iOS update - prompt for old passcode

After several vexing weeks, I figured out how to get around this annoying bug.

After updating to iOS 10.3, my iPhone 7 prompted me to enter my iPhone passcode. No problem. Then it asked me to enter my "old passcode." The problem is, this device has never had any other passcode. I tried entering the correct passcode again, but got an error saying "verification failed" and I got the ominous "1 failed passcode attempt" warning. Since I have my phone set to wipe all data on ten failed passcode attempts, I was wary.

I tried entering my passcode that I use on my iPad because it's a different passcode. That also failed, like I thought it would. Just below the six white dots representing the digits of the passcode, it says "Forgot iPhone Passcode?" I tried that. This opened a screen giving me the option to enter my passcode for a different device. Curiously, the list showed both my iPhone (the one I am using) as well as my iPad. I selected the iPad, and the screen prompted me to enter my iPad passcode. When I did, I got the "verification failed" message again, and it returned me to the screen which listed my iPhone and iPad. I figured I had (almost) nothing to lose by selecting my iPhone, even though I had already tried entering my correct iPhone passcode as noted above. When it prompted me to enter my iPhone passcode, I fully expected it to ask me again for my "old" passcode, but miraculously, it didn't. Instead, my iPhone signed into iCloud and now everything is good.

That resulted in an error saying I had too many incorrect passcode attempts, and that I would be locked out of iCloud, the App Store, etc.

Summary:

1. Enter current password when prompted

2. When it asks for your old password, touch "forgot password"

3. On the next screen, select the device you are trying to sign into

4. Enter your current password

5. You should be logged into iCloud

Hmm, take a look at this thread: iPhone 7 wont unlock with correct passcode!!

Are they restoring data from a backup? The implication from that thread is that you need to enter the device passcode from when the backup was made to restore certain data. I don't know if this is actually the case.

tt2

This worked like a charm except for an extra step.

After selecting my current iPhone 7plus and entering my passcode, it offered me a choice between three other devices I have or had owned. I chose my current laptop and it asked for the ID I use to sign into that device as well.

After a long wait, the system accepted the extra step and logged me in.

Thank you so much for the research into this annoying problem.

I have the same issue but I don't think this fix will work for me as I only have one Apple device. Any other suggestions?

Are you sure the prompt isn't for the current passcode which they are being prompted to change? I don't think I've ever been asked to supply a previous passcode.

tt2

Well that is somewhat bizarre. 😮

Asking for the password to a previous ID I get, but not a previous version of your device passcode.

tt2

palphonso,

Very unusual. Can you supply the exact text of the message?

I suspect you'll need to take this up with Apple support direct and kick it up a few levels.

tt2