KEY TAKEAWAYS
- You can reset an iPhone 16 to factory settings using Recovery Mode and a Mac or Windows PC running iTunes. However, you’ll still need the owner’s Apple Account password to remove Activation Lock before you can use the iPhone.
- When you try to reset the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro Max to factory settings, you’ll be asked in most cases for an Apple Account password before the iPhone erases. If you don’t know the password you can try recovering it. Here’s how.
Why Your iPhone 16 Is Asking for a Password
Whenever you try to erase your iPhone 16 using Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings, you’ll be prompted for your Apple Account password to disable Find My (and by extension, Activation Lock).
Activation Lock is a safeguard put in place to prevent a stolen iPhone from being reactivated without the previous owner’s express consent. Entering your Apple Account password as part of the reset process removes the device from your account, disables the Find My service which allows you to track missing devices, and makes it possible for a new owner to activate the iPhone.
You’ll need to remove Activation Lock from the iPhone 16 before it can be used. You can do this with the password, by asking the previous owner to remove the device from their account, or by proving to Apple that you own the iPhone and submitting an Activation Lock support request.
Forgot Your Apple Account Password? Reset It Before Erasing
Assuming the iPhone 16 is yours and locked to your own account, solving a password issue should be straightforward. If you don’t know your Apple Account password you can recover it using iforgot.apple.com.
Set a password that you know, or record the password securely using a password manager. Your Apple devices may prompt you for your new password after you’ve reset it. You can enter your new password the next time you attempt to reset your iPhone to deactivate Find My (and Activation Lock).
Erase Your iPhone 16 Without a Password on Mac or Windows
You can also reset your iPhone 16 to factory settings without a password using a Mac or Windows PC, but this won’t remove Activation Lock. This requires the use of Recovery Mode, a safeguard put in place that allows you to update or restore the iPhone firmware in case something goes wrong.
Even once you’ve erased your iPhone using recovery mode, you won’t be able to use it unless you enter the password associated with the Apple Account to which the iPhone was locked. When you reboot the device you’ll be invited to activate it by entering the password.
If you understand this and still want to proceed, learn how to put your iPhone 16 into recovery mode and how to restore or update the software.
Activation Lock Enabled? Contact the Previous Owner
If you’ve bought or been given an iPhone 16 that has Activation Lock enabled and you’re unable to use it without the password, you’ll need to contact the previous owner and ask them to remove the device from their account.
To do this, ask them to log in with their Apple Account credentials at iCloud.com/find and then select the iPhone in question under the “All Devices” drop-down followed by the “Remove from Account” option.