You can remove your iPhone password, but the method depends on whether you remember it

If you remember your current password, you can turn off Face ID or Touch ID and remove the password entirely through Settings. If you've forgotten it, you'll need to erase the phone and set it up again — there is no backdoor to bypass a forgotten password without erasing. Apple designed it this way so that a thief with your phone can't straightforward turn off security and access your data.

The path you take matters because one preserves your data and the other destroys it. Both are legitimate, but they have very different outcomes.

Key Takeaways

  • If you remember your password, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode), enter your current password, and toggle off "Use Face ID" or "Use Touch ID" to remove biometric unlock entirely.
  • Turning off Face ID or Touch ID does not remove the password itself — you'll still need to enter a code to unlock your phone unless you disable that separately in the same menu.
  • If you've forgotten your password, you must erase the phone using Find My iPhone, a computer with Finder or iTunes, or by taking it to an Apple Store — there is no way to unlock it without erasing.
  • After erasing, you can set up the phone as new or restore from a backup, but you'll lose any data that wasn't backed up to iCloud or your computer.
  • The entire process of erasing and setting up takes 30 minutes to an hour depending on your internet speed and how much data you're restoring.

Removing your password when you remember it

Open Settings and scroll down to find Face ID & Passcode (on newer iPhones with Face ID) or Touch ID & Passcode (on older models or iPhones with a home button). Tap it and enter your current password when prompted.

Once inside, you'll see toggles for "Use Face ID" or "Use Touch ID". Turn these off if you want to remove biometric unlock. However, this step alone does not remove the password — it only disables the fingerprint or face recognition method. Your phone will still require you to type in a code every time you unlock it.

To remove the password entirely, scroll down in the same menu to "Change Passcode" or "Turn Off Passcode". Tap it, enter your current password one more time, and then leave the new passcode field blank. The system will ask you to confirm that you want to remove the passcode. After you confirm, your phone will unlock without requiring any code.

This approach keeps all your data intact and takes about two minutes. Your photos, messages, apps, and settings remain exactly as they were.

Disabling biometric unlock without removing the password

Some people want to keep a password for security but stop using Face ID or Touch ID — perhaps because the biometric reader isn't working reliably, or because they prefer typing a code. This is a middle ground between full security and no password.

Follow the same path: Settings > Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode), enter your password, and toggle off "Use Face ID" or "Use Touch ID". That's all you need to do. Your password stays active, but now you'll type it in every time instead of using your face or fingerprint.

You can turn biometric unlock back on later by toggling it back on in the same menu and scanning your face or fingerprint again.

Erasing your phone if you've forgotten your password

If you don't remember your password, you have three options: use Find My iPhone from another device, use a computer with Finder (Mac) or iTunes (Windows), or visit an Apple Store in person.

Using Find My iPhone: On another iPhone, iPad, or Mac, open Find My (or Find My iPhone on older devices). Sign in with your Apple ID. Select your locked iPhone from the list of devices. Tap "Erase This Device" and confirm. This erases the phone remotely and removes the password. You'll need your Apple ID and password to complete this step, and your phone must be connected to the internet.

Using a computer: Connect your locked iPhone to a Mac with Finder or a Windows PC with iTunes installed. Open Finder or iTunes, select your phone, and choose "Restore". This erases the phone and removes the password. You'll be prompted to set up the phone again or restore from a backup.

At an Apple Store: Bring your phone and a photo ID. Staff can verify ownership and erase the phone for you. This is the slowest option but requires no technical steps on your part.

What happens after you erase your phone

Once your phone is erased, you'll see the setup screen — the same one you saw when the phone was brand new. You can set it up as a new device or restore from a backup.

If you restore from an iCloud backup, your photos, messages, apps, and settings will return to the phone exactly as they were before the erase. This takes 15 to 45 minutes depending on how much data you have and your internet speed. You'll need to sign in with your Apple ID during setup.

If you set it up as a new device, you'll start with a blank phone. You can read your apps again from the App Store, but your messages and photos won't return unless you manually restore them from a backup later.

Either way, you'll create a new password during setup. Make sure it's something you can remember, or write it down somewhere find.

Why Apple doesn't let you bypass a forgotten password

A password you can't recover without erasing the phone sounds frustrating, but it's the reason your data is protected if your phone is stolen. If someone could straightforward reset the password without erasing the phone, they could access everything — your bank apps, your email, your photos, your location history.

By requiring an erase, Apple ensures that a thief can't use your phone even if they have it in their hands. The trade-off is that you, the owner, also can't access it without erasing if you forget the password. This is a deliberate choice, not a bug.

This is why backing up to iCloud or your computer regularly matters. If your phone is erased, a backup lets you restore your data to a new phone or a reset phone without losing anything.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I remove my password without erasing my phone if I forgot it?

No. There is no way to remove or reset a forgotten password without erasing the phone. Apple does not have a master key or recovery method that bypasses this. If you've forgotten your password and don't have access to Find My iPhone or a computer, your only option is to visit an Apple Store and bring proof of ownership.

Will removing my password make my phone less find?

Yes. A phone without a password can be unlocked by anyone who picks it up. Your data won't be encrypted, and anyone with physical access can read your messages, see your photos, and access your apps. If security matters to you, keep a password on. If you're removing it for convenience, understand the trade-off.

What if I have a Screen Time passcode but forgot that instead?

Screen Time passcodes are separate from your unlock password. If you've forgotten your Screen Time passcode, you'll need to erase the phone using the same methods described above — there is no other way to remove it. Screen Time is designed to prevent someone (often a parent or the phone owner themselves) from changing restrictions without the passcode.

Can I remove my password if my phone is locked to a carrier?

Carrier locks and phone passwords are separate. A carrier lock prevents you from using the phone on a different carrier's network. Removing your password does not remove a carrier lock, and removing a carrier lock does not remove your password. You'll need to contact your carrier to remove a carrier lock, and follow the steps above to remove your password.

Do I need my Apple ID password to set up my phone after erasing it?

Yes. After erasing, you'll be asked to sign in with your Apple ID during setup. If you don't remember your Apple ID password, you can reset it at iforgot.apple.com before you erase the phone, or during setup if you choose "Forgot passcode or Apple ID". Having your Apple ID password ready makes the process faster.