Retrieve / Recover Data from an iPhone after losing Passcode or Device

Last modified: Feb 3, 2025 8:26 PM
7 1231 Last modified Feb 3, 2025 8:26 PM

If you have a backup on iCloud or iTunes, you can get almost everything depending on when the backup was taken.

If you have turned on Messages in iCloudiCloud Photos, Mail, Health data, call history under iCloud, and files you store in iCloud Drive your content is automatically stored in iCloud and is available on all devices that use the same Apple ID.


Regarding your data…

  1. If you have an iCloud or iTunes latest backup, then there is nothing to worry about. Just restore from it, else...
  2. If You have synced your data to iCloud, then what you will get back is what you have synced to iCloud and uploaded to iCloud Drive;
    1. The information that is synced and stored in iCloud, like Contacts, Calendars, Bookmarks, Mail*, Notes, Voice MemosMessages*, shared photosiCloud Photos*, Health data*, call history*, and files* you store in iCloud Drive.
    2. *-If you have turned on Messages in iCloudiCloud Photos, Mail, Health data, call history under iCloud, and files you store in iCloud Drive your content is automatically stored in iCloud and is available on all devices that use the same Apple ID
  3. You have imported your Photos & Videos to Mac/PC then they are safely residing there on Mac/PC
  4. You have uploaded some of it to Cloud Drives using the Files app (iCloud Drive, Google Drive, OneDrive, DropBox, Flickr, box, AmazonDrive, Adobe Creative Cloud etc). The data remains there.
  5. If you have not backed up or do not have the latest backup, nor imported nor you have synced or uploaded your data to cloud drives prior to the situation that you are in, then I am sorry, all your data is lost.


If nothing of the above is true then I am sorry to say you have lost the data and the device.



If you enter the wrong passcode on your iPhone Lock Screen too many times, an alert lets you know that your iPhone is disabled. (Learn what to do if you see "[Device] unavailable" or "Security Lockout" on your iPhone or iPad.)



Lock Screen Passcode or Screen Time Passcode.


Following this process is the only way out if your iPhone is disabled. The steps given in this link will help you reset the passcode -> If you forgot the passcode for your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, or your ...


Note: If you have forgotten the Screen Time Passcode then restoring your device from a backup after the passcode reset will return the Passcode back to your device. So, please do not restore from a backup.


Screen Time Passcode Reset options - Apple Community




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