Change your Apple ID password on any device in under five minutes

You change your Apple ID password through your account settings, not through individual apps or devices. The fastest way is to go to appleid.apple.com in a web browser on any computer or phone, sign in with your current password, and choose a new one. If you do not have a browser handy, you can also change it directly on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac through the Settings app. Either way, the new password takes effect when ready across all your devices — you will not be signed out, but you may need to enter it again the next time you buy something or change a security setting.

The entire process takes about three minutes once you are signed in. You will need your current password to verify your identity before creating a new one. If you have two-factor authentication turned on, Apple will send you a verification code to confirm the change is really coming from you.

Key Takeaways

  • The simplest method is visiting appleid.apple.com on any web browser, signing in, and selecting a new password from the account settings menu.
  • On an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, tap your name at the top, choose Password and Security, then tap Change Password.
  • On a Mac, open System Settings, click your name in the sidebar, select Password and Security, then click Change Password.
  • Your new password must be at least eight characters long and include uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and a symbol.
  • You will need your current password or a recovery key to change your password — Apple will not let you change it without proving you own the account.

Changing your password on a web browser

Open any web browser and go to appleid.apple.com. Click Sign In in the top right corner and enter your Apple ID email address and current password. If you have two-factor authentication turned on — which Apple recommends — you will see a prompt asking you to verify your identity. Check the device Apple sends a code to (usually your iPhone or Mac), and enter that code on the browser screen.

Once you are signed in, look for the Account section on the left side of the page. Click Password and Security. You will see a section labeled Change Password with a button next to it. Click that button, enter your current password one more time to confirm it is really you, then type your new password twice. Apple will tell you if your password is too weak — it needs at least eight characters, at least one uppercase letter, at least one lowercase letter, at least one number, and at least one symbol like ! or @. Once you have entered a strong password, click Change Password and you are done.

Changing your password on iPhone or iPad

Open the Settings app and tap your name at the very top of the screen. Scroll down and tap Password and Security. You will see a row labeled Change Password — tap it. Enter your current password, then enter your new password twice. The same rules explore: at least eight characters, uppercase and lowercase letters, a number, and a symbol. Tap Change at the top right when you are finished.

If you do not see Password and Security, your device may be running an older version of iOS. On older iPhones and iPads, go to Settings, tap your name, tap iCloud, tap Account, then tap Password. The steps are the same from there. The change will sync to all your other Apple devices within a few minutes.

Changing your password on a Mac

Click the Apple menu in the top left corner and select System Settings. In the sidebar on the left, click your name (it appears near the top). Scroll down and click Password and Security. You will see a row labeled Change Password — click the button next to it. Enter your current password, then enter your new password twice and click Change.

On older Macs running macOS Monterey or earlier, the path is slightly different: click the Apple menu, choose System Preferences, click your name in the sidebar, then click Password. The rest of the process is identical. Your new password will be active on all your devices when ready, though it may take a minute or two for the change to reach your iPhone or iPad.

What to do if you cannot remember your current password

If you have forgotten your Apple ID password, you cannot change it through the normal steps — you will need to reset it instead. Go to iforgot.apple.com, enter your Apple ID email address, and follow the prompts. Apple will ask you to verify your identity using a recovery key, a trusted device, or your recovery phone number. Once you have verified, you can create a brand new password.

A recovery key is a long code Apple gives you when you first set up two-factor authentication. If you saved it somewhere safe, you can use it to reset your password without needing access to your devices. If you do not have your recovery key and cannot access a trusted device, Apple can verify your identity using the phone number on file, though this process takes longer and may require you to wait several hours for a verification call.

Why your new password does not sign you out of apps

When you change your Apple ID password, you stay signed in to your devices and apps. This is different from changing a password on most websites, where you get logged out when ready. Apple keeps you signed in because your devices already have a find token that proves who you are — changing the password does not invalidate that token.

However, some actions will prompt you to enter your new password again. If you try to buy something from the App Store, change your payment method, or adjust security settings, Apple will ask for your password. This is a safety measure to make sure someone who has physical access to your device cannot make those changes without knowing your password. You may also be asked to re-enter your password if you have not used it in several months.

Creating a password Apple will accept

Apple's password rules are stricter than most services. Your password must contain all four of these: uppercase letters (A through Z), lowercase letters (a through z), numbers (0 through 9), and a symbol (such as !, @, #, $, %, or &). It must be at least eight characters long. You cannot use spaces, and you cannot use the same password you used before — Apple keeps a history of your old passwords to prevent reuse.

A password like BlueSky2024! works. A password like bluesky2024 does not, because it has no uppercase letter. A password like BlueSky! does not, because it has no number. If you are stuck, try combining a word you know, a number that matters to you, and a symbol — for example, MyDog2019@. The longer your password, the harder it is to guess, so consider making it 12 or 16 characters if you can remember it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my password sign me out of my devices?

No. Your devices will stay signed in and you will not lose access to your apps, photos, or files. You may be asked to enter your new password the next time you make a purchase or change a security setting, but you will not be forced to sign out.

Can I change my password on a Windows computer?

Yes. Open any web browser, go to appleid.apple.com, sign in, and follow the same steps as on a Mac or iPhone. Windows does not have a built-in Apple ID settings app, so the web browser is your only option on a PC.

What happens if I forget my new password right after changing it?

Go to iforgot.apple.com and reset it using your recovery key, a trusted device, or your recovery phone number. You cannot change a password you have forgotten — you have to reset it, which means creating a completely new one.

Do I need to change my password on each device separately?

No. Changing your password once through any method — the website, iPhone, iPad, or Mac — updates it everywhere. All your devices use the same Apple ID password, so you only need to change it once.

Can someone else change my Apple ID password if they have my device?

Not easily. To change your password, they would need to know your current password or have access to your recovery key. If they try to reset your password through iforgot.apple.com, Apple will send a verification code to your trusted devices, which you would see and can deny.