iPhone Asking for Passcode After Factory Reset? Reason & Fix

Why is my iPhone asking passcode after factory reset? I have never set up a passcode on it before. Now, I cannot unlock it or even reply to a message. How can I unlock my iPhone without knowing the passcode? All the given solutions will be greatly appreciated.

Factory resetting your iPhone is often the go-to solution when you're running out of storage space, encountering persistent issues, selling iPhone, or forgot iPhone passcode. While this process is designed to erase all data and return your device to a fresh state, some users are surprised to find that after factory reset iPhone asking for passcode still - even if they never set one up.

If you are now facing this problem, this post may help you. In this post, we will show you the best solutions on how to fix iPhone asking for passcode factory reset.

Part 1. Why Is iPhone Asking for Passcode After Factory Reset

Generally, a factory reset should wipe all your data, including the screen lock passcode. If you set up Screen Time restrictions with passcode, it might ask for Screen Time passcode before you can take a factory reset on iPhone.

However, there are a few situations where your iPhone might still request a passcode afterward. Here's why after factory reset iPhone asking for passcode:

• Software Bugs: Occasionally, remaining glitches in the iOS system may prevent you from accessing your iPhone after reset.
• Previous Passcode Memory: If you performed a reset on the iPhone (e.g., factory reset or erase all content and settings), it may remember the last screen lock passcode and request it during setup.
• Wrong Apple ID: If the device is signed in with an old or unfamiliar Apple ID, especially if it's second-hand, you might be asked to enter a passcode associated with that account.
• Incomplete Factory Reset: Sometimes, certain privacy-related data doesn't get erased properly due to iOS bugs on factory reset. This can trigger the system to ask for a passcode as a safeguard.

Part 2. What Type of Passcode Is Your iPhone Asking For? Quick Diagnosis

If you're wondering, "What is iPhone passcode after reset?" - the truth is, it might still be the passcode you last used before resetting, or others, depending on different situation. So before jumping into a solution, take a moment to identify exactly what kind of passcode screen you're seeing. This will help you choose the right method to resolve it.

Situation 1. iPhone Asking for Screen Passcode After Hello Screen

This is the most common case. After the reset, instead of seeing the usual setup process, your iPhone might display a regular keypad and ask for a 4- or 6-digit passcode.

✅ What to Try: Enter the passcode you used before the reset. If that doesn't work, and you're unsure what it was, you can attempt iPhone default passcode after reset. If you still can't get in, you may need to fully erase your iPhone again.

Situation 2. iPhone Asking for Apple ID and Password

If your iPhone screen shows a message like "This iPhone is linked to an Apple ID" or "iPhone Locked to Owner" and reveals part of an email address, you're dealing with Activation Lock. This is tied to Find My iPhone, and it's especially common in second-hand iPhones.

✅ What to Try: You'll need the original Apple ID and password that were used to activate the device. If you don't have this information, your best option is to use a professional iPhone Unlocker to remove the lock.

Part 3. Use Default Passcode to Fix iPhone Asking Passcode after Reset

Before jumping into complex solutions, it's worth trying the iPhone default passcode after reset, especially if you're seeing a basic 4- or 6-digit lock screen after the reset.

Though Apple hasn't officially stated that there is a default iPhone passcode, it does exist. Try entering the following passcodes when your iPhone asking for passcode after factory reset.

For 4-digit passcode: 0000 or 1234
For 6-digit passcode: 000000 or 123456

If one of these codes works, great! You can then set a new passcode and finish the setup. If not, note that your iPad or iPhone will be disabled or unavailable for a while after multiple wrong passcode attempts.

Part 4. Reset iPhone Again to Fix iPhone Asking Passcode after Reset

If the default passcodes don't work and you're still locked out, performing a complete factory reset again using iTunes or Finder might resolve the problem - especially if the first reset was incomplete because of iOS update or other issues.

Way 1. Reset iPhone Completely via iTunes

Using iTunes (on Windows or macOS Mojave and earlier) or Finder (on macOS Catalina and later), you can restore your iPhone to its factory settings completely.

Step 1. Launch iTunes/Finder on your computer. Then, connect your iPhone to computer. When your iPhone is detected, click on the "Exit icon" next to the little device icon.
Step 2. Put your device into DFU Mode:

• For iPhone 8 or later: Press and release Volume Up and Volume Down quickly. Press and hold the Side button for about 10 seconds, and then keeps holding and presses the Volume Down for around 5 seconds. Release the Side button and keeps holding the Volume Down until your iTunes/Finder detects it.
• For iPhone 7/7 Plus: Press and hold the Volume Down and Side buttons at the same time for 8 seconds. Release the Side button but keep holding the Volume Down for 5-10 seconds until your computer recognizes the device.
• For iPhone 6s and earlier: Press and hold both the Home + Side (or Top) buttons for 8 seconds. Release the Side/Top button, but keep holding the Home button for another 5–10 seconds untile your computer detects it.

Step 3. Hit on the Restore iPhone option to fix the iPhone asking for passcode after factory reset problem.

Way 2. Remove Passcode Request after Reset via iPhone Unlocker

If iTunes doesn't work to reset iPhone entirely, using a third-party tool can be the best solution. TunesKit iPhone Unlocker is the top-rank iOS unlocking tool that supports unlocking iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch without passcode.

Whether your iPhone is disabled, the passcode is forgotten, or iPhone keeps asking for Apple ID password, TunesKit iPhone Unlocker can easily unlock your iOS device with ease, including the iPhone asking for passcode after factory reset problem.

Now, let's see how to fix iPhone asking for passcode after reset by using TunesKit iPhone Unlocker.

Step 1Connect iPhone to Computer

To begin with, please connect your iPhone to a computer and launch TunesKit iPhone Unlocker. Then, select the Unlock iOS Screen option and hit on the Start button.

Step 2Put iPhone into DFU Mode

Here, please follow the on-screen instruction to put your iPhone into DFU mode. When your iPhone is in DFU mode successfully, click on the Next button. If you have a downloaded firmware package on your computer, you can click on the Select option to choose the firmware package from your local file.

Step 3Download Firmware Package

Ensure that all the given device information is corresponding to your iOS device. If there is nothing wrong, please click on the Download button to download the firmware package.

Step 4Remove iPhone Screen Lock

In this step, TunesKit iPhone Unlocker will start to remove the screen lock from your iPhone. Please wait patiently. After fixing this iPhone asking for passcode after factory reset problem, you will need to set up your iPhone again. And your iPhone will not ask your to enter the passcode to unlock it. If you don't want to lose data from your iPhone, you can make a backup first.

Way 3. Erase All iPhone Data via iCloud Find My Feature

If you have enabled the Find My iPhone feature on your device, you can also fix this problem remotely without using a computer. Note that, you should know the Apple ID and the passcode.

The following steps will show you how to fix the iPhone asking for passcode after factory reset by using the Find My iPhone feature.

Step 1. Navigate to the iCloud.com website and log into your Apple ID account.
Step 2. Click on the Find My iPhone option, and then select the All Devices option.
Step 3. Select your iPhone and click on the Erase iPhone option to remove the screen lock passcode.

Once the erasing process is complete, your iPhone will restart and take you to the setup screen. You'll still need to sign in with your Apple ID to bypass Activation Lock, but the screen passcode will be removed.

Part 5. How to Prevent iPhone Asking for Passcode After Factory Reset

To avoid running into the iPhone asking for passcode after factory reset issue in the future, especially if you're selling or giving away the device, follow these steps carefully before resetting your iPhone:

Step 1. Back up your iPhone to iTunes or iCloud on your computer.
Step 2. Go to Settings > [Your Profile] > Find My.
Step 3. Toggle off Find My iPhone/iPad.
Step 4. Go back, scroll down and tap Sign Out. You will need to enter your Apple ID password to do this. You'd better not keep any copy of your data on this iPhone.
Step 5. Now, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.

By signing out of iCloud first, you disconnect your iPhone from your Apple account. This ensures a clean and secure factory reset, preventing the next user, or even yourself, from being asked for an unknown passcode or Apple ID during setup.

Besides, ensure you don't interrupt the factory reset progress on iPhone to avoid any glitches and bugs.

Part 6. FAQs about iPhone asking for passcode after factory reset

Part 7. Summary

In this post, we have shown you some best solutions on how to fix the iPhone asking for passcode after factory reset problem. Hope that you can fix this problem easily after reading this post. If you have other questions about iOS unlocking, you can download and use TunesKit iPhone Unlocker to unlock your iOS device. Please feel free to leave us a comment below if you have other iOS unlocking problems.