iPhone unavailable/security lockout

Locked out of iphone and don’t want to erase data or pictures. My 4 year old pushed too many buttons!!!

I don’t want to erase pictures!!


[Re-Titled by Moderator]

iPhone 14 Pro Max, iOS 18

Posted on Dec 3, 2024 11:15 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Dec 3, 2024 11:23 AM

If the phone is disabled, you have no choice but to erase the phone using your computer, following the directions in this link --> If you forgot your iPhone passcode or your iPhone is disabled - Apple Support


Assuming you have been backing up your data or at least synced photos with iCloud, you'll be able to restore the phone from backup or restore your photos from iCloud. If you have not backed up, nor were you syncing photos with iCloud, they are gone and you will lose them. There is no way around that. Backups MUST occur before something goes wrong.


To see if you were syncing photos with iCloud, go to www.icloud.com and sign into your account and if you were, your photos will be there and can be restored to your phone once you erase it and get back in.

4 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 3, 2024 11:23 AM in response to CTC14

If the phone is disabled, you have no choice but to erase the phone using your computer, following the directions in this link --> If you forgot your iPhone passcode or your iPhone is disabled - Apple Support


Assuming you have been backing up your data or at least synced photos with iCloud, you'll be able to restore the phone from backup or restore your photos from iCloud. If you have not backed up, nor were you syncing photos with iCloud, they are gone and you will lose them. There is no way around that. Backups MUST occur before something goes wrong.


To see if you were syncing photos with iCloud, go to www.icloud.com and sign into your account and if you were, your photos will be there and can be restored to your phone once you erase it and get back in.

Dec 3, 2024 11:34 AM in response to CTC14

That is why it is always recommended to back up your device. That is the only way you will be able to access your data if something bad happens and that includes entering the Passcode incorrectly too many times. Apple does not know what your Passcode is, so there is no way to access your data without having to reset the phone. This will of course delete all data on your phone, but with the backup, it will all be restored just as before. This also prevents a thief from being able to access your data if they do not know your Passcode.


Some think they should be able to access the device by using their Apple ID Password, but if your account had been compromised, then it would also give that person complete access to your phone (and any other device that is signed into your account) for all of your financial information. The Passcode prevents that from happening.

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iPhone unavailable/security lockout

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