Is your iPhone saying Security Lockout? Looking at your iPhone and seeing Security Lockout can be gut wrenching. Many might not know what happened or how it became locked or what to do next.
Luckily, there are a few ways to get your iPhone out of the Security Lockout and prevent it from happening again. Even if you don’t fully understand what happened, this guide will show you how it became locked and what to do next.
What Does Security Lockout Mean on iPhone?
Security Lockout means you’ve entered wrong password on your iPhone too many times in a row, and your iPhone is locked to protect your data. This is a great safety feature to prevent unauthorized access to your iPhone by ensuring someone doesn’t randomly guess your password through multiple sign in attempts.
How long does security lockout last on iPhone?
When you encounter the Security Lockout error, how long it lasts depends on the number of incorrect password attempts you’ve made consecutively. If you enter the wrong passcode on your iPhone six times, you’ll be locked out for a minute. If you make a mistake for the seventh time, you’ll be locked out for five minutes, and for the eighth time, you’ll be locked out for fifteen minutes.
If you make a ninth incorrect attempt, you’ll see the prompt "Security Lockout: Try again in 15 minutes". After the tenth and eleventh failed attempts, Security Lockout will last 1 hour. After the twelfth incorrect passcode entry, the iPhone displays only Security Lockout and no longer has a timer, which means the iPhone will remain in Security Lockout forever until you take steps to unlock it.
Can you recover an iPhone after a security lockout?
you have a wealth of options at your disposal that can help you recover an iPhone after Security Lockout. To recover your iPhone after security lockout, you can restore your device using your Apple ID and password. We’ll show you the best methods to resolve iPhone Security Lockout error below.
How to bypass security lockout on iPhone
Fixing the Security Lockout on your phone is easier than expected. There are four simple methods you can use to get back into your iPhone. Here’s how to bypass "Security Lockout" and regain access to your iPhone.
How to Fix iPhone Security Lockout With the Erase Option (iOS 15.2 or Later)
If the timer on the "Security Lockout" screen isn’t counting down, use the Erase iPhone option to reset your iPhone directly from the screen. This is the best method to fix Security Lockout on iPhone without computer.
Before you begin, you’ll need to ensure:
- Your iPhone is running iOS 15.2 or later.
- Your iPhone is connected to a cellular or Wi-Fi network.
- You know the Apple ID and password associated with your iPhone.
Once the above conditions are met, follow the steps below to remove Security Lockout on your iPhone:
Step 1: From the Security Lockout screen, select Erase iPhone (iOS 15/16) or Forgot Passcode? (iOS 17 or newer). Depending on your iPhone and Apple ID settings, this button may not appear. In this case, proceed to the sections for fixing iPhone Security Lockout via iCloud or using a Mac or Windows PC.
Step 2: Select Erase iPhone or Forgot Passcode? again to confirm.
Step 3: Enter your Apple ID password on the next screen.
Step 4: Select Erase iPhone to confirm.
Your iPhone will be wiped and the Security Lockout error will also be removed. You’ll need to go through the same initial setup process as when it was new, although you can choose to restore your most recent iCloud backup when prompted to return your iPhone to the state it was in as of your last backup. If you’re using an eSIM, you may need to contact your carrier to get this set up again unless the carrier supports automatic eSIM Carrier Activation.
How to get iPhone out of Security Lockout using iCloud web page
If the "Erase iPhone" is unavailable, then you can get your iPhone out of "Security Lockout" using iCloud. Here’s how:
Step 1: On your favorite browser, head to icloud.com/find and log in to your account.
Quick note: If you can’t log into iCloud because you don’t have a trusted device or working phone anymore, you’ll need to contact Apple for help recovering your account .
Step 2: Click Find My.
Step 3: You’ll be given a map of all your devices. Select your iPhone.
Step 4: In the pop-up menu that appears, click Erase iPhone, and then click Next.
You’ll need to enter your Apple ID password to continue, but you won’t need the iPhone’s passcode.
Step 5: Click Next, and then click Erase
After your iPhone is erased, the Security lockout error will be gone and you can follow the directions to restore the device with a recent backup.
How to fix iPhone Security Lockout using iTunes or Finder
One of the easiest ways to remove your iPhone Security Lockout is with Finder on a Mac (or iTunes on a Windows PC). If you use your iPhone with a computer frequently, you might have a backup on file and can quickly restore your device and get it running correctly again.
Here’s how to use a computer to bypass iPhone security lockout screen:
Step 1: Launch iTunes (Mac/PC) or open the Finder (Mac), but don’t connect your device just yet.
Depending on your iPhone model, you’ll need to either press and hold the Side button or the Side button and either Volume button until you see the Power off slider. Then relaunch your iPhone in Recovery Mode.
Step 2: For the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone SE (2020/2022), or iPhone X and later, or later: Press and hold the Side button and one of the Volume buttons until you see the Power off slider, then turn off your device. Connect your device to your computer while holding the Side button, and keep holding until you see your phone’s Recovery Mode screen.
Step 3: For the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus: Press and hold the Side button until you see the Power off slider, then turn off your device. Connect the phone to your computer while holding the Volume down button, and keep holding until you see the phone’s Recovery Mode screen.
Step 4: For the iPhone 6S or earlier and iPhone SE (2016): Press and hold the Side button or Top button until you see the Power off slider, then turn off your device. Connect your device to the computer while holding down the Home button and keep holding until you see the phone’s Recovery Screen mode.
Step 5: Launch the latest version of Finder or iTunes, as appropriate. It should automatically detect your iPhone, allowing you to select your iPhone name from the side menu.
Step 6: When the option to Restore or Update appears, choose Restore.
Step 7: Proceed with a new setup, enter a new passcode, and you’re good to go. This will erase all data on your iPhone.
Once the process completes, your iPhone will be returned to its out-of-the-box factory settings, and you can proceed to set it up and restore a backup from iCloud or your computer when prompted.
How to Bypass Security Lockout using Find My app
If you don’t have access to a computer, you can bypass Security Lockout error using the Find My app on another iPhone or iPad. Here’s how:
Step 1: Open the Find My app on another iPhone or iPad.
Step 2: Make sure you are logged into the Find My app with the same credentials associated with your locked iPhone.
Step 3: Tap Devices at the bottom of the screen, then select your iPhone.
Step 4: Tap Erase This Device, then tap Continue.
Step 5: Tap Erase.
Step 6: Enter your Apple ID password, then tap Erase again.
After your iPhone is erased, the Security Lockout error will be removed, and you can follow the directions to restore the iPhone with a recent backup.
Can you bypass security lockout on iPhone without erasing data?
No, you cannot bypass security lockout on iPhone without erasing data. The only way to bypass it is to erase everything on your iPhone and return it to factory settings. The good news is that if you have a recent backup — either in iCloud or on your Mac or PC — you can be up and running again in a couple of hours.
Tips for avoiding Security Lockout on iPhone
The easiest way to avoid a Security Lockout on your iPhone is to prevent it from happening in the first place. There are a number of strategies you can use to prevent accidental lockouts.
Tip #1: Set a numeric passcode that is easy to remember and that no one else knows or is likely to guess. No mistakes mean no error messages.
Tip #2: Use Touch ID (for iPhones with home buttons, from 5S through iPhone SE 2022) or Face ID (for iPhone X and later and iPad Pro models).
Even with these unlock options, your device still has a passcode — you just don’t need to worry about entering it as often. Instead, just look at your phone screen or tap and hold your finger and your device unlocks.
Keep in mind that biometric security options are about convenience, not security. Anybody can still unlock your iPhone with a standard passcode, and your iPhone will prompt you to enter your passcode once in a while for extra security and to ensure that you don’t forget it. However, since you won’t need to enter it nearly as often, you can choose a more complex passcode or even an alphanumeric password — just be sure it’s something you remember, as you’ll still need to enter it sometimes, and your Face ID and Touch ID won’t help if you’ve forgotten it.
Tip #3: While it’s pretty uncommon for other things touching your screen to result in lockouts, you can avoid this entirely by disabling the "Tap to Wake" and "Raise to Wake" settings that automatically turn on your screen. Here’s how to find these settings:
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Touch and switch off Tap or Swipe to wake.
- Go to Settings > Display & brightness and switch off Raise to wake.
Easily bypass Security Lockout on iPhone
Having a Security Lockout on your iPhone can be annoying at first, but thankfully there are many ways to bypass it and regain access to your device. While some data might be lost if you don’t have a recent backup, you will gain access to your iPhone again, having learned a lesson to make sure this won’t happen in the future. After all, a wiped device is better than no device.
See also: How To Fix iPhone Unavailable With No Timer error: 4 Methods
