You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Can I use iCloud to reset password on my iPad if I get locked out?

Can I reset the password on my iPad if I forgot it with iCloud and how ?

iPad, iOS 13

Posted on Dec 19, 2019 10:24 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Dec 19, 2019 11:24 AM

No. Screen lock passcode on iPhones and iPads have nothing to do with iCloud. They are stored, encrypted, locally on the device itself and nowhere else. And there is no remote reset mechanism for them - they can only be reset by erasing the device. That is a deliberate design feature of iOS and iPadOS - that without knowing the screen lock passcode, there is no way for anybody to recover, reset or replace it without erasing the device. That way nobody can access anyone’s device data without the passcode - there is no “back door” into the system, nor even the potential for such a thing since it is a local-device only passcode.


It’s also a strong argument to make regular iCloud and/or iTunes backups (iCloud will backup automatically every 24 hours if you enable it, and leave your device plugged in overnight).

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 19, 2019 11:24 AM in response to Techguru2020

No. Screen lock passcode on iPhones and iPads have nothing to do with iCloud. They are stored, encrypted, locally on the device itself and nowhere else. And there is no remote reset mechanism for them - they can only be reset by erasing the device. That is a deliberate design feature of iOS and iPadOS - that without knowing the screen lock passcode, there is no way for anybody to recover, reset or replace it without erasing the device. That way nobody can access anyone’s device data without the passcode - there is no “back door” into the system, nor even the potential for such a thing since it is a local-device only passcode.


It’s also a strong argument to make regular iCloud and/or iTunes backups (iCloud will backup automatically every 24 hours if you enable it, and leave your device plugged in overnight).

Can I use iCloud to reset password on my iPad if I get locked out?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.