You try to sign in and see This account is locked and can’t be used. That exact message means Apple has denied your unlock request, and Apple Support cannot reactivate the account. Your next options are a replacement account and, if your device is also locked, a separate Activation Lock request. If your alert uses different wording, match it to the access or password-recovery options below.
Understand what the exact error means
A denied unlock request is the reason Apple displays This account is locked and can’t be used.
For this exact message, there is no supported account-reactivation procedure. Another password reset will not resolve it.
Create a replacement Apple Account using the steps below. The new account does not restore the denied account or its contents.
If your device also displays Activation Lock, use the separate device-removal options below. Creating another account does not remove that lock.
Create a replacement Apple Account
Use this route after Apple has denied access to your old account. Browser registration works across devices, including Windows PCs and Android phones.
At account.apple.com, select Create Your Apple Account.
Enter the requested account details, your birthday, and a phone number you can access.
Select Continue.
Complete the email verification prompts.
Complete the phone-number verification prompts.
During iPhone, iPad, or Apple Vision Pro setup, you can instead select Forgot password or don’t have an account?.
Select Create a Free Apple Account.
Complete the identity, email, password, region, and verification prompts. Device Activation Lock still needs to be resolved separately.
Clear Activation Lock before using the device
Activation Lock restricts the device separately from the account denial. At the lock screen, follow the prompts using the original account credentials or the device passcode when that option appears. The account-based route requires accepted credentials.
For a device linked to a previous owner’s usable account, ask that owner to remove it through icloud.com/find using this sequence: sign in to the associated account, select the device, then choose Remove This Device. This normally requires the device to be offline, although Apple allows some iPhones to be removed while online.
If the account denial blocks that route, submit an Activation Lock support request with the device’s proof-of-purchase documentation. Apple does not guarantee approval, and removing Activation Lock does not reactivate the denied account.
For a business- or school-owned device, contact the IT department or manager responsible for it.
Request access when the account is locked or inactive
If your locked or inactive account’s alert includes Request Access, tap it.
Follow the onscreen prompts to complete the access request.
For the browser alternative, open Apple’s account-access request page.
Complete the account-access request presented there.
Use this route before a final denial; it is not an appeal after This account is locked and can’t be used appears.
Reset the password for a security lock
For an alert saying the account was locked or disabled for security reasons, use an already signed-in, trusted iPhone, iPad, or Apple Vision Pro:
- 1.Open Settings.
- 2.Tap your name.
- 3.Select Sign-In & Security.
- 4.Tap Change Password.
- 5.Authenticate with the device passcode and complete the password reset.
Start account recovery when a password reset is unavailable
For an eligible account with two-factor authentication, start recovery through iforgot.apple.com by selecting Reset Password and following the recovery prompts. This route applies when you cannot reset the password; it does not reverse a denied unlock request.
For recovery started on the website, turn off signed-in devices and avoid using the account on any device. For recovery started through Settings, System Settings, or the Apple Support app, turn off the other signed-in devices; you can keep using the initiating device.
Recovery takes several days or longer, and Apple Support cannot shorten the wait. Complete recovery using the instructions sent by text message or automated phone call.
A previously configured recovery key disables standard account recovery. For that method, supply your existing 28-character key and the verification code sent to your trusted phone number during recovery on an Apple device.
Reactivate Media & Purchases through its own request
An alert saying your Media & Purchases account is disabled has a separate reactivation process. It is different from a denied whole-account unlock request.
Tap Continue in the alert.
Complete the reactivation request.
If you cannot complete the request from the alert, try Apple’s reactivation support flow. Support options vary by location.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will waiting 24 hours make the locked account usable again?
Apple provides no 24-hour waiting fix for a denied unlock request. Repeated requests do not provide a supported appeal route for this error.
Can a recovery contact or physical security key reverse this error?
No. An existing recovery contact helps with password recovery, and a previously paired physical security key can unlock an account locked for suspicious activity or failed sign-ins. Neither overrides a final unlock denial.
How do I reset a security-locked account’s password on a Mac?
On an already signed-in, trusted Mac, open the Apple menu > System Settings > your name > Sign-In & Security > Change Password. Authenticate with the Mac login password. This applies to password recovery, not a denied unlock request.
What if the locked account belongs to my organization?
Contact your organization’s account administrator for a Managed Apple Account. Password resets go through Apple Business or the connected identity provider. For a suspected-fraud lock, the Organization Administrator must contact Apple before resetting the password.