How to Recover Your Apple ID When You Forgot the Password

You know your Apple Account email, but the password is gone. Maybe a new iPhone is asking you to sign in, an app keeps rejecting you, or you just hit a wall trying to reach iCloud. Whatever the trigger, the password you typed for years no longer comes to mind.

The good news: if you own any Apple device that is already signed in, resetting takes under a minute. The harder cases (no trusted device, lost recovery key, legacy security questions) have paths too, and we will walk every one of them.

Below, the methods are ordered fastest and most common first. Start at the top and only move down if a method does not apply to you.

Reset It from Your iPhone or iPad Settings

If you have an iPhone or iPad already signed in with your account, this is the easiest and most secure method. The device is already trusted, so no extra verification is needed.

1. 1.Open the Settings app and tap [your name] at the top.
2. 2.Tap Sign-In & Security.
3. 3.Tap Change Password.
4. 4.Enter your device passcode when prompted.
5. 5.Follow the onscreen instructions to enter and confirm a new password.

If you are mid-setup on a brand-new device and cannot get past the sign-in screen, tap "Forgot password or don't have an Apple Account?" and follow the same flow.

Reset It from a Mac You Are Signed In To

A Mac that is already signed in works just as well as an iPhone. The steps mirror the iOS path.

1. 1.Choose the Apple menu, then click System Settings.
2. 2.Click [your name], then click Sign-In & Security.
3. 3.Click Change Password.
4. 4.Enter your Mac unlock (login) password when prompted.
5. 5.Follow the onscreen instructions to enter and confirm a new password.

Borrow Someone Else's Apple Device

No device of your own? You can run the reset on a friend's or family member's iPhone or iPad, or one at an Apple Store. This does not give the owner any access to your account; it only runs the reset flow for you.

1. 1.On the borrowed device, open the Apple Support app (download it free from the App Store if it is not installed).
2. 2.Scroll down to the Support Tools section.
3. 3.Tap Reset Password.
4. 4.Tap Help Someone Else.
5. 5.Enter your own Apple Account email address or phone number.
6. 6.Tap Continue and follow the onscreen instructions.

Use the Web at iforgot.apple.com

Any browser on any device can start a reset. This is the go-to when you have no Apple hardware in front of you at all.

1. 1.In any web browser, go to iforgot.apple.com.
2. 2.Choose the option to reset your password, then enter your Apple Account email address or phone number and follow the onscreen steps.
3. 3.If prompted, confirm a phone number on the account and enter the verification code sent to a trusted device or phone number.
4. 4.If a trusted device is available, you may be asked to select Allow on it and enter that device's passcode (or Mac admin password) to authorize the reset.
5. 5.Create and confirm your new password (you enter it twice).

If you have no trusted device, this flow can take longer and may route you into account recovery, covered further down.

Just Want to Change a Password You Still Know

If you can still sign in and simply want a fresh password, skip the reset flow entirely.

1. 1.Go to account.apple.com and sign in.
2. 2.Go to Sign-In and Security.
3. 3.Select Password.
4. 4.Follow the prompts to set a new password.

Use this only when you can get in. If you cannot, go back to iforgot.apple.com instead.

Use Your 28-Character Recovery Key

If you set up a recovery key in advance, it lets you reset without a trusted device.

1. 1.Start the reset at iforgot.apple.com or through the Apple Support app flow.
2. 2.When prompted, provide your 28-character recovery key.
3. 3.Enter the verification code sent to your trusted phone number.
4. 4.Follow the onscreen steps to set a new password.

To create a recovery key ahead of time on iPhone or iPad: Settings > [your name] > Sign-In & Security > Recovery Key > Continue, then write down and confirm the key. On Mac: Apple menu > System Settings > [your name] > Sign-In & Security > Recovery Key > Turn On > Use Recovery Key, enter your Mac password, then print or write down and confirm the key. Do not store this key inside the Apple Passwords app, iCloud Photos, Notes, or iCloud Drive, or you could lose access to it exactly when you need it.

Ask Your Account Recovery Contact for a Code

If you previously designated a recovery contact, they can hand you a six-digit code. The contact never gains access to your account.

1. 1.When locked out, start the reset, verify your account info, then choose the option to contact your recovery contact.
2. 2.Reach the contact by phone or in person and ask them to generate your code.
3. 3.On their iPhone or iPad (iOS/iPadOS 15 or later): Settings > [their name] > Sign-In & Security > Account Recovery > tap your name > Get Recovery Code.
4. 4.On their Mac (macOS Monterey or later): Apple menu > System Settings > [their name] > Sign-In & Security > Account Recovery > find your name under Account Recovery For > Get Recovery Code.
5. 5.Enter the six-digit code they read to you in your reset flow.

For this to work, the contact must be 13 or older, on iOS/iPadOS 15 or macOS Monterey or later, with two-factor authentication enabled, a device passcode set, and iMessage enabled.

Start Account Recovery as a Last Resort

If two-factor authentication is on and you cannot reset any other way (no trusted device, no recovery key, no recovery contact), account recovery is the fallback. It is a waiting period, and the time cannot be shortened.

1. 1.Start account recovery from a device's settings (attempt to sign in, then choose to start account recovery) or at iforgot.apple.com by choosing to reset your password and following the steps.
2. 2.Stop using all other Apple devices signed in with your account. Continuing to use them can cancel the request automatically. You may keep using the single device where you started recovery.
3. 3.Watch for a confirmation email that recovery has begun, typically within 72 hours.
4. 4.Wait out the recovery period; Apple states it can take several days or more, and contacting Apple Support cannot speed it up.
5. 5.When the wait ends, Apple sends a text message or automated phone call with instructions to regain access.

You can check the status anytime at iforgot.apple.com using your email address or phone number.

If You Forgot the Apple ID Itself, Not Just the Password

Sometimes the problem is the email address or phone number that is your account. Find it first, then reset the password using the methods above.

• On iPhone/iPad: Settings > [your name] > Sign-In & Security shows the emails and phone numbers you can sign in with.
• On Mac: System Settings > [your name] > Sign-In & Security shows your sign-in credentials.
• On a Windows PC: open iCloud for Windows and look for the primary email or phone number shown beneath your name.
• Check apps already signed in, such as the App Store, FaceTime, or Messages.
• On the web, go to account.apple.com and see if the sign-in screen auto-fills a stored email or phone number.
• Search your email inbox for Apple receipts, repair, support, or billing messages, which often show your account address.
• If you use Family Sharing, ask a family member to check their Family Sharing settings for your info.

Reset a Legacy Account That Uses Security Questions

Older accounts that never enabled two-factor authentication may still rely on security questions. The exact onscreen flow can vary by account, but it generally works like this.

1. 1.Go to iforgot.apple.com and enter your Apple ID, then continue.
2. 2.Choose the option to reset using your security questions, then continue.
3. 3.Follow the onscreen steps to verify your identity; the exact info requested varies by account.
4. 4.Set a new password, then continue.

If you answer wrong too many times in a row, security questions are temporarily disabled and you must wait before trying again. Note that if you have forgotten the answers, Apple cannot reset security questions for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my iPhone make me wait an hour to change the password?
That is the Stolen Device Protection Security Delay. When the feature is on and your iPhone is away from a familiar location, you authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID, wait one hour, then authenticate again before the change completes. The delay does not apply when the iPhone is in a familiar location.

How long does account recovery actually take?
Apple states it can be several days or more. A confirmation email that recovery started typically arrives within 72 hours, and when the period ends Apple contacts you by text or automated phone call. The time cannot be shortened, and contacting Apple Support will not speed it up.

Can I lose my account permanently?
Yes, in one specific case. If you do not know your password and have lost or do not have a trusted device, you need your recovery key. If you cannot provide that recovery key, you will be locked out of your account permanently.

I used my other iPad during recovery and the request vanished. Why?
Using your other signed-in devices during account recovery can cancel the request automatically. Stop using every Apple device except the single one where you started recovery.

How do I reset on Windows?
There is no dedicated reset-forgotten-password button inside iCloud for Windows or the iCloud Passwords app. Start the reset by going to iforgot.apple.com in a browser. The Windows apps mainly help you sign in or find your email or phone number.

After I changed my password, why can't I see my devices on iCloud.com?
After changing your Apple Account password from your iPhone, the location of your devices may not be visible at iCloud.com for a period of time. This is expected and resolves on its own.