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Recovering photos from a locked IPad

I have irreplaceable photos on my Ipad - which were synched with a now dead computer. These are the only copies of the photos that I have. After not using the IPad for a while I have forgotten the passcode.

How can I get back into my IPad without losing the photos?

Posted on Feb 12, 2014 10:39 AM

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6 replies

Feb 12, 2014 11:51 AM in response to ht2002

How can I unlock my iPad if I forgot the passcode?

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/ipad/ipad-troubleshooting-repair-faq/ipad- how-to-unlock-open-forgot-code-passcode-password-login.html


iOS: Device disabled after entering wrong passcode

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1212


How can I unlock my iPad if I forgot the passcode?

http://tinyurl.com/7ndy8tb


How to Reset a Forgotten Password for an iOS Device

http://www.wikihow.com/Reset-a-Forgotten-Password-for-an-iOS-Device


Using iPhone/iPad Recovery Mode

http://ipod.about.com/od/iphonetroubleshooting/a/Iphone-Recovery-Mode.htm

You may have to do this several times.


Saw this solution on another post about an iPad in a school environment. Might work on your iPad so you won't lose everything.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

‘iPad is disabled’ fix without resetting using iTunes


Today I met my match with an iPad that had a passcode entered too many times, resulting in it displaying the message ‘iPad is disabled – Connect to iTunes’. This was a student iPad and since they use Notability for most of their work there was a chance that her files were not all backed up to the cloud. I really wanted to just re-activate the iPad instead of totally resetting it back to our default image.

I reached out to my PLN on Twitter and had some help from a few people through retweets and a couple of clarification tweets. I love that so many are willing to help out so quickly. Through this I also learned that I look like Lt. Riker from Star Trek (thanks @FillineMachine).

Through some trial and error (and a little sheer luck), I was able to reactivate the iPad without loosing any data. Note, this will only work on the computer it last synced with. Here’s how:

1. Configurator is useless in reactivating a locked iPad. You will only be able to completely reformat the iPad using Configurator. If that’s ok with you, go for it – otherwise don’t waste your time trying to figure it out.

2. Open iTunes with the iPad disconnected.

3. Connect the iPad to the computer and wait for it to show up in the devices section in iTunes.

4. Click on the iPad name when it appears and you will be given the option to restore a backup or setup as a new iPad (since it is locked).

5. Click ‘Setup as new iPad’ and then click restore.

6. The iPad will start backing up before it does the full restore and sync. CANCEL THE BACKUP IMMEDIATELY. You do this by clicking the small x in the status window in iTunes.

7. When the backup cancels, it immediately starts syncing – cancel this as well using the same small x in the iTunes status window.

8. The first stage in the restore process unlocks the iPad, you are basically just canceling out the restore process as soon as it reactivates the iPad.


If done correctly, you will experience no data loss and the result will be a reactivated iPad. I have now tried this with about 5 iPads that were locked identically by students and each time it worked like a charm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Try it and good luck. You have nothing more to lose if it doesn't work for you.


 Cheers, Tom 😉

Feb 13, 2014 3:57 AM in response to ht2002

Thanks Texas Mac Man,

Your advice worked, and my IPad was undisabled. However, I do still need my passcode to enter. This is well and truely forgotten.

I can actually see all my photos on the locked screen.


Is there any way that I can bypass the passcode?


Is there a way to recover the photos?


Best

HT

Mar 14, 2016 1:39 AM in response to Texas Mac Man

Hi Texas Mac Man,


I have a family old ipad2 which never sync to any itunes before. It contains memorable family photos and i wonder your method can be applied to my case. I connect the ipad2 to my laptop but could not find option to "set up as new ipad". The only choices i have are restore or update my ipad.


Could you please help on this? Thanks a lot.

Recovering photos from a locked IPad

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