iPhone disabled connect to iTunes

i have connected my phone to the computer and nothing. phone still reads disabled connect to iTunes. frustrated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Re-Titled by Host]

iPhone 4

Posted on Jul 26, 2012 9:00 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 26, 2012 11:32 AM

Restore the iphone

99 replies

Mar 14, 2015 9:27 AM in response to dfmcallister

@Atta.900

@ggb4043


This will erase the device and its passcode.

  1. Disconnect all cables from your device.
  2. Hold down the Sleep/Wake button, then "slide to power off" to turn off your device.
  3. Press and hold the Home button and plug the device into your computer. If your device doesn't turn on automatically, turn it on. Don't release the Home button.
  4. Continue holding the Home button until you see the Connect to iTunes screen.User uploaded file
  5. If iTunes doesn't open automatically, open it. iTunes will alert you that it has detected a device in recovery mode.
  6. Click OK. Then restore the device.

If your device doesn't go into recovery mode, try steps 1–4 again.

Sep 17, 2012 6:56 PM in response to dfmcallister

Well, my iPhone 4S got fixed by itself after about 5 hours being disabled. A "friend" was trying to break into it. Here's what I did. I connected it to the iTunes computer I always connect it to. My only option was to restore it, but I had not backed it up for months, so I decided to at least copy my pictures. I was using iPhone Browser to copy all my pictures (about 10.5GB) so I left it alone and went to watch TV while copying. When I came back to my computer to check the copy progress I checked my iPhone as well and the DISABLED message was gone and I was able to login again! 🙂 YEAH! So I guess it's just a matter of time, from the moment it got locked till' it was good again was about 5 hours. Anyone with the same experience please confirm so we know what the fix is. Thanks!

Jul 12, 2017 7:44 AM in response to dfmcallister

I just had this problem. There is no chance to recover anything which you didn't back up on itunes. Today 12th of July 2017 i contacted apple customer service. The only way to use my iphone again is first to erase all its content. So your finger prints as password before can't even help to disable the phone. So for mothers who might have small kids playing their iphone, be careful. You might locked out and never have the chance until today to access your data specially photos if you had your iphone in flight mode. No iclouds back up for it either. I hope Apple should improve in this case if it is really the owner who was locked out anyway.

Dec 26, 2012 10:41 AM in response to NYC JaTT

Well my daughter locked up phone pretty good! "Disabled Connect to Itunes" so I did but it was only giving me the option to restore. I tried right clicking and then backing up and it still did not let me enter the password. Then I decided to see if it would let me Sync it, WOOHOO it worked. All my text messages starting coming in and it was allowing me to re-enter my password. So your hint did help some, it certainly got me on the right path. Thank you!

May 22, 2016 8:56 AM in response to Spoodle18

my iphone 4S is disabled and locked. here are my history/ backsteps taken prior to posting for help:


  • it was stolen in 2014 and reset that december. I never reconnected to itunes or set it back up as I was using an iphone5s. I wiped it and the police found it using the "find my phone". because I had a more current phone and the 4s was a glorified mp3 player, I left it to sit as backup phone or mp3player.
  • I tried reconnecting to itunes recently (may 2016) to reset but it said the password must be entered, i tried every combination of things i would have used and none work.
  • it bricked saying connect to itunes. however itunes wants the password and i dont get that option anymore
  • when i click on file > devices > they are ALL greyed and there are no options that can be selected
  • i did the force reset and force to itunes by holding power and home to shut off and held onto it past the apple logo which prompted the connect to itunes to reset. this also doesnt work. it asked to update. i tried update and it crashed. i tried reset and it also crashed.
  • when i connect this device to itunes to restore/ update or anything at all i get "an unknown error has occured (0xE8000065).


there isnt any content on here that needs to be saved, as far as i know its empty from the erasing when it was stolen. I just want this to work again so i can have it play music in the iboo i have.

Dec 7, 2017 11:41 AM in response to Eneidhart75

I know it’s pretty awful to have to wipe your phone if you don’t have a iCloud backup... in order to avoid this type of situation next time there is a setting that you can change so that it won’t wipe your phone after 10 failed attempts. If you go into settings > Touch ID and passcode > scroll to the very bottom you’ll see “erase data”, next to it has a button you can switch on/off... if you switch it off (should be gray if off) it will not erase if the passcode is entered incorrectly too many times. It would still be helpfull to have your phone backup automatically every night because even with that setting switched off there are still situations where you would have to restore your phone or maybe need to use the backup like if your phone breaks or you lose it and you have to get a new one.

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

iPhone disabled connect to iTunes

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