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BloodyBrook Author

Level 1

6 points

My iPad reset its own passcode

I rarely passcode my iPad. A couple days ago, I did, using my debit card PIN, and the first time I tested unlocking it, it worked. After leaving it for an hour, I came back and the passcode didn't work. I tried every similar pattern until it locked up but honestly, it's my PIN, I use it dozens of times a week, and plus I tested it, and I am certain the code changed by itself. I am the only one who knows my PIN.

I have been forced to restore it, but it was very inconvenient because I was 500 miles from home (and my sync computer) when this happened, and since I use the device for work I had to change my travel plans.

Is this a thing that happens? I don't see a lot of people complaining about this.

iPad (3rd generation) Wi-Fi, iOS 5.1.1

Posted on Feb 27, 2013 7:44 PM

59 replies

sberman

Level 10

264,123 points

Jan 24, 2015 12:41 PM in response to jimfromwhitby

jimfromwhitby wrote:

How many attempts do we get before we're locked out permanently?

If you have set Settings > Touch ID & Passcode > Erase Data = "On", then you get 10 failed attempts before your iPad is erased.

Feb 11, 2015 8:48 PM in response to Nav2005

Hi Nav2005 - did you ever find out what happened or find a solution? Most of the other posts on here relate to iPads. While I initially ran into this problem with my iPad (fixed only through a full restore), I'm now concerned that this could also happen on my iPhone, which would be significantly more devastating. Thanks for your thoughts!

Feb 11, 2015 9:13 PM in response to BloodyBrook

Feb 11, 2015 9:14 PM in response to IdrisSeabright

hahaha! I was just looking at the post you responded to, and was wondering if you had missed the 2014 on that February date..... 😁

Feb 25, 2015 8:08 PM in response to BloodyBrook

Same thing just happened to me. Been using the same code on all my devices. Set my mini down for 5 minutes and came back to a locked screen that didn't accept my code.

Mar 6, 2015 3:34 PM in response to LanWeirda

I just had my iPad mini do the exact same thing. It is a classroom mini and a student was using it and then later in the same period the code stopped working. I didn't know whether to believe the sixth grade student about changing it herself, but now i see your post I feel much better. I guess that teaches me to back up more often.

Dom74

Level 1

0 points

Mar 29, 2015 7:33 AM in response to islandmathteacher

Hi Bloody Brook

The same thing has just happened to me last night on my iPhone. I have used the same pin for months and now all of a sudden it was denied and my phone is now disabled. It is defiantly the right code and I did not leave my phone unattended and I had only checked my messages about half an hour before this happened. I am fuming. At first I thought I was going mad and could not find a logical reason as to why this has happened. I guess I now need to reset my phne. I'm Gutted and don't have a lot of faith in apple at the moment as my previously phone just shut down for no reason and I was never able to turn it back on.

Mar 29, 2015 7:59 AM in response to BloodyBrook

I've also had this before and the only way I could resolve it was by restoring the device.

It was on an iPad 2 just after the update to iOS 8.

Mallwill

Level 1

19 points

Oct 12, 2015 3:19 PM in response to BloodyBrook

OK - I'm glad it's not just me. My iPad mini 2 just forgot its passcode and has locked me out ... I'm hoping a wipe and restore will work but Ill have lost some important data. Thought I was going crazy.

Nov 29, 2015 7:54 AM in response to BloodyBrook

This is a bug (I know I'm sort of necro-posting). It's not on only on iPads. It happened to me on iOS9 on my iPhone 6S after only 2 months.

Apple won't fix this bug apparently unless it happens to someone really important.

Dec 17, 2015 6:15 AM in response to BloodyBrook

I too had the same problem after the Update. I tried entering my password but it is showing it as Wrong. I restarted it is working fine now.

mozotom

Level 1

4 points

Feb 14, 2016 3:13 PM in response to BloodyBrook

You're not crazy. This happened to my daughter's iPod. Tried restore from icloud, setup as new, nothing works. After few hours, it resets to a pin even if I disable all pins and restrictions. I'm wondering if anyone figured out what code it resets to. I've tried 1234, 0000, 1111. Those don't work - we probably should crowd source and see if we can find a pin that works in this case.

Glotblot

Level 1

4 points

Apr 16, 2016 5:51 PM in response to BloodyBrook

Same problem. Same passcode for several years. Nearly impossible for someone to have changed it. One day the passcode no longer worked. Happened on an old iPad 2 after upgrade to 9.3. After restart, passcode still did not work. I am about to attempt a reset using iTunes.

SPATTEN

Level 1

8 points

Nov 29, 2016 6:04 PM in response to BloodyBrook

It's still happening. My iPhone 7 - up to date software. Same PIN for quite awhile. Six attempts. I'm restoring it as I type this. Interestingly enough...I updated my PIN on my iPad Pro last night. Thought they might be connected...but they weren't. Just attempted to PIN in on my updated iPad...it wouldn't accept the new PIN...but would accept the old PIN. Of course I read an article last night about hackers taking over your Apple devices and how they do it...so I've been freaking out a bit. Until I read this thread...which makes me feel a bit better. Annoyed though. Glad I'm not alone.

My iPad reset its own passcode