to iTunes without losing data.

The message, 'iPhone disabled connect to iTunes' mostly occurs as a result of pass-code issues. It usually means that you forgot passcode on iPhone and you entered wrong passcode too many times for which the iPhone is locked out to protect itself against possible hacking attempts. Now let's see how to restore disabled iPhone without losing data.

A passcode protects the contents of your iPhone from unauthorized access. When you set up a password to power-on your iPhone to secure your device and you enter a wrong passcode five times in a row, you'll be locked out for 1 minute with the message – iPhone disabled, try again in 1 minute. The waiting period mentioned in the message depends upon the number of incorrect passcode entered in a row.

For 5 incorrect passcode entries in a row the waiting period is 1 minute. If you get it wrong again you'll be escalated to the next waiting period. The more number of times you get it wrong waiting period increases in the message and the things get harder. If you do reach the 10th incorrect guess of your passcode, the iPhone will eventually be locked out and you'll see the message that says that iPhone disabled connect to iTunes. The messages of waiting periods against increasing number of incorrect passcode entries are as follows:

5 incorrect entries in a row – iPhone disabled try again in 1 minute
7 incorrect entries in a row – iPhone disabled try again in 5 minutes
8 incorrect entries in a row – iPhone disabled try again in 15 minutes
9 incorrect entries in a row – iPhone disabled try again in 60 minutes
10 incorrect passcode entries – iPhone disabled connect to iTunes

How to restore disabled iPhone without losing data?

If you have not backed up your iPhone before you forgot iPhone passcode without erasing the device, there isn't a way to recover data from disabled iPhone unless you unlock it. Now, how do you unlock a disabled iPhone without passcode without losing data and regain access to your iPhone?

You can unlock disabled iPhone which is locked out due to wrong passcode entry by following the steps mentioned below:

How do you unlock a disabled iPhone?

Here're three different ways to undisable an iPhone:

1. Unlock disabled iPhone with iTunes (via iTunes backup);

2. Unlock disabled iPhone using iCloud (if you don't have access to a computer);

3. Unlock disabled iPhone without iTunes backup;

How to unlock disabled iPhone without losing data with iTunes

If you have previously synced your device with iTunes, there is not going to be much of a problem to reset iPhone without losing data.

Here're the steps to follow on how to restore disabled iPhone with iTunes:

Step 1: Connect your iPhone to the computer you have previously used to synchronize your device;

Step 2: Launch iTunes. Once the program is launched it will detect your iPhone and synchronize up all the information on your phone even if your iPhone is locked;

Step 3: Depending upon the version of operating system running on your iPhone and a few other specifications, you might receive the prompt stating you need to enter the pass code or not;

Step 4: But this doesn't matter. You simply reboot your iPhone by holding down the 'Power' button and the 'Home' button until the Apple logo appears. As soon as the Apple logo appears, let go of the power button but keep the home button pressed until you see "Connect to iTunes" message on your iPhone screen. Of course you already have connected your phone to iTunes;

Step 5: You will also see an alert message appearing on your screen stating that an iPhone in recovery mode has been detected;

how to unlock iPhone with iTunes

You will also be prompted to choose whether you want to restore your iPhone to factory settings, or restore it from a backup. Choose to restore from iTunes backup. Select your device in iTunes and choose the most recent backup of your iPhone. Make sure not to disconnect the phone from your computer or turn it off during the restore process or else, you will have to start the backup and restore process all over again;

Step 6: Once this process completes, your pass code will be erased from your iPhone and all of your data will be restored from your recent backup performed in step-2. You should now be able to access the device without any problems;

How to unlock disabled iPhone using iCloud service

In case you have no access to any computer you are to take help of iCloud service to restore your disabled iPhone. Now let's see how to restore disabled iPhone using iCloud service.

Prior back up of your iPhone to iCloud is required to unlock disabled iPhone with the help of iCloud service. Creating an iCloud backup is incredibly easy. The steps below show how to backup iPhone to iCloud,

1. Connect the iPhone to a WiFi network;

2. For iOS 8 or later,

Go to Settings > iCloud > Backup;

For iOS 7 or earlier,

Go to Settings > iCloud > Storage & Backup;

3. Under Backup turn iCloud Backup 'on' if it is 'off';

4. Tap 'Back up now' tab. Make sure you remain connected to your WiFi network until the backup process is complete;

5. You can make sure that the backup has been completed successfully by tapping Settings > iCloud > Storage& Backup > Manage Storage;

6. Select your device and the backups should appear in the details section with the time and size of the backup;

By default you get 5GB cloud storage for free, but if you require more storage the iCloud plan prices are reasonably cheap. If you don't have enough iCloud storage to back up your device, a message will come up that you can't back up because there's not enough storage available. In such a case either you can upgrade your iCloud storage plan or delete your older backups that you don't need any more.

Once the backup of your iPhone is available in iCloud follow the steps below on how to unlock a disabled iPhone using iCloud, when you have no access to computer. This restore and unlock process would wipe the hard drive clean on your iPhone and your pass-code will also be erased in the process.

Follow the steps below on how to unlock a disabled iPhone without losing data using iCloud

Step 1: Launch 'Settings' from your iPhone;

Step 2: Tap 'General', then scroll down and tap 'Reset';

Step 3: Choose 'Erase All Content and Settings';

Step 4: When your phone restarts, you'll be prompted to enter your Apple ID and to restore a previous backup;

Step 5: Tap 'Restore from iCloud' and choose the backup that you'd like to use;

Step 6: The restore process can take some time to complete, as it needs to wipe the hard drive clean on your iPhone and then restore back all your data from the iCloud backup you created previously. Your pass-code will also be erased from your iPhone during the restore process. You should now be able to use your iPhone again without any problems and this time, hopefully you will set up a pass-code you are able to remember;

How to restore disabled iPhone without iTunes backup

If you have never synced or backed up your device in iTunes before, then you need to set up your iPhone from scratch to unlock disabled iPhone. In such situation follow the recovery mode and unlock process given below to unlock disabled iPhone without iTunes. This will erase your device and its pass-code and will result in loss of all the data currently stored on your iPhone.

How to unlock iPhone without iTunes backup – steps to follow

Step 1: Install the latest version of iTunes on your computer and connect the iPhone to the computer system;

Step 2: Launch iTunes;

Step 3: Depending upon the version of operating system running on your iPhone, you might receive the prompt stating you need to enter the pass-code or not. Ignore this and instead force restart your iPhone;

Step 3: To force restart your iPhone do the following:

On an iPhone 6s and earlier, iPad, or iPod touch: Press and hold the Sleep/Wake and Home buttons at the same time. Don't release the buttons when you see the Apple logo. Keep holding both buttons until an alert message in iTunes appears that an iPhone in recovery mode has been detected;
On an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus: Press and hold the Sleep/Wake and Volume Down buttons at the same time. Don't release the buttons when you see the Apple logo. Keep holding both buttons until an alert message in iTunes appears that an iPhone in recovery mode has been detected;

How to unlock a disabled iPhone

Step 4: Now that the iPhone is in recovery mode and has been detected by iTunes, click 'ok' to restore the device;

Step 5: In iTunes, look under the "Summary" tab and Click on the "Restore" button within iTunes;

Step 6: This restore process can take some time to complete, as it needs to wipe all files, settings, and apps from the iPhone, including the Pass-code. Make sure not to disconnect the phone from your computer or turn it off during the restore process or else, you will have to start the restore process all over again. When the restore process is complete, your iPhone will be restored to the factory settings and to the latest version of iOS.

You should now be able to use your iPhone again without any problems and this time, hopefully you will set up a passcode you are able to remember;

Before I conclude let me also reply to some related questions often asked by the iPhone users.

How do you reset a locked iPhone without a computer?

To reset a locked iPhone without a computer follow the steps below:

1. Log into 'Find My iPhone' site via iCloud;

2. Access your Apple account by entering your Apple ID and password;

3. From the drop-down list of devices select your iPhone;

4. Click 'Erase iPhone';

5. Now 'Confirm' your action;

How do you unlock an iPhone if the touch-screen doesn't work?

1. Go to Settings > Touch ID & Pass-code;

2. Make sure that iPhone Unlock or iTunes & App Store is 'ON', and that you've enrolled one or more fingerprints;

3. Try enrolling a different finger;

Can I back up disabled iPhone without iTunes?

Yes, you can back up disabled iPhone when iTunes can't recognize your device. To do this you need to take help of a tool – 'Tenorshare iCareFone' which is the best free iPhone backup tool. Follow the steps below to backup data using the above tool when iPhone is disabled:

1. Install Tenorshare iCareFone on your computer;

2. Run the program and connect the iPhone to your computer via USB cable;

3. On the main interface select 'Backup & Restore';

4. Now select the files you want to backup or select all;

5. Next click 'Backup';

6. Once the back up process is finished, click 'Restore to device' or 'Export to PC' to save the backup data either on your iPhone or computer. Thus you can recover data from disabled iPhone without iTunes back up;

What happens when you forget your iPhone passcode?

If you enter the wrong passcode too many times, your iPhone will be disabled. If you can't remember your passcode, you'll need to erase your iPhone, which will delete all your data and settings, including the passcode. If you backed up your iPhone before you forgot the passcode you can restore your data and settings after restoring your iPhone from the back up.

You may also like to read this related post: How to wipe iPhone without passcode

Conclusion

On going through the post it would be clear that there is no cause of worry when you get the iPhone disabled message due to wrong passcode entry on your device. If the above steps on how to unlock disabled iPhone without losing data are properly followed it should not be difficult to fix the issue – 'iPhone disabled connect to iTunes without losing data' .

In order to follow the steps on how to restore disabled iPhone, all you need is, a computer system with iTunes installed on it or to setup the iCloud backup service on your Apple device. It might take some time to restore all of the information back onto your device after you unlock disabled iPhone, but eventually you should be able to use your iPhone again without any problem bypassing the passcode.

Next time if you run into a problem having found that your iPad or iPhone is disabled because you forgot passcode on iPhone, you need not worry about how to undisable an iPhone in different conditions.

You might also like to read: iPhone not connecting to WiFi – try these easy fixes