How to Fix a Disabled iPhone

What Can You Do When Your iPhone Is Disabled

If you have entered the wrong lock screen password on your iPhone more than six times in a row, your iPhone will surely be disabled.

When your iPhone is disabled and says you can try again after a time interval, you still have a chance to unlock the disabled iPhone without losing data if you can recall your iPhone passcode. However, if your iPhone is disabled and says connect to iTunes, your only way out is to unlock the disabled iPhone by restoring the device. By resetting the disabled iPhone, you can erase all data and settings on the iOS device, including the lock screen passcode. Afterward, you will be able to set up and use the device again.

How to Fix a Disabled iPhone

If your iPhone is disabled completely, you can apply one of the ways below to fix the device. You should know that all methods will erase your iPhone data and settings. That means if you have a backup available, you can restore the iPhone from the backup after the reset. If not, you will lose everything. (Although data loss is unwanted, it's the only workable way to fix a disabled iPhone.) 

There are three ways to unlock a disabled iPhone:

Method 1. Fix a Disabled iPhone with an iPhone Unlocker Tool

Want to enable a disabled iPhone without iTunes? Then you can't miss the iPhone unlock tool - EaseUS MobiUnlock. This iOS unlocker could help to unlock iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch without a passcode, be it a 4-digit code, 6-digit code, Touch ID, or Face ID. Whether you want to fix a disabled iPhone or reset an iPad without the passcode, it could be a good choice for you.

Thus, when you forgot your iPhone passcode and your iPhone has been disabled, you can apply such a tool to unlock the iOS device easily with such a tool.

To fix a disabled iPhone:

Step 1. Launch EaseUS MobiUnlock and connect your disabled iPhone or iPad to the computer, select "Unlock Screen Passcode" from the home page of EaseUS MobiUnlock. 

Step 2. Once EaseUS MobiUnlock recognizes your device, click "Start" to proceed.

Step 3. Make sure your device model is the one you wish to unlock and then click "Next" to download an appropriate firmware for your device. (If the firmware has been downloaded already, select it instead.)

Step 4. Once the firmware verification comleted, click "Unlock Now." Then, enter some needed information in the new pop-up warning window. Once you're done, proceed by clicking on "Unlock."

Step 5. After a few second, your disabled iPhone or iPad will be unlocked successfully.

Now you can set up the device and create a new password. If you have made an iTunes or iCloud before, you can restore your iPhone data from the backup from the Apps & Data screen.

Method 2. Unlock a Disabled iPhone with iTunes

Or as the notification "iPhone is disabled connect to iTunes" indicates, you can connect the disabled iPhone to the computer and launch iTunes to help. iTunes will reset the disabled iPhone to factory settings via the recovery mode. After the factory reset, the lock screen passcode will be removed.

Download and install the latest version of iTunes on your computer, and then follow the steps below to fix your disabled iPhone.

Step 1. Make sure the disabled iPhone is not connected to the computer.

Step 2. Turn off your iPhone.

Step 3. Connect the iPhone to your computer while holding the Side button (on iPhone 8/8 Plus and later) or the Volume down button (iPhone 7/7 Plus). Keep holding the button until the iPhone enters the recovery mode.

Step 4. In iTunes, you will see a prompt telling you there is a problem with your iPhone. Choose "Restore" in the prompt.

Step 5. Choose "Restore and Update" and wait for the process to complete.

Step 6. Set up and use the device again.

Method 3. Fix a Disabled iPhone Using iCloud

Using iCloud is an optional choice for you who have enabled Find My iPhone on the disabled device. As you may know, with the Find My feature, you can erase the iPhone remotely. By doing so, you can fix a disabled iPhone without iTunes or a computer.

Before you start, make sure there is a Wi-Fi connection on your iPhone.

To fix a disabled iPhone using iCloud:

Step 1. Go to another iPhone/iPad or computer and visit iCloud.com.

Step 2. Sign in to iCloud with the Apple ID account you use on the disabled iPhone.

Step 3. Choose "Find iPhone" and click "All Devices".

Step 4. Among the listed devices, select the disabled iPhone and click "Erase iPhone".

After erasing the device, you need to go through the setup process. Afterward, you can use the iPhone again.

The Bottom Line

When you forgot the iPhone passcode completely and the iPhone is disabled, you have to reset the device to fix it. However, resetting the device will remove all data and settings on the iPhone. If you have made a backup before, you are lucky because you can retrieve your precious data. If not, you will lose everything. If you want to avoid data loss caused by factory reset or other reasons, don't hesitate to back up your iPhone right now.