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Security Lockout on iPhone

My iPhone says "Security Lockout" and won't let me enter a password to get in; how do I open my phone without erasing it?

iPhone XR, iOS 15

Posted on Feb 3, 2022 2:44 PM

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That can happen if there are too many passcode attempts. It will actually delay when the next passcode attempt can be made, increasing the interval after a few times. Eventually it will say security lockout, and no longer give an option to enter a passcode. The only way it's ever coming back again is if it gets erased and the Apple ID credentials are entered.


I've heard of a few of these (especially iPhone Unavailable) especially with malfunctioning touchscreens where it's just randomly entering the passcode without human input. If you don't have the option to enter the passcode after waiting, it's probably not coming back and the best you can hope for is to erase and recover from a backup.

Posted on Feb 3, 2022 2:55 PM

63 replies

Oct 1, 2022 3:40 PM in response to aparnadas

The security lockout is a nightmare! I get why they have it- but I wish there was a workaround for the legit owner who made the mistake of having a phone in the pocket for an hour and didn’t know it exceeded the number of available tries without my even knowing it!!!

ugh!!! Had to erase my phone and reload from the cloud backup losing some valuable things that I had been working on during the day (I auto backup each night).

What a nightmare!!!!! The cloud backup takes hours!!!!!

Oct 15, 2022 1:13 PM in response to Dan6573

Ugh! Happened to me a couple of weeks ago! Really only 2 reasonable choices

  • click on “emergency erase” at the bottom and then reinstall everything from your cloud backup which you hopefully have. This is what I ended up doing and got most everything back. Took a long time tho
  • pay someone (lots of options if you google “security lockout “. Of course you have to use a different device to google! I wasn’t comfortable with or willing to do that.
  • I find this security lockout incredibly annoying too. It happened cuz the phone was in a pocket. There should be some other way for the legitimate user to get back in other than the above 2.
  • good luck!

Oct 15, 2022 1:34 PM in response to Acm4488

Acm4488 wrote:

• Ugh! Happened to me a couple of weeks ago! Really only 2 reasonable choices
click on “emergency erase” at the bottom and then reinstall everything from your cloud backup which you hopefully have. This is what I ended up doing and got most everything back. Took a long time tho
• pay someone (lots of options if you google “security lockout “. Of course you have to use a different device to google! I wasn’t comfortable with or willing to do that.
• I find this security lockout incredibly annoying too. It happened cuz the phone was in a pocket. There should be some other way for the legitimate user to get back in other than the above 2.
• good luck!

If there was a way for a legitimate user to get back in then an illegitimate user could use it to get in also. That’s why there is no option to do so.


If you are going to carry the phone in your pocket turn off Raise to Wake and keep it with the screen facing away from your body.

Nov 13, 2022 3:43 PM in response to aparnadas

Woke up this am and used my iPhone 14 Pro Max which was working fine. Fell back to sleep and when I woke up an hour later with it next to me, it indicated my passcode was incorrect. 6 failed attempts later using the same passcode I’ve been using for years, my phone is in security lockout and I’ve no option Apple tells me but to erase. Outrageous that whatever malfunction my 2 month old phone made on its own fugue state means I’m poised to lose certain data I elected not to store in the cloud for my own privacy reasons (my notes that I defaulted in settings to “on my phone”). I don’t see much point in entering the same correct passcode my phone is incorrectly denying every three hours until I alienate my entire household with bouts of unnecessary rage and yet I’m poised to lose my most valuable data. Apple needs an appropriate security answer to these loopholes because I was already on the fence to becoming an android a****** when I once again stood by what I know and what I know is Apple is in fact the antithesis of security. The definition of insanity is repeating the same behavior over and over again and expecting different results and here I am hoping my device will fix itself every three hours…

Dec 1, 2022 1:47 PM in response to peregrineguy

The only way to do that would be to add a “back door” to security, something that the FBI has been demanding that Apple do for many years. And other law enforcement agencies and repressive governments. As well as hackers who would quickly figure out how to take advantage of the “feature” that you want. Doing that would be opening Pandora’s box, and essentially kill any ability to have your data private.

Dec 1, 2022 1:59 PM in response to peregrineguy

Hello ~ If that were the case I would rid myself of my iPhone immediately and go back to using a landline. That’s exactly why I have an Apple iPhone. I backup my iPhone every single night and keep careful attention to making sure it’s done. I keep my device updated and locked. I do my part and Apple certainly does theirs. I agree with Mr. Finch it’s outrageous to blame Apple.


~Katana-San~



Security Lockout on iPhone

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