We’re on vacation, and my wife decided she wanted to download Waze. Unfortunately, that requires an AppleID password, which she’s forgotten. I tried to recover her password for her, but there’s no easy way to do it. I tried ‘Use someone else’s device’. It was going OK until I needed to enter the password to unlock her phone. She never set up a passcode, and there’s no way to enter ‘no passcode’. So she chose one and I started over. I got to that point, and it says the passcode is invalid (it isn’t). Now her phone locks, and she’s going to be pissed off when she finds out she has to enter her passcode every time before using it. You need the AppleID password to unlock the phone. I finally chose the ‘Unable to use any of these options’ to recover her password, but it says it may take several days. One of the options is to go to an Apple store, but the nearest one is 200 miles away.
So are we hosed until we can get to an Apple store? Or have I missed something as I described?
Go to a web browser, if you can, and try this: Recover Your Apple ID - Apple
Here is a link to more options, but you’ll need to download the Apple Support app. If you forgot your Apple ID password - Apple Support
Here is a link to a list of Apple Support phone numbers. You might have to wait, but I suspect that this will still be quicker than driving to a store. Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support
You can turn off the passcode requirements so she doesn’t have to unlock it every time she uses it. Let us know if you need a tutorial. Note that as someone who used to work in device security, I do not recommend that she have a phone without a passcode.
Yes, that’s what I tried.
One of the previous options was to have Apple vet the userID. They should get back to us within 24 hours to tell us how long (how many days) it will take to complete the process.
You need your AppleID password to unlock the phone… which is what started this mess in the first place.
Sidetrack just a bit. The wife and I each have an Iphone and an Ipad (4 devices). For whatever reason they were set up with one apple-id. That screws up some things. Can I make a new apple-id and then update my phone and my Ipad without the world ending?
I lost my apple ID and password a few years ago. The online options were the same mess you describe, so I called Apple, and after a long wait and a very long conversation, they were able to issue a temporary password while I was waiting for my lost ID/password. I think the temporary one was good for six months or something like that, and I had to use my recovered ID/password by a certain date.
It’s probably easier to get in the CIA than it is to retrieve your Apple info. I now have mine in my phone (in a code) and two other places in my home.
Try calling Apple instead of going online.
Yes, but…
There is a lot of data tied to your Apple ID. Photos, music, Keychain items (logins and passwords), browsing history, etc, etc.
If you logout and set up the device with a new ID, you will lose access to all of those (although there is some “family sharing” plan which may work, I don’t use it).
Be forewarned.