iPhone auto factory reset after multiple failed passcodes

Reonxer wrote:

My iPhone got automatically factory reset due to someone fat fingers. Tried multiple times the passcode and it just went off.

How is this even possible? Can I restore anything from Apple Support?

recovery mode If you forgot the passcode for your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, or your device is disabled - Apple Support

Sounds like you have the security on the phone set to restore after 10 failed attempts for the passcode. If that is what happened, then it has wiped your device. If you have a backup, restore it, Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup - Apple Support

If you do not have a backup, your content is lost. Set the iPhone up as new, and move on. Apple Support cannot recover data you have deleted. If you do not wish this to happen again the next time that you have troubles with the passcode, then go to Settings>Touch ID & Passcode, and turn off Erase Data.

Reonxer wrote:

I don't think you get my question here. Can I restore anything from this catastrophic situation. Because it is not even disable, it just went off factory reset automatically.

If your asking this question then it probably means you don't back up your device to icloud or itunes, but if I'm wrong then here you go Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup - Apple Support and if you don't have one, then your data is gone, unless for items that you sync.

You have to explain what you mean by the phone factory reset on its own. I have never heard of such a thing. If someone knew your Apple ID/iCloud and password, I suppose it would be possible for them to log into iCloud.com using your credentials and erase the device. Other than that, I see no way this could happen.

If you backup with iCloud or iTunes, you should restore the backup to recover your data.

Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup - Apple Support

Reonxer wrote:

I don't think you get my question here. Can I restore anything from this catastrophic situation. Because it is not even disable, it just went off factory reset automatically.

That depends... do you have a backup? If so, you can restore from the backup. If not, no. Your data is gone (except for any that was synced to the cloud).

Reonxer wrote:

Can Apple Support assist in this?

No they can't it's either you have a backup and restore from it, or you don't and set it up as new and sync back whatever you sync to icloud or your mail account.

I really don't know how long it would take as I've never done the experiment.

Of course, one time, I was using my phone and, while I was looking at it, reset itself. No reason that I ever determined. Thank goodness for daily backups.

Demo wrote:

Interesting. I’ve never cared to experiment that much with it myself to see how long it would take and don’t plan on doing it any time soon.

Maybe if I get really bored this weekend.......😉

Reonxer wrote:

Can Apple Support assist in this?

No. Apple does not store backups of your phone. Apple believes that data on your phone is yours and yours alone. In addition to Apple not storing your data, the phone is designed to prevent anyone other than you from accessing your data (or backups of it), be they thieves, law enforcement personnel or governments. Even the FBI can't get your data. If it's important to you they give you two ways to back it up, including an option to back it up every day.

Demo wrote:

Chalk my response up to another duh moment, but within 10 minutes as the OP is claiming? Is that possible?

My best guess is that if the erase option is set the phone will be erased in milliseconds after the 10th failed password. I've seen a security article that explains that the mechanism for erasing the phone is to delete the encryption key and restart the phone.

That makes all the sense in the world after the 10th failed attempt. I assume that I misread the OP’s statement that the whole thing, start to finish, took place within 10 minutes.

Don’t you have to wait a certain amount of time, that increases with each failed attempt, before you are allowed to try the passcode again?

There is an option in Settings>Touch ID & Passcode called "Erase Data". If that is enabled, it will erase all the data on the phone after 10 failed passcode attempts.