How to Fix iPhone Passcode Required After iOS Update

Is there a message on your iPhone asking that your passcode is required after a recent iOS update?

This can be very frustrating especially if you can’t remember your device passcode.

But what if you didn’t have a chance to set up your device passcode at all? You are probably regretting that you did an iOS update on your iPhone to begin with.

Though it is not clear what could have caused this problem, there are workarounds that you can try. This is if you needed to use your iPhone right away which is crucial in this time of crisis. But, of course, you need to resolve this issue permanently.

That is what we are going to talk about in our article today. Since everyone has different scenarios, we include all the possible fixes that might be applicable to your iPhone. Hopefully, by the end of this post, you will have learned how to go about fixing your iPhone passcode required issue.

Let’s get right to it!

 

1. Try Using a Common Passcode.

You might not remember setting up your device’s passcode before.

There are speculations that your iPhone uses a default passcode if you do not choose your own passcode yourself. However, this is not true for Apple as they’ve not released any official documentation to support this. The iPhone passcode is set up and generated by the user solely.

Now, there is a chance that you might have used a common number combination to be your passcode. But before that, you need to check if you’re using a 4-digit or 6-digit number combination passcode.

If you are using iOS 9 or later, it defaults to a 6-digit passcode. This is also true if you have enabled 2-factor authentication.

Here’s the common number combination of a 4-digit and 6-digit passcodes:

  • 1234 / 123456
  • 0000 / 000000
  • 1111 / 111111
  • 2222 / 222222
  • 2580
  • 0852
  • birthdate combination mm/dd or mm/dd/yy

You will notice that many are using the same numbers repeatedly. The list could go on from 0000 / 000000 till 9999 / 999999 combination.

But do not try all these passcodes continuously because you may be locked out of your devices. Choose only the ones that you most likely have set up. We’ve found that a few of the users who were locked out, managed to get in by testing the common passcode method.

 

 

2. Repeatedly Restart your iPhone.

Restarting your iPhone will help restore the settings to normal when your device is overloaded. If you have set up your device to not use a passcode, it should be removed after the restart process.

Here’s how you can restart your iPhone:

  1. Press and hold your iPhone’s Power button until the Slide to Power Off option pop-up.
  2. After that, hold the Power Slider on the screen and drag it to the right. Your iPhone’s screen will turn black and then will completely power off.

 

 

  1. Wait for at least 1 minute, and then press your iPhone’s Power button until the screen turns back on.

Once you’ve restarted your iPhone, try once again to sign in to your iPhone and see if you’re prompted to re-enter your passcode.

 

 

3. Restore iPhone Using a Computer.

If you have forgotten your passcode, you will need to remove it from your device. The only way to do it is to restore your iPhone. In fact, this is the solution that we’ve found to be effective to fix the iPhone passcode required issue.

One way you can do it is by using your computer. But before proceeding, make sure that you backup your iPhone for data safekeeping.

Here’s how you can do it:

  1. First, make sure to disconnect your iPhone from your computer.
  2. Also, update to the latest version of iTunes, or if you are using the Finder app, update to the latest version of macOS.

 

How to Fix iPhone Passcode Required After iOS Update

 

  1. Then, go to your iPhone Settings, then tap on General, and then Shutdown. Drag the Slide to Power Off button to the right.
  2. Next, depending on your iPhone version, put your device in recovery mode.
    • For iPhone 8, iPhone SE (2nd Gen), iPhone X or later, connect it to your computer using the USB cable while holding the Side button. Continue pressing it until you see the recovery-mode screen.
    • For iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, connect it to your computer using the USB cable while holding the Volume button. Continue pressing it until you see the recovery-mode screen.
    • For iPhone SE (1st Gen), iPhone 6S or earlier, connect it to your computer using the USB cable while holding the Home button. Continue pressing it until you see the recovery-mode screen.

 

How to Fix iPhone Passcode Required After iOS Update

 

  1. Now, go back to your computer and your iPhone should be detected by your Finder or iTunes app.
  2. After that, a message will prompt you to update or restore your iPhone. Click on the Restore option.

 

How to Fix iPhone Passcode Required After iOS Update

 

  1. Then, click on the Restore and Update option to confirm the process.
  2. If the process is not done before 15 minutes, just let the download finish and repeat Step 4.
  3. After the restore process, a Hello screen message will appear after startup.
  4. Finally, follow the on-screen instructions to set up your iPhone including the passcode.

Make sure to remember the passcode that you created. If possible, write it down somewhere hidden but you can access it in case you forget.

After that, you can restore your iPhone from backup to retrieve your important data and fix the iPhone passcode required after the iOS update issue.

 

How to Fix iPhone Passcode Required After iOS Update

 

 

4. Restore iPhone using iCloud.

Another way to restore your iPhone to factory default settings to remove your passcode is through iCloud. You can use this method especially if you don’t have a computer.

But, of course, you can also perform this using another iPhone, iPad, or computer that is connected to the internet.

Here’s how you can do it:

  1. Go ahead and log-in to the iCloud Find My iPhone webpage using your Apple ID.
  2. Then, click on the Find iPhone option and select the iPhone you want to erase and remove the passcode.
  3. Next, click the Erase option to delete the device content.

 

 

  1. After that, a Hello screen will appear on your iPhone you want to restore.
  2. Finally, follow the on-screen instructions to set up your iPhone including the passcode.

 

 

You can opt to restore your iPhone data from iCloud backup if available. Make sure you take note of your newly created passcode just like in the previous method.

You can learn how to disable the passcode in your iPhone settings if you don’t want to use it.

 

 

5. Ask for Professional Help.

If you are not confident in doing some of the technical methods, you can ask the help of Apple-certified technicians. Of course, you need to call your nearest Apple Store if they are now open and accept repairs. If not, check out the available Apple services in your country.

It’s likely that you will be asked for verification before they can assist with unlocking your iPhone.

 

 

We strongly advise you not to use any third party unlocking app to reset your iPhone passcode. This is because a lot of data breaches came from similar applications. Also, it can potentially harm your firmware which can worsen the issue and void any warranty options.

 

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And as we close this article, we hope that we were able to help you sort out this kind of issue as you stay home. As for today’s guide, we hope you were able to fix your iPhone passcode required after the iOS update issue. If you have questions related to this topic, please feel free to leave a comment below.

 

If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂

 

Author

  • Mako Young

    Mako is a staff writer at Saint. He's been writing about tech for more than a decade. When he isn't reading about the latest news on Apple, he's busy studying cybersecurity, cryptocurrency, cloud computing, and other IT-related sectors. His exceptional work graces technology and Apple-related blogs like How-To Geek, VEED.io, Macgasm, onMac, PhotoWorkout, GameRant, and many more. He also has a Bachelors in Computer Science and has been writing since 2018, with over 400 posts published. LinkedIn X (Twitter)

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