Facial recognition and fingerprint scanners on more ancient iPhones are remarkably useful. It is really cool to stare at your mobile device or touch the sensor for it to unlock. However, you might be asked to make use of the passcode to activate Touch ID or facial recognition. Most times, this occurs when you need to check email or message notifications from the iPhone’s lock screen.
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Ideally, this 2-step authentication should function like clockwork. Type in the 4-digit code and you will instantly have access to the notification or message you wish to read. But how about if it doesn’t? Will you be permanently locked out of your device? See the break down below to know the answers to these questions.
First Line Of Defense
This could be telling you what you already know, but are you sure you entered the correct passcode? As we all know, mistakes or typos can happen. When you are in a rush, your finger can slip and miss a number.
To make sure this is not what happened, simply press the Side button and attempt to unlock your device again. If you planned to check the notification from the Lock screen, it is wise to let it be for the time being and simply attempt to unlock your phone. Hopefully, the face recognition or fingerprint scanner will still be effective, so you will eventually be able to gain access.
Try these unlock methods a few more times and be certain that you did not type the invalid passcode. Or, the iPhone can ask you to type in the code to activate the face ID/fingerprint scanner every time you attempt to unlock the phone.
Change Or Deactivate Passcode
Hopefully, you have entered the iOS device using a Face or Touch ID. If that is the case, it is best to navigate via the Settings and deactivate or change the passcode.
Open Settings and scroll down to Face ID & Passcode (Touch ID & Passcode on older iPhones). Here, things can get complicated. The next window will need you to type in the valid passcode to access the menu. Type cautiously and access would be granted.
Immediately you are in, choose “Turn Passcode Off” or “Change Passcode.” If you select “Turn Passcode Off,” a pop-up window will be visible to confirm the decision and you will have to provide your Apple ID password for changes to happen. To change the passcode, enter the old one, then the new one, then type the new passcode again for confirmation.
The “iPhone Is Disabled” Message
The most stressful outcome is you typing the wrong passcode too many times and your iPhone gets temporarily disabled. It should last between one and five minutes, and after that, you can try again. If you type in an invalid passcode six times consecutively, your iPhone can lock you out of the menus for a longer time.
Some iPhone owners have shared that their phone showed this message, “iPhone is disabled, try again in 23 million minutes.” This is a serious case because that is about 44 years.
“iPhone is disabled” means you will have to restore your phone from a backup. Surely, backup files will be needed in the first place. And this is a good reason why you should not ignore all those “Your iPhone Hasn’t Been Backed Up in X Days” messages. Below are the ways to restore your iPhone:
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iTunes
Connect your iOS device to the PC you use for syncing. iTunes will instantly detect the phone and launch automatically. Tap on the little iPhone icon in the iTunes bar and choose Restore iPhone. After that, make sure you follow the instructions from the on-screen wizard and your device will soon be restored. Although, it might be complicated. If you are yet to connect the iPhone to your PC for a while, a pop-up window will ask you to choose “Trust This Computer.” Here, a passcode is needed to connect to iTunes. Check out 2 ways to work around this problem:
Recovery Mode
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The precise instructions to enter the recovery mode is dependent on your iPhone model. On the iPhone 8 and newer, power off the device and hold the Side button when the phone is plugged into a PC. Continue holding until “Connect to iTunes” is visible on the screen (a cable and iTunes icon appears on your phone).
Then, a pop-up window will be seen on iTunes. Tap Restore and your iPhone will restart when the restore is done.
DFU MODE
This is like an extended version of the recovery mode and the method is identical to the first. Just connect your iPhone to a PC, manually launch iTunes, and power off the iPhone. Immediately it shuts down, hold the Side and Volume down buttons at the same time (on newer iPhones). After ten seconds, let go of the Side button, but continue holding Volume down.
When the display turns black, the iOS device is in DFU mode and iTunes will recognize it. Now you will be able to restore the phone.
