What passwords protect iPhone?
There are 3 passwords that owners of Apple products are at risk of forgetting:
- Lock screen password. The iPhone owner has to enter it every time he unlocks the device.
- Restrictions password – protects applications from accidental deletion, restricts access to sites containing 18+ content. Through the “Restrictions” section in the “Settings” of your iPhone, you can remove the browser and camera from your desktops - only someone who knows the restrictions password can return these elements.
- Apple ID password. Without an account password, you will not be able to download an application from the AppStore or deactivate the Find iPhone function.
How to turn off Screen Time without noise and dust
It turns out that the password is simply stored in a backup copy of the device in an absolutely accessible form. No protection or encryption - just go in and take it.
A similar situation occurred with the password for the Restrictions
for previous versions of iOS.
Enthusiasts from GitHub
developed a simple terminal utility to retrieve the password from a system backup.
6.
After a minute, the application will display a message that will tell you the set Screen Time password.
In the same way, you can find out the password for Restrictions in iOS 11 and older versions of the system.
For the especially sensitive and impressionable:
The utility is absolutely safe
, it is posted on one of the largest portals where programmers and developers share their best practices and code examples.
The source code of the utility is presented; any knowledgeable user can independently verify that the program does not collect user data and does not send anything to the network
.
While the utility is running, you can completely disconnect from the network or turn it on to monitor network flows.
Unfortunately, this method can be used by children whose parents have set restrictions on the use of certain programs or time limits.
Apple needs to do something about this, but judging by the fact that the password has been stored in an unprotected form for a long time, they are not going to correct the situation.
Apple gadgets are famous for their ability to ensure the security of users’ personal data - on iPhones you can “password-protect” literally everything. However, this sometimes backfires on the users themselves. Having set a lot of passwords, they will forget some of them.
We will talk about how to set and change various passwords on an iPhone, as well as ways to recover forgotten codes.
There are 3 passwords that owners of Apple products are at risk of forgetting:
- Lock screen password
. The iPhone owner has to enter it every time he unlocks the device. - Restrictions password
– protects applications from accidental deletion, restricts access to sites containing 18+ content.
Through the “ Restrictions
” section in “
Settings
” you can remove the browser and camera from your desktops - only those who know the restrictions password can return these elements. - Apple ID password
.
Without an account password, you will not be able to download an application from the AppStore or deactivate the “ Find iPhone
” function.
iPhone lock screen password
The owner of an iPhone enters the lock password many times every day, so cases where this code is forgotten are rare. Any combination of 4 digits can serve as a locking password, but it is better to avoid very primitive ones (like 0000). The user needs to remember that the locking password protects his photos, which may include incriminating evidence.
How to put
Setting a password for the lock screen is done as follows:
Step 1 . Go to the “Settings” of your iPhone, find the “Password” section and go to it.
Step 2 . Click on the “Enable Password” item.
Step 3 . Come up with a 4-digit combination and enter it twice.
After this, the lock password will be set.
Please note the other options present in the Password section. For example, through the “Password Request” menu you can set a time period. The gadget will have to be locked for that long to ask for a password.
This option allows an active gadget user to avoid the need to waste time entering a digital code several times per minute. The optimal time period for requesting a password is 5 minutes .
You can also set a 4-hour period - but is a password needed at all ?
Apple warns that the shorter the time period for asking for a password, the more secure the data on your iPhone is.
Another interesting option is “Erase data”. The slider for activating it is located at the very bottom of the “Password” section.
If the “Erase data” option is activated, then after 10 unsuccessful attempts to enter the password, all information stored on the mobile device is destroyed. Need I say that a user who dares to enable this option should back up data on an ongoing basis?
How to change/disable password on iPhone
You can change the unlock code in the same “Settings” section. Log in and enter your current password. Then click on the “Change Password” item.
Enter the current code again, then enter the new combination twice.
The password will be changed.
The user can set as a password not only a combination of 4 numbers, but also a more complex set of characters - including letters and punctuation marks. To do this, you need to move the “Simple Password” slider to the inactive position.
The iPhone will ask you to enter a valid security code - then give you the opportunity to set a complex password.
The complex password entry screen looks like this:
Removing the password from iPhone is very simple. You just need to click on the “Turn off password” item and enter the current security code once.
How to reset if you forgot
The consequence of resetting the unlock password will be the deletion of all information on the iPhone. Therefore, before starting this procedure, it is worth creating a backup copy of your data.
You can reset your lock password in 2 ways: through iTunes and through the iCloud website. If you decide to use a media combine, you need to proceed like this:
Step 1 . Launch iTunes.
Step 2 . Enter your mobile device into Recovery Mode.
Step 3 . Connect your iPhone to iTunes with a USB cable. Something like this will appear on the screen:
Step 4 . Click the "Restore iPhone..." button and in the window that appears, select the "Restore and update" option.
Next, all you have to do is wait for the software installation/download procedure to complete.
If the speed of your Internet connection leaves much to be desired, you should be prepared to wait a long time - after all, you have given iTunes the task of downloading firmware, which weighs about 1.5 GB.
Upon completion of the procedure, you will receive a gadget that you can configure as new, including protecting it with a new password.
You can reset your lock password through the iCloud website only if Find My iPhone is enabled on your mobile device. The algorithm of actions is as follows:
Step 1 . Go to www.icloud.com.
Step 2 . In the main menu, find the “Find iPhone” icon and click on it.
Step 3. Enter your Apple ID password and click “Sign in.”
Step 4 . In the All Devices menu, select the device you want to reset.
An image of the device will appear on the screen, as well as a list of actions that can be performed with it remotely.
Step 5 . Click on the “Erase iPhone” button.
Then confirm your intention - click on “Erase” in the window that appears.
Step 6 . Enter your Apple ID password again and click on the arrow button.
The procedure will begin to delete all data from the iPhone, including set passwords.
Reset iPhone password by restoring from backup.
If you systematically sync your iPhone with iTunes, you should have backup copies and you can restore one of the copies where the password is still set. This is the best way, all media files and information will remain on the iPhone.
- Connect your iPhone to the computer where you have backups and open iTunes.
- Wait while iTunes syncs your iPhone and creates another backup.
- When synchronization is complete and a new copy is created, click on the “Restore” button.
- When restoring your iPhone, a setup screen should open where you need to select “Recover from an iTunes copy.”
- Now look by date which backup copy suits you and select it. You must remember when you set the password on your iPhone.
Restrictions password on iPhone
Users of Apple technology constantly have problems with restriction passwords. You have to enter the restrictions password much less often than the unlock code, so it’s easy to forget it.
How to put
To set a restriction password on an iPhone, you need to follow these steps:
Step 1 . Go to the “Settings” of the gadget and follow the path “Basic” - “Restrictions”.
Step 2 . In the last subsection, click on “Enable restrictions”.
Step 3 . Create and enter a 4-digit restriction password twice. You cannot set a more complex combination that includes letters (as is the case with an unlock code).
After setting the password, you will see that all the sliders in the “Restrictions” subsection have become active.
By controlling these sliders, you can customize your restrictions. For example, by switching the Safari toggle switch to the inactive position, you will remove the browser icon from the iPhone screen. By deactivating the “Uninstall programs” slider, you will prohibit the corresponding operation.
How to disable/change
Disabling the password restrictions on an iPhone is done in just two steps: you need to click on the “Turn off restrictions” item, then enter the password.
You can change the restrictions password by disabling it and reinstalling it. There are no other ways - however, this one takes less than a minute.
How to find out if you forgot
If you forgot your restrictions password, you don't have to reset your iPhone. You can find out the password using special software. Pinfinder program is suitable , which you can download here. The utility weighs only 1 MB and is downloaded in archive format - so to use it you must have WinRAR on your PC.
You can find out your forgotten restrictions password using Pinfinder by doing the following:
Step 1 . Back up your iPhone data via iTunes. If you have already made a backup that includes the restrictions password before, you can skip this step.
Step 2 . Open the archive and run the executable file Pinfinder.exe .
Step 2 . The following window will appear:
The Backup Time column lists the dates of the most recent backups. Find the current date, then pay attention to the combination of numbers that appears opposite it in the “Restrictions Passcode” column. This combination is the current restrictions password .
Restriction and blocking passwords consist of 4 digits, so quite often users use the same combination. If you have forgotten the restrictions password, you should first try entering the unlock code instead - maybe this will yield results.
How to protect your password and personal data on iPhone, iPad and Mac
When activating an iPhone, each owner is asked to set a lock password. This is a prerequisite for many features to work, from Touch ID and Face ID to paying for purchases with Apple Pay.
Initially, iOS offered to set a four-digit numeric passcode, and starting with iOS 9, it offered a 6-digit passcode. If you wake up at 4 am, you will recite these numbers by heart, they are so important.
The lock password plays a key role in protecting your iPhone: it is stored encrypted in a special security coprocessor called Secure Enclave, which has appeared in all devices since the iPhone 5S. Almost every request for personal data in iOS goes through a coprocessor, and thanks in no small part to it, Apple gadgets are considered highly secure.
iPhone 5S, Apple's first smartphone with Touch ID and Secure Enclave. Photo from our review, 2013.
Secure Enclave is responsible for binding Face ID and Touch ID sensors to the device’s processor, so they stop working if either the motherboard or the sensors themselves are replaced. And for the last two years it has also been working in MacBooks, as it is at the heart of the T2 chip.
There is still no method to directly hack the Secure Enclave system. Attack vectors exploit vulnerabilities of other systems and hardware. The security coprocessor remains undefeated, which Apple is deservedly proud of.
But Secure Enclave is powerless if an attacker or law enforcement officer somehow guesses or finds out the password of the device owner. Including if the password is found through a generator, as happened in the case of the FBI.
The password recovery procedure is automated, called “brute force,” and it almost always uses external generator devices. The cost of these for government services ranges from 5 to 20 thousand dollars.
Apple ID password
The Apple ID password is set when creating an account. We won’t write here how to register an Apple ID - there is an article on our website that tells in detail how to create an account through iTunes and directly from your smartphone. A more pressing issue is the issue of recovering a forgotten Apple ID password.
How to change your password if you remember your credentials
To change your Apple ID password, you need to do this:
Step 1 . Go to the account management page and log in - enter the Apple ID itself and its password.
Step 2 . Answer a couple of security questions - the same way you answered them when registering.
If you do not remember the answers to the security questions you have asked, you can reset these questions and set new ones. To reset, it will be enough to answer just one of 3 questions - any of the user’s choice.
Step 3 . After logging in, you will see a page with your personal data. Find the “Password” item in the “Security” block and click on the “Change password...” link located next to it.
Step 4 . A window will appear - in its fields you will need to enter the current password (once) and the new one (twice).
The Apple ID password requirements are quite strict. The new password must consist of 8 characters (minimum), include numbers, upper and lowercase Latin letters, and must not be similar to any password that has been used with this identifier over the past year.
Step 5 . Having managed to select a combination that meets the requirements, click on “Change password...”.
No more confirmation is needed - the next time you try to download the application, you will have to enter a new Apple ID password.
How to reset your password if you forgot it
You can reset your Apple ID password in 2 ways: via email or by answering security questions. The reset is done as follows:
Step 1 . Go to the Apple ID website.
Step 2 . Enter your Apple ID (the email address to which your account is attached) and the captcha in the appropriate fields. Pay attention to Apple’s customer focus: a user with poor vision can force the service to call - if he clicks on the “For the visually impaired” item.
After entering the captcha, you need to click “Continue”.
Step 3 . On the next page, select the “I want to reset my password” option and click “Continue” again.
Step 4 . At this stage, you have to choose a reset method. If you have access to the email to which your Apple ID is linked, you should choose the “Receive message by email” option - this method takes less time.
Click "Continue" and check your mailbox. There will probably be a letter like this:
Click on the “Reset Password” link contained in the email. On the page where you will be transferred, set a new password.
If you do not have access to your mailbox, you will have to indicate your date of birth and answer a couple of security questions.
For the most forgetful
If a user has forgotten his Apple ID password, forgotten the answers to security questions, and cannot check the mailbox to which the account is linked, he will be forced to contact Apple technical support.
The technical support number for Russian iPhone and iPad users is . The call is free. The client will be served faster if he calls the request code. You can get the code by filling out a short form:
The user needs to be prepared for the fact that Apple employees will ask him to provide a receipt for the purchase of an “Apple” gadget and only after that will provide his credentials.
Why iPhone Password Is a Hot Topic in the Media
Photo of the terrorist who carried out the shooting in December 2020 in San Bernardino, California.
The FBI has been fighting with Apple for many years, demanding that US security services provide a ready-made solution for hacking any modern model of iPhone and iPad.
Apple does not give in, because the emergence of such solutions will sooner or later become the property of not only other states, but also attackers. It's not hard to imagine what will happen next.
The story surrounding the terrorist-shooter’s two password-protected iPhones has been going on for four years, and US President Donald Trump has repeatedly participated in it. The conflict is fueled by the FBI's desire to put as much pressure on the company as publicly as possible for political purposes.
There are no other reasons, because they gained access to at least one of the devices back in 2020. And tonight it became clear how they succeeded.
The method turned out to be as old as time: they simply selected a password randomly through a generator.
Let's leave aside the issue of morality, in which one can find arguments for the positions of both the FBI and Apple. I want to draw your attention to something else - the lock password for your iPhone specifically.
How to change your Apple ID password directly on your iPhone or iPad
1. Open the Settings app and tap on the Apple ID section (at the very top where your first and last name is listed).
2. Go to the Password and Security menu.
3. Click on the menu item Change password and enter the password code.
4. Enter the new password twice in the appropriate fields.
ON THE TOPIC: iPhone as a Ministry of Emergency Situations: Emergency call - SOS, Medical card and 4 more functions that can save your life.
Why do you need an Apple ID?
An account is assigned through registration and activation in the system. Apple ID is used for:
- authentication;
- logging into the AppStore and iTunes, making purchases there;
- ordering goods from Apple online stores;
- working with cloud files;
- communication with Apple technical support, consultations with specialists on certain issues.
Another interesting article for you: How to enter iPhone into DFU mode: methods
The advantage of “accounting” is its versatility for different Apple devices. With a one-time registration, the Apple ID will be the same for all gadgets used: computer, laptop, tablet, smart watch.
Changing a forgotten password
If you have forgotten your old access code, you can only change it by resetting your password. For this:
- Go to the Apple account site.
- Click on the words “Forgot your ID and password” at the bottom of the screen.
- In the field provided, enter the email address used to sign in to Apple services.
- Select one of the options “Send a letter by email” or “Answer system questions.” Follow the instructions on the screen.
When choosing recovery by email, the user will receive an email containing a link to create a new access code. You need to click on it and enter the new password twice and confirm the changes
Possible problems
If the system does not accept the new cipher, check whether it meets the requirements and whether it is the same as the identifier and code used previously. Try again, taking into account all the shortcomings.
If you are unable to reset your password, it is recommended that you contact support to resolve the problem. After completing the request, you will receive an email with detailed instructions for restoring access to your profile.
Periodically changing the access code will improve the security of user data. When changes are made, all information data remains unchanged.
