iPhone X – Forgot PIN Password – What to Do?

The facial recognition software that lets you unlock your iPhone X is at the cutting edge of smartphone security. Initially, it seemed as if it was going to send PIN passwords into early retirement. However, many users still prefer using PINs over facial recognition unlock.

Anybody can forget their password and lock themselves out of the phone. If this happens, the only way to regain control over the iPhone is through the recovery mode. It means wiping all the data from your device, so it’s wise to do regular backups and prevent losing your photos, apps, and files.

The “Find My iPhone” Feature

Find My iPhone is a neat security feature that lets you locate the phone if you lose it. In addition, it also allows you to easily erase the iPhone X and remove the PIN. This is why it’s advisable to enable this option in the first place.

Here’s how to utilize Find My iPhone to remove the PIN:

1. Sign into iCloud

Go to iCloud and sign in with your Apple ID.

2. Click All Devices

The All Devices menu gives you the option to select your iPhone X. Click on it to get more actions.

3. Select Erase iPhone

After you click on Erase iPhone, wait for a while until the process is complete. From there, you can follow the steps to restore your iPhone X. When prompted, select “Restore from a Backup File” to get all your data back.

Erasing from Recovery Mode

If you haven’t set up iCloud, doing a force restore from Recovery Mode is the way to go. The process takes a few more steps than the Find My iPhone method. Nevertheless, it’s fairly straightforward and easy to apply if you closely follow the steps below:

1. Connect to a Computer

Use the Lightning cable and plug your iPhone X into a PC or a Mac. Launch iTunes if the app doesn’t pop up automatically.

2. Press the Buttons

This process needs to be done in the correct sequence. First, press Volume Up and release it, then press Volume Down and release it. Afterward, keep pressing the Power button until the Apple logo appears.

3. Go into Recovery Mode

Keep holding the Power button until the iPhone X displays the Recovery screen.

4. Check iTunes

At this point, iTunes should show a message saying there’s something wrong with your iPhone. Click on Restore to proceed. It’s possible that you might need to update the phone before you restore it.

5. Be Patient

It takes a while for your iPhone to restore and install the necessary updates. The phone restarts upon completion and takes you to the original setup screen. Now you can use a backup file from iTunes to restore your iPhone X to its settings from before you forgot the password.

The Last Lock

The entire process of erasing and restoring your iPhone X due to a forgotten PIN can be painstaking. To make sure you’ll never lose your data, it is crucial to do regular backups and preserve the precious information on your phone.

Some users also employ different techniques that allow them to easily remember the password. No matter what you do, you might also want to write down the password and stash it in a safe place, just in case you need it and all other methods fail.