iCloud Password Recovery Issues (checking on status, length of time to resolve)?

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Level 1

4 points

iCloud Password Recovery Issues (checking on status, length of time to resolve)?

These questions are on behalf of my mom, who is trying to recover her iCloud password. She has TWO devices (iPhone and iPad) currently logged into, backing up to, and using iCloud her iCloud account.

She has the phone number associated with the account, and the email account associated with the account, and access to both!

We are trying to get upgrade her iPhone to a new one, and in the process of trying to manage her iCloud account, it wants her to enter her iCloud password, which she doesn’t remember and didn’t save on either device.

She started the whole recovery process, and has heard NOTHING. One day turns to two, then three. Are we waiting for an automated call? An email?…like, what is the hold up? Why is this such a convoluted, laborious process?

Who exactly is ‘reviewing our information’ and what are they ‘reviewing’—what information are they actually referring to?—what ‘decision’ has to made exactly?? We are so confused about why this isn’t more of straight forward process. Especially when she has been able to easily provide them what they requested. She entered the correct code TWICE, once sent to her phone and then her email account. So why isn’t that enough?

Why wasn’t she even given the opportunity to potentially provide more info if needed? (Address, credit card info, whatever, etc.). …It’s like we drifted off into the abyss or into a ditch of uncertainty. Meanwhile, she can’t move forward with her new phone, and what we’re actually waiting for is unclear.

In addition, then there is the Iforgot.apple.com recovery page, which is SUPER confusing —not so much to start the process, but despite what it written and what you’re told, the ability to check the status is non-existent. You can’t check anything. And I’m reading these community posts about people waiting for multiple weeks, and I’m starting to panic! That is the main reason, directly responsible for me writing this question in the first place.

Why can we not see what’s up, get answers, or do anything to move this process along faster??

They inform you that support staff supposedly can’t speed this up, but I don’t know—is that true, or not?? How can she find out what the next step is?

Any help or info would be greatly appreciated. Thank in advance!

;)

Posted on Oct 1, 2025 8:58 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

shoeluvr13

Level 6

18,529 points

Oct 1, 2025 11:05 PM in response to LA7Mary3

Account recovery is a completely automated process, and there are multiple factors that can determine if it takes a couple days or several weeks. Once she started account recovery make sure you are carefully following “After you start account recovery“ at How to use account recovery when you can’t reset your Apple Account password - Apple Support

“If you started your account recovery in Settings, System Settings, or the Apple Support app, you can continue to use that specific device during the account recovery period.
Regardless of how you started the account recovery request, you should turn off all other devices that are currently signed in with your Apple Account until account recovery is complete. If your Apple Account is in use during your request, your account recovery will be cancelled automatically.
If you started your account recovery request with iforgot.apple.com through your device’s browser, you should avoid using that device during this period. If possible, turn that device off. Using that device might cancel account recovery. "

Account recovery is a two phase process once started. Phase 1 is the evaluation period, usually 24-72 hours. This phase says Apple is evaluating your info and you’ll get emailed an update after the posted time is over (people mistakenly think it means they’ll be able to reset the password immediately after this first phase.)

Once phase 1 is done it enters phase 2 where https://iforgot.apple.com/ will give you the final amount of days (can be weeks) you’ll wait. On that final day you’ll get a text/call, follow that text/call immediately. If you don’t receive the text or call, once the period specified in the original email is over, you can still go directly to apple.com/recover. Follow the instructions to regain access to your Apple Account.

After she has reset her password and is signed in again set up a recovery contact. Set up an account recovery contact - Apple Support

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Answer 2

shoeluvr13

Level 6

18,529 points

Oct 2, 2025 6:19 PM in response to LA7Mary3

I’d like to find out more about the ‘not using your device while recovering’

I’d help her decide which device she could go without using for a while and turn that one off. Then use the other one to start account recovery using Settings or the Apple Support app.

I honestly don’t know if they tell you it’s been canceled. However if when checking the status of phase 2 iForgot.apple.com has you start the steps over you know it’s been canceled.

No, Apple support and the Apple Store cannot do anything. Users have been in full control of their Apple ID on your end only for at least 7 years now. This is for account security.

Keep at it. It can suck, but once she’s back into her account don’t forget to set up the recovery contact.

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Answer 3

LA7Mary3 Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 2, 2025 4:20 PM in response to shoeluvr13

Ok, wow, thanks for your detailed response.

I’d like to find out more about the ‘not using your device while recovering’ —because like I said, two devices are currently signed into iCloud, and there’s no way in **** she’s going to turn off, or not use, either of those. That seems kind of insane, especially when this process is going to be ongoing, for who knows how long. So that is not going to work.

So that brings me to the cancelling of the process you mentioned. If for some reason, say the recovery process got interrupted or canceled for whatever reason, would they tell you that?? Like I am hoping they’d at least let you know that the process has been stopped, if that’s the case, right?

The part that I can’t seem to get past, is the fact that her devices are signed into the very service she needs the password for. Doesn’t that count for something?? Isn’t there some way, if she contacted Apple or went into an Apple Store and showed them the device in person?? …And why aren’t the codes sufficient to get in? I’m am racking my brain trying to figure out a way to resolve this. Do you think I should even try Apple support?

This is slowly becoming a bit of a headache, although I realize that this was her responsibility to store her password safely, and she failed to do so, but this is just something I never anticipated being such a hassle.

Thanks again, I appreciate your help.

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