How to Enable a Disabled iPhone in iOS 17

Is your iPhone DIsabled? Are you not able to use it? Then follow this guide to enable a disabled iPhone using methods like iTunes, Adding new account and Find My device from Apple.

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Sofia Albert

Updated on Feb 28, 2024

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Have you entered the wrong passwords too many times on your iPhone? Does your device screen show "iPhone is disabled."? This situation may occur when you update your iPhone to iOS 17. Chances are that your iPhone is disabled, and you cannot enter the password anymore. Now, you need to focus on fixing the issue of a disabled screen.

It means you cannot access your messages, apps, contacts, media, etc. You cannot do anything with your device. While it may seem highly frustrating initially, you can resolve the problem in different ways. Apart from using your computer to enable the disabled iPhone, there are other methods. In this article, we will talk about how you must know how to enable a disabled iPhone 15/14/13.

Methods Effectiveness Difficulty
1️⃣EaseUS MobiUnlock High - A one-in-all solution to unlock your disabled iPhone Super easy
2️⃣iTunes High - Easy to unlock a disabled iPhone with a computer Super easy
3️⃣iCloud High - Open icloud.com to resolve the disabled iPhone issue Easy
4️⃣Siri Moderate - No need to connect to a computer to unlock a disabled iPhone running iOS 8 to iOS 10.1 Moderate

What Does "Enable a Disabled iPhone" Mean?

To open the lock screen of your iPhone, you need to enter the password. The options available are passcode, facial recognition, and touch ID. You can choose whatever you want and ensure the security of your device. However, what happens if you enter the wrong passcode? In the case of iPhones, there are no other profiles for users. The device will lock and disable itself if you enter an incorrect passcode. Too many wrong attempts can lead to severe consequences. It will disable the device for a specific amount of time. In that case, you must wait for that time period before attempting to unlock the device.

  • If you enter the wrong passcode 5 times a row, the iPhone gets disabled for one minute.
  • For 7 continuous wrong attempts, the disable time increases to 5 minutes.
  • If there are 8 and 9 wrong attempts, the disable time increases consecutively to 15 and 60 minutes.
  • And if there are 10 incorrect attempts, the iPhone is disabled indefinitely.

Your iPhone may display "iPhone Disabled Connect to iTunes." After the iPhone is disabled indefinitely, you can connect to your computer or iTunes to get it fixed. From there, you will get two options – restore the backup or recovery. There is nothing to worry about if you have a previous data backup. But, if not, there are chances you might lose data.

All-in-one Solution to Enable a Disabled iPhone without iTunes

If you want to enable a disabled iPhone in iOS 17 without iTunes, you can opt for a phone unlocking software. Check out EaseUS MobiUnlock. Known for being one of the best tools for unlocking phones, the EaseUS MobiUnlock has impressive features. With this tool, you can easily remove the screen passcode from iPhone/iPad and regain device access.

Some key features of EaseUS MobiUnlock:

Are you eager to use EaseUS MobiUnlock? Check out this fantastic software and use it to unlock your disabled iPhone now!

Steps to enable a disabled iPhone with EaseUS MobiUnlock

steps to unlock disabled iphone

Use iTunes to Restore a Disabled iPhone without a Passcode

Another way to restore a disabled iPhone is to use iTunes. However, you need to sync the iPhone with a computer and ensure you have made the backup.

iTunes is Apple's proprietary software that enables users to play and organize music and video. It is essentially a media player and media library rolled into one. Through iTunes, Apple users can import songs, accelerate the encoding process, organize the audio collection, etc. It also allows users to erase the iPhone or restore it depending on the situation.

Here are the steps you need to follow –

Step 1. Connect the iPhone to the computer.

Step 2. Open iTunes (make sure it is the latest version) on Windows and the Music app on Mac.

Step 3. Select the device icon and go to the General tab.

Step 4. Click on the Restore iPhone button.

restore iphone

Click here to know more about how to unlock iPhone with iTunes.

Unlock Disabled iPhone in iOS 17/16 with iCloud

Did you know you can unlock a disabled iPhone with iCloud? Yes! However, for this, you need to erase the iPhone, so keeping a backup of the data is essential. Also, the Find My iPhone feature must be enabled on the iPhone.

iCloud is the file backup storage service from Apple. It stores and syncs data, such as images, files, passwords, etc., in the cloud. That way, the data is safe, and there is no need to worry about sudden data loss. Besides, you get 5GB of free online storage. It works seamlessly with all Apple devices, such as Mac, iPad, and iPhone.

Here are the steps you need to follow –

Step 1. Open iCloud.com and sign into the iCloud Account.

Step 2. Select the Apps icon. If you have been directed to the new iCloud home page, choose the "Find My" icon by scrolling down a little.

icloud find my

Step 3. Enter the Apple ID password when asked.

Step 4. Now, choose All Devices from the left sidebar. Select your iPhone from the list of options.

Step 5. Click on the "Erase iPhone" option. This will wipe out all data.

erase iphone

Step 6. Enter the Apple ID password when asked. Wait till the process completes and set up the iPhone again.

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How to Unlock iPhone Passcode Without Computer

Have you ever wondered how you can unlock your iPhone without a computer? This article guides you on using iCloud, Find My App, and "Erase iPhone" to unlock your iPhone. It also describes connecting your iPhone to a computer and unlocking it with EaseUS MobiUnlock without a passcode.

unlock iphone without computer

Enable a Disabled iPhone Without Losing Data Using Siri [Earlier iOS versions]

Another way to resolve the disabled iPhone issue is to use Siri. The most critical aspect is that the iPhone won't lose any data.

Apple introduced Siri, the virtual assistant for all Apple devices. It is based on AI or artificial intelligence and works on voice recognition. Siri answers the questions spoken by the users and offers relevant information. For example, you can ask Siri to play your gym playlist or speak the recipe for your favorite pasta. You can unlock iPhone without passcode using Siri.

But note this method is suitable for iPhones running iOS 8 to iOS 10.1. So if you update your iPhone to iOS 17, you can refer to other methods in this post.

Check out the steps you need to follow –

Step 1. Tap the Home button and hold it till Siri gets activated.

Step 2. Ask Siri – "What is the time now?" Then you will see the local time.

Step 3. Press the clock icon that you will see on top of the screen.

Step 4. When the world clock screen appears, press the + icon.

add new clock

Step 5. Enter a text in the space available. Press the text and keep on holding it to select the entire content.

Step 6. Tap on the Share option.

select text and share

Step 7. Now, select the Messages app.

Step 8. In the To field, write what you want. Press the Return key.

Step 9. Wait for the text to become green. Send a random message. Now, press the profile picture icon on the top.

Step 10. On the next screen, tap on the Info button to proceed further.

Step 11. Choose Create New Contact.

create a new contact on the iPhone

Step 12. Tap on Add Photo to add a profile photo and choose Photos on the next screen. Opt for Albums.

add a photo from alumb.

Step 13. Now, wait for some time and press the Home button.

The device is now unlocked if you can access the iPhone home screen.

Did You Get All the Methods to Enable a Disabled iPhone in iOS 17/16/15

Are you frustrated that your iPhone running iOS 17/16 is disabled due to multiple incorrect passcode attempts? iPhone doesn't allow users to attempt passcodes for an indefinite period of time. After 10 times, it will get locked forever. If you have forgotten your passcode, anxiety starts to seep in.

However, there is nothing to worry about as there are various methods you can choose. For instance, you can use Siri or iCloud. You can also choose iTunes. But if you want to enable a disabled iPhone without iTunes, you can opt for EaseUS MobiUnlock!

FAQs on How to Enable a Disabled iPhone

To know more about enabling disabled iPhones, browse through these questions and answers -

1. Can a disabled iPhone in iOS 17 be reactivated?

Yes, of course! You can reactivate a disabled iPhone using iTunes, iCloud, or Siri. However, it is essential to have a data backup as most of these methods wipe out existing data.

2. How do I unlock my disabled iPhone without a computer?

To unlock your disabled iPhone without a computer, you can use Siri or the Find My app on other iOS devices—however, the Find My app needs to be enabled on your iPhone.

3. How do I force my iPhone to factory reset?

To force your iPhone to factory reset, connect the iPhone to the computer. Open iTunes on your computer. Press and release the Volume Up and Volume Down button one after the other. Press the Side button and hold it. Release it when you come across the Recovery mode screen. When you see a pop-up asking if there is a problem with the iPhone, choose the Restore option.

If you have any further queries or worries concerning this guide, you're welcome to get in touch with me on Twitter. Share this post with your friends if you find it helpful!

 

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Updated by Sofia Albert

Sofia has been involved with tech ever since she joined the EaseUS editor team in March 2011 and now she is a senior website editor. She is good at solving various iPhone and Android issues, such as iPhone or Android data transfer & recovery.

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