You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

I`m locked out of my phone!

I have gotten to the restore screen on my phone and can`t go any further. I just want to factory reset it and start fresh.

iPhone XS

Posted on Apr 13, 2021 1:24 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Apr 13, 2021 2:27 AM

Follow this process below to keep your personal data.


If you see the Restore screen on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

If you see the Restore screen on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, learn what to do.



Restart your device

If you see the Restore screen, restart your device:

  • iPad models with Face ID: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button. Press and hold the Top button until the device restarts.
  • iPhone 8 or later: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button. Press and hold the Side button until you see the Apple logo.
  • iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, and iPod touch (7th generation): Press and hold both the Side (or Top) button and the Volume Down button until you see the Apple logo. 
  • iPad with Home button, iPhone 6s or earlier, and iPod touch (6th generation) or earlier: Press and hold both the Side (or Top) button and the Home button until you see the Apple logo.


Reinstall iOS or iPadOS

If you still see the Restore screen after you restart, you need to reinstall iOS or iPadOS:

  1. On your Mac, make sure that you’ve installed the latest software updates (including iTunes if you have MacOS Mojave or earlier). Or on your Windows PC, make sure that you’ve installed the latest version of iTunes.
  2. Connect your device to your computer using the cable that came with your device. You should see this message: "There's a problem with the [your device name] that requires it to be updated or restored."
  3. Click Update (not Restore) to reinstall iOS or iPadOS and keep your personal data.



If the above fails


If your device turns on but gets stuck during start up

If you see the Apple logo or a red or blue screen during startup, try these steps:

  1. Connect your device to a computer. On a Mac with macOS Catalina 10.15, open Finder. On a Mac with macOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier, or on a PC, open iTunes.
  2. Locate your device on your computer.
  3. While your device is connected, follow these steps:
    • iPad models with Face ID: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button. Press and hold the Top button until your device begins to restart. Continue holding the Top button until your device goes into recovery mode.
    • iPhone 8 or later: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button. Then, press and hold the Side button until you see the recovery mode screen.
    • iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, and iPod touch (7th generation): Press and hold the Top (or Side) and Volume Down buttons at the same time. Keep holding them until you see the recovery mode screen.
  • iPad with Home button, iPhone 6s or earlier, and iPod touch (6th generation) or earlier: Press and hold both the Home and the Top (or Side) buttons at the same time. Keep holding them until you see the recovery mode screen.
  1. When you get the option to restore or update, choose Update. Your computer will try to reinstall iOS or iPadOS without erasing your data.

Your computer will download the software for your device. If it takes more than 15 minutes, your device will exit recovery mode and you'll need to repeat steps 2 and 3.


2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Apr 13, 2021 2:27 AM in response to Help4Apple1977

Follow this process below to keep your personal data.


If you see the Restore screen on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

If you see the Restore screen on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, learn what to do.



Restart your device

If you see the Restore screen, restart your device:

  • iPad models with Face ID: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button. Press and hold the Top button until the device restarts.
  • iPhone 8 or later: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button. Press and hold the Side button until you see the Apple logo.
  • iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, and iPod touch (7th generation): Press and hold both the Side (or Top) button and the Volume Down button until you see the Apple logo. 
  • iPad with Home button, iPhone 6s or earlier, and iPod touch (6th generation) or earlier: Press and hold both the Side (or Top) button and the Home button until you see the Apple logo.


Reinstall iOS or iPadOS

If you still see the Restore screen after you restart, you need to reinstall iOS or iPadOS:

  1. On your Mac, make sure that you’ve installed the latest software updates (including iTunes if you have MacOS Mojave or earlier). Or on your Windows PC, make sure that you’ve installed the latest version of iTunes.
  2. Connect your device to your computer using the cable that came with your device. You should see this message: "There's a problem with the [your device name] that requires it to be updated or restored."
  3. Click Update (not Restore) to reinstall iOS or iPadOS and keep your personal data.



If the above fails


If your device turns on but gets stuck during start up

If you see the Apple logo or a red or blue screen during startup, try these steps:

  1. Connect your device to a computer. On a Mac with macOS Catalina 10.15, open Finder. On a Mac with macOS Mojave 10.14 or earlier, or on a PC, open iTunes.
  2. Locate your device on your computer.
  3. While your device is connected, follow these steps:
    • iPad models with Face ID: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button. Press and hold the Top button until your device begins to restart. Continue holding the Top button until your device goes into recovery mode.
    • iPhone 8 or later: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button. Then, press and hold the Side button until you see the recovery mode screen.
    • iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, and iPod touch (7th generation): Press and hold the Top (or Side) and Volume Down buttons at the same time. Keep holding them until you see the recovery mode screen.
  • iPad with Home button, iPhone 6s or earlier, and iPod touch (6th generation) or earlier: Press and hold both the Home and the Top (or Side) buttons at the same time. Keep holding them until you see the recovery mode screen.
  1. When you get the option to restore or update, choose Update. Your computer will try to reinstall iOS or iPadOS without erasing your data.

Your computer will download the software for your device. If it takes more than 15 minutes, your device will exit recovery mode and you'll need to repeat steps 2 and 3.


Apr 13, 2021 2:26 AM in response to Help4Apple1977

If one had attempted unlocking multiple times with incorrect Lock Screen passcode, or if a message says that the device is disabled, learn what one needs, what one gets, and what is lost.


You need a computer to follow these steps. If you don't have a computer, borrow one from a friend.


Forgot? Click below to reset…

Click->If you forgot the passcode for your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, or your ...


Regarding your data, If…

  1. You have an iCloud or iTunes latest backup, then there is nothing to worry about. If not read more...
  2. 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; like the information that are synced and stored in iCloud are, Contacts, Calendars, Bookmarks, Mail, Notes, Voice Memosshared photosiCloud Photos*, Health data, call history, and files you store in iCloud Drive. (*-If you had turned on iCloud Photos, your content is automatically stored in iCloud.)
  3. You have not backed up or do not have the latest backup, nor imported nor you have synced nor uploaded your data to cloud drives prior to the situation that you are in, then I am sorry, all your data is lost.


I`m locked out of my phone!

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.