Are you getting an error “iPhone is disabled, connect to iTunes,” In this article, we’ll show you how to fix the “iPhone is disabled” error and restore your disabled iPhone in easy to understand steps.
Have you ever picked up your iPhone, only to discover it has been disabled by your curious children who entered the password too many times? Or maybe you’ve done it yourself when you’ve forgotten the passcode you created a month ago? if you enter in an incorrect password too many times, iOS will think someone is trying to break into your device and will disable it.
The problem with a disabled iPhone is that you can’t type in the password anymore, even if you suddenly remember it. You either have to wait a certain amount of time or connect the iPhone to iTunes, if it has been permanently disabled. Here is how to unlock a disabled iPhone without losing valuable information.
“iPhone Is Disabled, Connect to iTunes” Error [SOLVED]
If you have unfortunately found yourself on the error screen, which reads “iPhone is disabled, connect to iTunes,” there’s no need to worry. In this article, we’ll show you how to fix the “iPhone is disabled connect to iTunes” error and restore your disabled iPhone.
This article will cover the entire process of restoring a disabled iPhone, including how to remove the passcode and restore your backup data.
A disabled iPhone is caused by too many attempts to log in with the wrong username and password.
To fix an iPhone that is disabled, reset the iPhone to the factory default or try Recovery Mode.
Resetting to factory default erases everything on your iPhone, but you can restore it all from a backup.
This article explains How to Fix “iPhone Is Disabled, Connect to iTunes” Error. If your iPhone is stolen and someone tries to hack the code, your iPhone disables itself after too many incorrect passcode attempts, a security feature on the iPhone that safeguards your privacy.
See also: How to format an iPhone Completely
If you (or anyone else) types the wrong passcode into your iPhone, it eventually disables itself completely. When your iPhone is disabled, someone entered the wrong passcode often enough to disable it. If you have a toddler or an older kid, the child may have typed in the wrong passcode without realizing what might happen to the iPhone. Consider childproofing your iPhone.
If your iPhone becomes permanently disabled, your only choice is to reset it to its factory default state. If you set up Find My iPhone, the easiest way to reset the iPhone is through iCloud. The Find My iPhone feature contains a way to reset the iPhone remotely. The iPhone doesn’t need to be lost or stolen; this method resets it without resorting to iTunes. Here’s how:
- Log in to your iCloud account at www.icloud.com.
- Select Find iPhone.
- Choose your iPhone.
- Select the Erase iPhone link.
If you haven’t set up Find My iPhone, the next best option is to restore it from the same computer you used to set it up or from the computer you use to sync the iPhone to iTunes.
- Connect your iPhone to the PC using the cable that came with the iPhone and launch iTunes. This connection should start the sync process.
- Let this process finish so that you have a backup of all the data on your iPhone and then choose to restore the iPhone.
What If I Didn’t Sync My iPhone With My PC?
The Find My iPhone feature is important. Not only is it an iPhone-saver if you lose your device or if the phone is stolen, but it can provide an easy way to reset the iPhone.
If you haven’t set it up and have never set up your iPhone with your PC, you can still unlock it by going through the iPhone’s Recovery Mode, which is more involved than a normal restore.
Since we are trying to restore a disabled iPhone after you failed to enter the passcode, it’s only natural that we will need to remove it before we proceed. We will do this through a simple process that will put your iPhone into DFU or Recovery mode, which will allow us to connect the iPhone to iTunes. However, before you begin, connect your iPhone’s lightning to USB cable to your PC with the lightning end ready to connect to the iPhone when we say so. Depending on your iPhone model, follow the steps below:
Removing Passcode from iPhone with Face ID
- Make sure your iPhone isn’t connected to the computer yet.
- Press and hold the Side button and volume up or volume down button until the power off slider appears. Drag it to the right to turn off your iPhone.
- Next, press and hold the Side button while connecting your iPhone to your computer. That means it’s time to plug in the lightning cable. Keep holding the Side button until you see the iPhone’s recovery mode screen.
Your iPhone’s passcode has now been removed, and it is connected to your computer. Keep reading to know what to do next.
Removing Passcode from iPhone with Home Button
- Make sure your iPhone isn’t connected to the computer yet.
- Press and hold the power button until the power off slider appears. Drag it to the right to turn off your iPhone.
- Press and hold the Home button while connecting your iPhone to your computer. Keep holding the Home button until you see your iPhone’s recovery mode screen.
Your iPhone’s passcode has now been removed, and the device is connected to your Mac or Windows PC. Keep reading to know what to do next.
Steps to Fix “iPhone is Disabled, Connect to iTunes” Error
Now that your iPhone is connected to either iTunes or Finder, you will likely receive a pop-up showing you that there’s a problem with your device. However, if that doesn’t happen, we can easily locate your iPhone and start the process to restore your disabled iPhone. Depending on the software you are using, follow the steps below:
Locate your Disabled iPhone in iTunes
Once your iPhone is connected to the computer, you will see it in the upper-left corner of the iTunes window. Click on it to get a pop-up regarding the disabled iPhone. If you do not see a device icon, try reconnecting the iPhone or updating your OS and iTunes.
Locate your Disabled iPhone in Finder
If you are a Mac user running macOS Catalina or later, you can find your iPhone in the Finder’s sidebar. Simply click on it to see your iPhone’s information.
Fix Your Disabled iPhone and Get It Working Again!
Once your iPhone is connected to your PC or Mac, you will see a message. The pop-up will give you the option to “Update your iPhone” to fix the issue, but since we got here by an incorrect passcode, we will click the Restore button.
Click and confirm any confirmation boxes that appear, and you are all set! The iPhone will now begin the restoration process, and iTunes or Finder will download the necessary software on your iPhone. Restoring a disabled iPhone is a quick process and should be done in about 15 minutes if you have a decent internet connection. If your iPhone exits the recovery mode before it’s fixed, follow the steps to remove the passcode and start again.
Once done, you will be met by the iPhone’s hello screen, where you will need to set up your device to use it.
After you restore your iPhone, make sure Find My iPhone is turned on in case you have any problems in the future.
“iPhone Is Disabled, Connect to iTunes”: Problem Fixed!
That’s pretty much it. Following the above step-by-step process will ensure the “iPhone is disabled, connect to iTunes” error is fixed without any problems. Once you restore your disabled iPhone and start fresh, Drop a comment and let us know which method worked for you.
These problems/solutions are found and effective on iPhone 4, iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone X S, iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max.