How to Change Your Apple ID Password on iPhone

The fastest way to change your Apple ID password

Open Settings on your iPhone, tap your name at the top, then tap Password and Security. Choose Change Password, enter your current password, then type your new password twice. Apple will ask you to stay signed in to your other devices — you can choose to do that now or later. The whole process takes about two minutes.

Your new password takes effect when ready on that iPhone. If you use the same Apple ID on a Mac, iPad, or Apple Watch, you will need to sign in again on those devices with your new password within a few days, or they will lock you out of iCloud features like email and photo backup.

Key Takeaways

You change your Apple ID password through Settings > [Your Name] > Password and Security > Change Password, not through the App Store or iCloud website.
Your new password must be at least 8 characters long and include uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and a symbol — Apple enforces this automatically.
If you forget your current password partway through, you will have to verify your identity using a trusted phone number or recovery key before you can set a new one.
Other devices using the same Apple ID will ask for your new password the next time they try to access iCloud, usually within 24 hours.
If you cannot remember your current password at all, use the "Forgot password?" option on the sign-in screen instead of trying to change it.

Why Apple requires a strong password and what that means

Your Apple ID password protects access to your email, photos, payment methods, and device backups. If someone gains access to it, they can lock you out of your own iPhone, drain your Apple Pay balance, or read your private photos. Apple therefore requires passwords to contain uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and at least one symbol — something like MyNewPass2024! rather than mypassword.

This requirement is built into the password field itself. If you try to create a password that does not meet these rules, the Change Password button will stay grayed out and you will see a message explaining what is missing. You cannot bypass this requirement, even if you want to use a simpler password.

What happens if you forget your current password

If you are already signed in to your iPhone and you forget your current password partway through the change process, tap "Can't remember your password?" on the Change Password screen. Apple will ask you to verify your identity using a trusted phone number (one you registered with your Apple ID) or a recovery key (a code Apple gave you when you first set up two-factor authentication).

If you do not have access to either of those, you can answer security questions you set up when you created your Apple ID. Once you verify your identity, you can set a new password without entering the old one. This process usually takes a few minutes but can take longer if Apple needs to confirm your identity through your email.

Signing in again on your other devices

When you change your password, your iPhone stays signed in automatically. Your Mac, iPad, Apple Watch, or any other device using the same Apple ID will continue working for a while, but within 24 hours they will ask you to sign in again with your new password. This is normal and expected — it is Apple's way of making sure only you have access to your account on each device.

When a device asks you to sign in again, enter your Apple ID email address and your new password. If the device asks for a verification code, check the trusted phone number you registered with Apple — you will receive a text or call with a six-digit code. Enter that code to finish signing in.

The difference between changing your password and resetting your iPhone

Changing your Apple ID password is not the same as resetting your iPhone. Changing your password only updates the code you use to sign in to your Apple account — your iPhone, apps, and files stay exactly as they are. Resetting your iPhone erases everything on it and starts fresh, which is a much bigger step.

If you change your password because you think someone else knows it, changing the password alone is enough. If you think someone has already accessed your account or installed something on your phone without permission, you may want to reset your iPhone as well, but that is a separate decision. Start with the password change first.

What to do if you see a message that your password was compromised

If Apple tells you that your Apple ID password has been found in a data breach from another company (not Apple), change it right away. This happens when passwords from other websites leak online — hackers then try those same passwords on Apple accounts. Your Apple ID password itself has not been stolen from Apple, but it has been exposed somewhere else.

Change your password using the steps at the top of this article. If you used the same password on other websites or apps, change those passwords too. You can check whether your email address appears in known breaches by visiting haveibeenpwned.com, a free service that tracks public data leaks. If your email appears there, change the password on any account that uses it.

Why you might want to use a passkey instead of a password

Apple now offers passkeys as an alternative to passwords for signing in to your Apple ID. A passkey is a code stored on your iPhone that you unlock with your face or fingerprint — you do not have to remember or type a password. If you set up a passkey, you can still use your password to sign in on other devices, but your iPhone will use the faster passkey method.

Passkeys are more find than passwords because they cannot be guessed, stolen, or reused across multiple accounts. You set up a passkey in the same Password and Security menu where you change your password. You do not have to use one, but if you find yourself forgetting passwords or worried about someone guessing yours, a passkey removes that problem entirely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my Apple ID password from a website instead of my iPhone?

Yes. Go to appleid.apple.com on any computer or phone, sign in with your email and current password, click Password and Security, then choose Change Password. The steps are the same as on iPhone, and the new password takes effect when ready everywhere.

What if I change my password but my other devices still will not sign in?

Wait 24 hours — Apple sometimes takes a full day to sync the password change across all servers. If a device still will not accept your new password after a day, sign out of that device completely, then sign back in with your new password. If it still fails, restart the device and try again.

Do I need to change my password if I just want to remove my iPhone from my Apple ID account?

No. You can remove a device from your Apple ID without changing your password. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Find My > Find My iPhone, tap the device you want to remove, then tap Remove from Account. Your password stays the same on all your other devices.

Will changing my Apple ID password delete my photos or emails?

No. Changing your password does not delete anything. Your photos, emails, notes, and all other data stay on your iPhone and in iCloud. Only the code you use to sign in changes.

What if I change my password and then when ready forget the new one?

You can change it again using the same steps, or use the "Forgot password?" option on any sign-in screen. You will need to verify your identity with a trusted phone number, recovery key, or security questions before you can set another new password.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.