Many us have experienced the dreaded 'iPhone disabled' message that pops up after one too many goes at your password.
Whether you have tapped the buttons by accident from your pocket or had a temporary blank when trying to remember that important little code, being locked out of your device can be a real nightmare.
However, even if you manage to lock your iPhone for a long period or even permanently, there is still a way to restore it. The trick of course depends on whether or not your keep your iPhone backed up, with the method allowing you to get back everything stored on your phone and the cloud since the last back up was completed.
If you have iCloud back-ups turned on, you will be able to wipe your locked phone before restoring the device to its pre-locked condition.
It is a pretty simple process, taking only a short time. The official Apple method is the go-to trick, meaning you don't have to worry about breaking any rules.
It's bad news for those who do not have back-ups turned on or do not have enough storage to complete a full, up-to-date back-up.
How to recover your locked or disabled iPhone
In order to complete the restoration process, the first thing you will need is a Mac or PC.
You will also need a cable that can connect your iPhone to your chosen device, plugging your phone into the PC or Mac and turning it off to get started.
Next up you will need to put your iPhone in Recovery Mode.
Doing this may vary depending on the kind of iPhone you have.
To do this on various models you must:
- Face ID iPhones – the Side button that locks your phone
- Home button iPhones – the Volume Down button
- iPhone SE 1st-gen and iPhone 6S or earlier – the Home button
Press down the required button while immediately connecting your iPhone to the computer- not letting go until you see the Recovery Mode message pop up on your phone screen.
If your passcode screen pops up instead, turn pff your iPhone and restart the process.
To continue, look for your iPhone name in the Mac Funder or in iTunes on your computer. Click the restore option when you are asked whether you would like to "restore" or "update".
This will prompt your computer to download the required software and restore you iPhone to a like-new condition.
You will be notified when the process is complete. You can then unplug your phone from the computer and either use as new or restore from back-up.
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