The fastest way depends on whether you remember your password

If you remember your current password, you can remove it entirely through Settings — the phone will no longer ask for a code when you unlock it. If you have forgotten the password, you will need to erase the phone and set it up again, because Apple does not have a way to bypass or recover a forgotten passcode.

The method you use also depends on which type of password your iPhone uses. Most newer iPhones use Face ID or Touch ID instead of a typed passcode, but if your phone requires a numeric or alphanumeric code, the steps below will walk you through removing it.

Key Takeaways

  • If you remember your password, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode), enter your current code, and tap Turn Passcode Off.
  • If you have forgotten your password, you must erase the iPhone using Find My iPhone, a computer, or Recovery Mode, then set it up as new.
  • Removing your passcode means anyone with physical access to your phone can unlock it and see all your data.
  • If you want to keep a password but change it, tap Change Passcode in the same Settings menu instead of turning it off.

Removing your passcode when you remember it

Open the Settings app and scroll down to find Face ID & Passcode or Touch ID & Passcode — the exact name depends on your iPhone model. Tap it, then enter your current passcode when prompted.

Once you are inside that menu, scroll to the bottom and tap Turn Passcode Off. The phone will ask you to confirm by entering your passcode one more time. After you do, your iPhone will no longer require a code to unlock. You can now use Face ID or Touch ID alone, or unlock the phone without any authentication at all.

This is the simplest path, but it also means anyone who picks up your phone can access your messages, photos, banking apps, and any other data on it. Consider whether you actually want to remove the password entirely, or whether you want to keep one but change it to something you will remember.

Resetting a forgotten passcode using Find My iPhone

If you have forgotten your passcode, the fastest remote method is Find My iPhone, which you can access from any web browser or another Apple device. Go to iCloud.com and sign in with the Apple ID connected to your iPhone, or open the Find My app on another Apple device you own.

Select your iPhone from the list of devices. Tap Find My iPhone (or the equivalent option in the Find My app), then choose Erase iPhone. This will wipe the phone completely, including the passcode. You will then set up the iPhone as new when you turn it back on, and you can choose whether to set a new passcode at that time.

This method requires that Find My iPhone is already turned on in your iCloud settings. If it is not, you will need to use a computer or Recovery Mode instead.

Resetting a forgotten passcode using a computer

Connect your iPhone to a Mac or Windows computer with a USB cable. On a Mac, open Finder and select your iPhone from the sidebar. On Windows, open iTunes or the Devices section in File Explorer.

Look for a Restore or Restore iPhone button. Click it, and the computer will read the latest iPhone software and erase your phone. Once the process finishes, you will see the setup screen, and you can choose to set a new passcode or skip that step entirely.

You will need to sign back into your Apple ID during setup. If you do not remember your Apple ID password, you can reset it at iforgot.apple.com before you start this process.

Resetting a forgotten passcode using Recovery Mode

If you do not have access to a computer or Find My iPhone, you can put your phone into Recovery Mode and erase it from the device itself. The steps vary slightly by iPhone model.

For iPhone X and newer: Press and hold the Side button and either Volume button until the power-off slider appears. Drag the slider to turn off the phone. Then press and hold the Side button again until you see the Recovery Mode screen (a cable and computer icon). For iPhone 8 and earlier: Press and hold the Top (or Side) button until the power-off slider appears, turn off the phone, then press and hold the Home button while connecting the phone to a computer until Recovery Mode appears.

Once Recovery Mode is active, your computer will prompt you to restore or update. Choose Restore, and the computer will erase the phone and install fresh software. After setup completes, you can create a new passcode or leave the phone without one.

What happens to your data when you remove the passcode

Removing the passcode does not erase any of your photos, messages, contacts, or apps — those stay on the phone. What changes is the security: anyone who physically picks up your iPhone can now see everything on it without entering a code.

If you have already forgotten your passcode and had to erase the phone using one of the methods above, your data is gone unless you restore from a backup. When you set up the phone again, you will have the option to restore from an iCloud backup or a computer backup — choose that option if you want your old data back.

Deciding whether to keep a passcode

Removing your passcode is permanent until you add one back, so think carefully about whether you want to do it. A passcode protects your financial information, health data in the Health app, and access to accounts like email and banking apps that store passwords.

If you want to keep a passcode but change it to something easier to remember, go back to Settings > Face ID & Passcode, enter your current code, and tap Change Passcode. You can then create a new numeric or alphanumeric code. This keeps your phone find while giving you a password you will actually remember.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I remove my passcode without erasing the phone?

Yes, if you remember your current passcode. Go to Settings, find Face ID & Passcode or Touch ID & Passcode, enter your code, and tap Turn Passcode Off. If you have forgotten the passcode, erasing is the only option — there is no way to bypass it.

What if I do not have access to the computer or Apple ID I used to set up the phone?

You can still erase the phone using Recovery Mode on the device itself, but you will need to sign into your Apple ID during setup afterward. If you do not remember that Apple ID password, reset it at iforgot.apple.com before you start the erase process.

Will removing my passcode affect Face ID or Touch ID?

No. Face ID and Touch ID are separate from your passcode. You can remove the passcode and keep Face ID or Touch ID active, or you can have all three — passcode, Face ID, and Touch ID — working together for extra security.

Can I remove the passcode from my iPhone if it is locked to another person's Apple ID?

No. If the phone is locked to someone else's Apple ID (set up Lock), you will need their Apple ID password to erase it or remove the passcode. This is a security feature to prevent theft. Contact the original owner if you have inherited or purchased the phone.

What if my iPhone is disabled after too many wrong passcode attempts?

The phone will show a message saying it is disabled. Wait the time shown (starting at one minute and increasing with each attempt), then try again. If you do not remember the passcode after multiple attempts, you will need to erase the phone using Find My iPhone, a computer, or Recovery Mode.