How To Reset Iphone 4s If Phone Is Locked

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I have a user who left the company rather quickly. Once I got his equipment, I realized his Iphone was locked, and I do not know the PW.

I do not need the data from it. Is there a way to force a factory reset?? Itunes won't let me connect to it unless it is unlocked. I am trying to avoid going to the apple store to get help, as it is not even remotely close to the office.

I know if you enter the wrong PW 10+ times on a Blackberry, it wipes it. Does the iPhone have anything like that as well??

Worse case I will just call the guy and them him his last paycheck will be held until he tells me the PW (harmless little white lie)

John5195

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Oct 18, 2012 at 15:36 UTC

You can also put it in to recovery mode, which if you push the lock button and the home button simultaneously until the iTunes logo appears, you can then plug into itunes and restore the phone to factory defaults.

18 Replies

It's not set by default, but yes, putting in the password wrong 10 times will wipe it. Or you can plug it in to a new itunes, and tell it to sync which will wipe the phone.

John5195

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Oct 18, 2012 at 15:36 UTC

ranhalt

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Oct 18, 2012 at 17:51 UTC

Jeremy7043 wrote:

It's not set by default, but yes, putting in the password wrong 10 times will wipe it.

Only if that setting is enabled.

John5195 wrote:

You can also put it in to recovery mode, which if you push the lock button and the home button simultaneously until the iTunes logo appears, you can then plug into itunes and restore the phone to factory defaults.

This is correct, but all you need to do is hold the home button to turn it on into recovery mode. I've been doing this more recently and I take a powered off phone, hold the home button, and it boots up in DFU mode. I connect it to a PC with iTunes, and iTunes gives me a chance to download a new ROM to flash the phone with. Done.

I can't get it to reboot in recovery mode, or anything else. I am trying the 10 times... but it takes an hour after each wrong try now

JediTechSupport wrote:

I can't get it to reboot in recovery mode, or anything else. I am trying the 10 times... but it takes an hour after each wrong try now

Then it sounds like that setting wasn't flipped on. Try plugging it in to iTunes, it should ask if you want to sync, which, since iTunes is empty, will ask if you want to wipe the phone.

Jeremy7043 wrote:

JediTechSupport wrote:

I can't get it to reboot in recovery mode, or anything else. I am trying the 10 times... but it takes an hour after each wrong try now

Then it sounds like that setting wasn't flipped on. Try plugging it in to iTunes, it should ask if you want to sync, which, since iTunes is empty, will ask if you want to wipe the phone.

WIth the phone plugged in and iTunes open hold down the sleep/wake and home button. Hold them down. Keep holding them. Keep holding. The screen will display an iTunes logo and a picture of a sync cable. iTunes will show a box that says "this phone is in recovery mode blah blah blah and from there you can restore.

Thanks guys... I didn't know I had to Hold down the home & sleep even after the reboot... OOPS... thanks guys.

I have kind of the same problem.. When I try to plug it into itunes, it still needs the passcode that I do not know..

HELLLPPPPP MEEEE

Thank God for JimP81!!!! Nothing I've read informed me of holding the home and lock button past the apple symbol so I thought that was all that needed to be done! Thank you for clarifying this!

This works great and is super easy!

iOS: Forgotten passcode or device disabled after entering wrong passcode
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1212?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

How do I back up my iPhone 5 ios7 when it's disabled and says connect to iTunes

John5195

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Feb 10, 2014 at 17:52 UTC

you cant. its disabled. restore the phone and hope you had icloud on or have at least a somewhat current backup.

i have the same problem it asks for the email that its linked to and I cant use the phone unless I have the pass or email for it :l

Hi! I have iphone 4s. the mobile phone asks me Apple ID and Password. I have tried to restoring it with itunes many times that, but the phone still asks me apple ID and password. please help me. what should I do?

ivanidea

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Nov 14, 2014 at 14:50 UTC

dilshodsaidov wrote:

Hi! I have iphone 4s. the mobile phone asks me Apple ID and Password. I have tried to restoring it with itunes many times that, but the phone still asks me apple ID and password. please help me. what should I do?

Take it back to the previous owner and get them to remove their iCloud account from the phone.

There is no way to bypass the security feature.

If the previous owner is unwilling to help, then it looks like you have purchased a stolen phone.

Thank you for your attention!

Hi i forgot my passcode in my iphone6 then iconnect to itunes for restore after 30mins my off and now my phone still disable and chance language i dont know what i do ? Help me pls

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