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What to do if…
you forget your device passcode after a restart and cannot access your data

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Stop guessing and do not erase or reset the device yet. Identify exactly which credential the screen is requesting, check your account and backup access from another trusted device, then use only the device maker’s official recovery process.

Do not do these things

  • Do not enter random passcodes once a retry delay, lockout or erasure warning appears.
  • Do not factory-reset or erase the device before checking whether important data is backed up.
  • Do not assume that a SIM PIN, account password, Windows PIN and encryption recovery key are interchangeable.
  • Do not use unofficial bypass software, unlock websites or paid passcode-removal services.
  • Do not give anyone your passcode, account password, verification code or recovery key.
  • Do not take a work or school device to an outside repairer before contacting the organisation’s IT support.

What to do now

  1. Connect the device to power and read the lock-screen message carefully. Write down the exact wording, the type of credential requested and any retry delay, but do not write down a passcode or recovery key.

  2. Check whether the screen is asking for a device passcode, screen-lock PIN, SIM PIN, account password or encryption recovery key. On Windows, a Windows Hello PIN is different from a Microsoft account password.

  3. If there is no delay or erasure warning and you clearly remember one specific passcode, enter it carefully once. Check the keyboard layout, number entry and capital letters where relevant, then stop if it is rejected.

  4. If you changed an iPhone or iPad passcode recently, look for Forgot Passcode? on the lock screen. On supported software, an Enter Previous Passcode option may allow the previous passcode to be used within 72 hours of the change.

  5. From another trusted device, confirm that you can sign in to the Apple, Google or Microsoft account linked to the locked device. Check whether important photos, files, contacts or other data are already visible in the relevant cloud service or a recent backup. Do not select an erase option yet.

  6. For an iPhone or iPad, needing the passcode after a restart can be normal even when Face ID or Touch ID is usually used. If the passcode is genuinely forgotten and no recent-passcode option is available, Apple’s official recovery process requires the device to be reset and erases data currently stored on it.

  7. For an Android phone or tablet, follow Google’s guidance and the manufacturer’s instructions for the exact model. If the screen lock cannot be recovered, the official process generally requires erasing the device; backed-up data may be available after setup, so confirm your Google Account access first.

  8. For a Windows device, select Sign-in options. Use I forgot my PIN if it appears, or choose the password option if you know the account password. If the screen requests a BitLocker recovery key, note the first eight digits of the recovery-key ID and use them to identify the matching key in the relevant Microsoft, work or school account.

  9. If the device belongs to an employer, school or other organisation, contact its IT support before resetting it. The organisation may hold recovery information or require a particular recovery process.

  10. If important data is not backed up, pause before authorising any reset or erase. Ask the manufacturer’s official support service to confirm whether the proposed recovery step will remove data stored only on the device.

What can wait

You do not need to decide now whether to replace the device, reinstall applications, change unrelated passwords, pay for data recovery or reorganise your backups. First identify the requested credential, confirm account access and establish whether a usable backup exists.

Important reassurance

A request for the main passcode or PIN after a restart can be a normal security measure and does not by itself mean that the device has been hacked or its data deleted. Your data may still be on the device or in a backup, but resetting the device can remove data that exists only on the locked device.

Scope note

This guide covers immediate steps for identifying the lock, checking available recovery routes and avoiding preventable data loss. Later decisions may require help from the manufacturer or the organisation managing the device.

Important note

This is general information, not professional technical or data-recovery advice. Recovery options vary by device, operating-system version, account setup, encryption settings and management policy, and retaining data that has not been backed up cannot be guaranteed.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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