All hell broke loose when Apple announced the iPhone X with Face ID, which replaced the Touch ID.
It came with a hideous notch, eventually replaced by the Dynamic Island in the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
But no matter which device you use – one with Touch ID or Face ID- unlocking without a passcode is a tedious task.
Since Apple focuses on the user’s privacy, it would be wrong if you forgot your Pin or Passcode.
But if you are just lazy and want to unlock your iPhone’s screen without having to enter a passcode or use Face ID, you can do so easily.
Moreover, if you enter an incorrect passcode ten times, you will get the message, “iPhone is disabled; connect to iTunes.” So, the only way to unlock your disabled iPhone is to restore it. And I think all of us would like to avoid it!
This article lists different ways to unlock iPhone without a Passcode or Face ID.
What are the scenarios where you won’t be able to use a passcode on an iPhone?
There are multiple situations when you might need to unlock an iPhone without a passcode:
- Your phone is disabled.
- You forgot your passcode.
- You reset your passcode and forgot the new one.
- Someone else reset your passcode.
- Your screen is cracked, so the phone won’t accept your passcode.
- Someone else needs your help.
Should you use third-party apps to unlock your iPhone?
You might have come across third-party apps that claim to unlock your iPhone without a passcode, but Apple gives you safer tools to unlock your iPhone.
How to unlock iPhone without a Passcode or Face ID
The situation can be scary if you cannot get into your iPhone. You should try one of the following methods to unlock it. If you use these methods, you’ll have to factory reset your phone, but restoring your data is easy – if you remember your Apple ID and password.
So, it’s always a good idea to back up your data to iCloud regularly.
Method 1: Using Find My App
The best way to unlock an iPhone without a passcode is with the help of Apple’s Find My application. Even though the Find My app has many pros, its cons could be that scammers could target you. Here’s how to unlock an iPhone using Find My.
Step 1: Go to icloud.com on your Mac and sign in.
Step 2: Launch the Find My app.
Step 3: Click on ‘All devices’ on the top bar.
Step 4: Now, select the iPhone you’re going to unlock.
Step 5: Click on ‘Erase iPhone.’
Step 6: You’ll have to enter your Apple ID to confirm.
Method 2: Using Finder
MacBook users running Catalina or later operating systems can unlock their iPhones using Finder without needing iTunes.
Step 1: Launch Finder on your Mac
Step 2: Now plug your iPhone into the computer using a wire.
Step 3: You’ll have to put your iPhone into recovery mode.
Step 4: Press the side button until you see the recovery mode screen.
Step 5: Here, you’ll see a pop-up with options to update or restore; press ‘Restore.’
Step 6: Now, agree to the terms and conditions, and Finder will start downloading the latest iOS firmware. You’ll have to wait for your iPhone to restore.
Method 3: Using a Mac or PC to restore your iPhone
You can unlock your iPhone by getting access to a Mac or Windows PC if you can’t open your iPhone with your passcode and can’t use Face ID.
Keep in mind that this will erase everything on your iPhone. If you’re using a PC, make sure you’ve installed iTunes. You’ll also need to know your Apple ID username and password to get back into your iPhone once it’s restored.
Step 1: Shut down your iPhone. Do not connect the iPhone to the computer just.
Step 2: Put your iPhone into recovery mode. Hold down the correct button while connecting the iPhone to the computer, and do not lift your finger from the button until you see the Recovery Mode screen.
Step 3: Now plug the charging cable into your iPhone’s charging port. (iPhone 8 and later with iPhone SE 2nd and 3rd generations – Press and hold the right side button while connecting the iPhone to the computer.) (iPhone SE (1st generation), iPhone 6s, and earlier – Press and hold the Home button while connecting the iPhone to the computer.)
Step 4: Launch Finder on Mac or iTunes on Windows. The app might open automatically once you connect your iPhone, but if you can open it manually.
Step 5: Tap on your iPhone in Finder or iTunes.
Step 6: Select Restore. Your computer will now download the software it needs to reinstall your iPhone. You will be prompted to set up your iPhone once this process is complete.
Step 7: Now sign back in with your Apple ID, any files synchronized to iCloud will sync back to your iPhone. This will take a lot of time if you have tonnes of files. If prompted, you can restore from a specific date’s backup during the installation process.
You can create a new passcode and re-activate Face ID during the setup process.
Method 4: Voice Control (If you know the Pin!)
You can easily set up a Voice Control command if you know your PIN or can use Touch ID/Face ID. With this feature enabled, you can unlock your iPhone with your voice.
If you’ve never used Voice Control on your iPhone, you’ll need to set it up before you can configure it to unlock your iPhone. Here’s how you can do it:
Step 1: Launch Settings > Scroll till you find Accessibility and click on it.
Step 2: Click on Voice Control and select Set up Voice Control; this will make your iPhone download the necessary files.
Step 3: Once you tap on ‘Continue,’ Voice Control will be set up and ready to use.
Now that this is out of the way, you can unlock your iPhone using your voice with a customized Voice Control command which triggers an automatic gesture. Here’s how you can open your iPhone with a custom voice command:
Remember that unlocking your iPhone using a voice command is impossible if you have Touch ID or Face ID enabled, as it will open your iPhone before you can even speak the voice command. You should disable biometrics after successfully setting up the custom voice command.
Step 1: Launch the Settings app and then tap on Accessibility.
Step 2: Click on Voice Control and enable Voice Control by tapping the toggle button. You should see a blue microphone in the status bar at the top of the screen, which indicates that Voice Control is enabled.
Step 3: Now, select Customize Commands. Here, you will see a list of available pre-defined voice commands.
Step 4: Now tap on ‘Create New Command.’
Step 5: You’ll see the Phrase text box where you’ll need to enter the phrase you will use to unlock your iPhone. Ensure this phrase is not a generic command like “Unlock phone” or “Open my iPhone.” This can pose a security risk. Once you’ve decided on the phrase, click on Action and select ‘Run Custom Gesture.’
Step 6: You’ll see a ‘New Gesture’ screen. Now tap on the exact location of the screen where your passcode digits usually are.
Step 7: Click on the correct areas of the screen in the proper order of your passcode to set up the gesture. For instance, if your passcode is ‘9878,’ you’ll first want to tap in the location where ‘9’ appears while entering your passcode.
Step 8: Repeat the same for the remaining digits of your passcode. You’ll have to do a few tries to set up the custom gesture properly.
FAQs
Can you unlock iPhone without Touch ID/Face ID or passcode?
Not easily. If you can’t remember the passcode, Face ID, or Touch ID, you’ll have to restore it, which is the only way.
How do you reset a locked iPhone?
To reset a locked iPhone without a computer, press and hold the volume buttons and Home button at the same time for iPhones with the home buttons; for iPhone X & Newer: Press and hold the Volume up button, then the Volume Down button, and the side button at the same time.
Is it easy to jailbreak an iPhone?
Jailbreaking on an iPhone is very easy. You need to download the jailbreak app and sideload it onto your device using tools such as AltStore, Cydia Impactor, Xcode, or a signing service. Then, you launch the app and hit the “Jailbreak” button.
Conclusion
This is how you can unlock your iPhone without a Passcode or Face ID.
When unlocking devices not owned by people, even the FBI has struggled to unlock iPhones when investigating criminals and mass shooters.
You never know when you might face an emergency if you do not know how to unlock your iPhone (even iPad) without a passcode.
The methods above will help you get into your iPhone. But if you haven’t gone through this, set passwords that you would easily remember, especially if you have many devices.
