Introduction
Apple’s security is one of the hot topics in the tech industry. The tech giant has implemented several security mechanisms on their products that unauthorized access is quite impossible. Unfortunately, this same high-standard security can also put users in a lot of trouble. If you have been using an iPhone for a while, you may already know that it’ll be disabled automatically after six-failed password attempts. Basically, if you’ve forgotten the screen passcode and enter wrong passcodes six times consecutively, the “iPhone disabled” message will appear on your screen and you won’t be able to access it anymore.
Of course when the iPhone is disabled connect to iTunes is a common method to fix the problem. But, many users don’t even remember their iTunes password. If that’s the case, this guide will prove to be helpful. In today’s article, we’ll walk you through different methods to unlock a disabled iPhone without iTunes. So, without any further ado, let’s dive in.
Part 1: Background
As we mentioned earlier, Apple’s security is a major reason why consumers spend thousands of dollars on their products. “iPhone is Disabled” is a result of one such security measure that has become more rigorous with the new iPhone 13 models running on iOS 15.
In general, if you enter the wrong passcode multiple times (10 to be precise) in the latest iOS 15, your iPhone will be disabled permanently and you won’t be able to access it directly. In this situation, you’ll need to use your iCloud or iTunes account to first reset the device and then restore data from the cloud backup.
Part 2: Ways To unlock a disabled iPhone
So, how to unlock a disabled iPhone? To be honest, there are different ways to unlock an iPhone when it’s disabled. We’ll first take a look at the step-by-step procedure to unlock a disabled iPhone when you remember your iCloud credentials. In this situation, all you have to do is install the latest version of iTunes on your computer and use it to get the job done instantly.
Step 1 – Use the lightning cable, connect your iPhone to the computer and put it in recovery mode. If you are using the latest iPhone 13 or even the earlier generations of iPhone (till iPhone X), follow these steps to put the device in recovery mode:
- First, press the “Volume Up” button followed by the “Volume Down” button
- Then, press and hold the “Power” button and release it once you see the “Connect to iTunes” message on your screen. Connect the device to the system and launch iTunes to proceed further.
Step 2 – iTunes will automatically detect that the connected device is in recovery mode and it’ll show a pop-up message asking you to restore it. Click the “Restore” button to confirm your actions.
iTunes will restore your device to the factory settings and wipe off everything from it. Once the process completes, the device will restart and you’ll be able to set a new screen passcode and restore the data using your iCloud account.
Part 3: Features about Dr.Fone-screen unlock
Now, as you can see, the previous method will only work when you remember the iTunes credentials. Not to mention, this is not the most reliable solution as there’s a huge scope for data loss, especially if you don’t have an iCloud backup to retrieve files.
Fortunately, there’s a hassle-free alternative to using iTunes to unlock a disabled iPhone. You can simply install Dr.Fone – Screen Unlock on your system and use it to unlock the disabled iPhone without having to worry about any data loss. Even if you don’t remember the iTunes password, Dr.Fone – Screen Unlock will help you unlock the device without any hassle.
It doesn’t matter whether you have locked your iPhone with a screen passcode, Face ID, or even Touch ID, Dr.Fone – Screen Unlock will allow you to unlock the disabled device within a few minutes. Here’s how to unlock a disabled iPhone without iTunes and any data loss using Dr.Fone – Screen Unlock.
Step 1 – Install and run “Dr.Fone – Screen Unlock” on your system and tap the “Screen Unlock” option on its home screen.
Step 2 – Connect your iDevice to the computer. Once the device gets detected, click “Unlock iOS Screen” to proceed further.
Step 3 – Then, follow the on-screen instructions to put your device in DFU mode.
Step 4 – On the next screen, choose the “iPhone model” and its iOS version using the drop-down menus. Click “Start” to download the right firmware package for your device.
Step 5 – After the firmware package gets downloaded, click “Unlock Now”. It may take a few minutes for the process to complete. Make sure that your iPhone stays connected to the computer throughout the entire process.
Step 6 – At the end, a confirmation message will appear on your screen and you’ll be able to unlock your iPhone without seeing the “iPhone disabled” message.
Closing Words
It’s never a good strategy to enter incorrect screen passcodes too many times as it could disable your device permanently. However, if your iPhone is already disabled, you can either use iTunes or install Dr.Fone – Screen Unlock on your system to rectify the situation. Of course, if you are looking for a hassle-free solution to unlock a disabled iPhone, choosing the latter will be an ideal option.