Imagine entering your passcode, and it is not accepted. Then you try a few more times, maybe with a different passcode, and it is still denied. Now you have to wait for 15 minutes before you can try again.
How about placing your iPhone in your pocket while working on something, and when you finally get it out, you’re met with the message “Security Lockout”?
The common issue in both cases is that you entered the wrong passcode repeatedly in a given period. Some devices will either temporarily or permanently lock you out of the device after you have exhausted your unlock attempts, and iOS devices are examples of such.
Part 1. Security Lockout. What is it?
Security Lockout is a new feature from iOS 15.2 that allows you to reset your iPhone without the help of a computer when you’ve entered too many failed passcodes.
It’s a safety feature that basically shuts your iPhone down, but this time allows you to enter your Apple ID and reset the Apple device without plugging it into a computer.
iPhones and iPads are designed to lock you out for some time after several failed unlock attempts. For example, you will not be able to enter your passcode for a full minute if you enter five wrong passcodes consecutively in a short period.
After a given number of attempts, you will be completely locked out and will not be able to enter your passcode again. Here are the attempts vs. wait time summary.
| No. of wrong attempts | Message | Wait time |
| 5 | Security Lockout/iPhone Unavailable, try again in 1 minute | 1 minute |
| 7 | Security Lockout/iPhone Unavailable; try again in 5 minutes | 5 minutes |
| 8 | Security Lockout/iPhone Unavailable; try again in 15 minutes | 15 minutes |
| 9 | Security Lockout, try again in 1 hour | 1 hour |
| 10 | Security Lockout | – |
Do not panic if the “Security Lockout” message is displayed on your screen, and it just means that you have severally entered the wrong passcode.
Just like in the old days, wait for time to elapse, and you will be allowed to enter your passcode again. The only difference here is that it allows you to reset your iPhone.
You have probably gone through every step and are at the last step where you cannot enter your passcode again. What next, you might be wondering?
Luckily for you, we are going to fix it in this article but before that, let us understand what the “Security Lockout” displayed on your screen really means.
Part 2. What Happens You See”Security Lockout”?
“Security Lockout” is a security feature designed to prevent unauthorized access to the device. While in this state, the iPhone/iPad is locked to protect user data, and the only way to gain access is by keying in the correct passcode.
The alternative is to erase the device, which will erase all user data, and you will have to set up your iPhone/iPad as if it were a new device. This is why backing up your device is a recommended practice.
Part 3. What Does Each Kind of Security Lockout Message Mean?
The Security Lockout messages are almost similar except for the attached wait time. The main messages you will see are:
- Security Lockout/iPhone unavailable; try again in x minutes – this means that you still have a chance to enter your passcode. However, you have to wait for the minutes displayed to elapse.
- Security Lockout with no wait time – this means that you have exhausted your chances of keying in the correct passcode. At this stage, the only way out is to erase the iPhone.
Part 4. What Happened Before Security Lockout Was Introduced?
How did users unlock their iPhones if there was no “erase iPhone” option in iOS 15.1 or earlier? Well, you still got the attempts to enter the correct passcode, and multiple wrong attempts would lock the iPhone temporarily, and you had to wait.
If unlucky, you would run out of attempts and no longer be allowed to enter the passcode. At this stage, you would still need to reset the iPhone, except you would need to connect your iPhone to a computer.
There was no other way, which is why the security lockout is a nice feature.
Now that we know what security lockout is let us bypass it. Read on!
Part 5. How to Bypass Security Lockout on iPhone/iPad
You still can’t remember your passcode by now, and as mentioned earlier, the only way out is to erase the iPhone and set it up again. Let’s dive in!
Method 1: Using Tenorshare 4ukey
The options provided by Apple work alright, but what happens when you have forgotten your Apple ID or password?
We already know how challenging it is to recover your Apple ID and reset your password. Your best bet, in this case, is Tenorshare 4ukey.
Tenorshare 4ukey is an iPhone unlock software that you can use to bypass any screen passcode in very few steps. It is compatible with both iPhone and iPad so worry not about compatibility issues.
To use Tenorshare 4ukey:
Step 1. Download and install Tenorshare 4ukey. On the downloads bar, click on open to install the app.
Step 2. On the window that appears, click start after connecting your device.
Step 3. On the next screen that appears, click the download button to download the recent firmware for your device.
Step 4. On the next screen, click on start unlock to start the unlocking process.
Step 5. Wait for the unlock process. Upon completion, your iPhone will be unlocked and ready for a new setup.
Method 2: Using the Erase iPhone Option
If you don’t have a computer to connect to, this is your best option. Before you begin, make sure to tick the following:
- You have your Apple ID and password
- Your iPhone is connected to or cellular data or wifi network.
- Your iPhone is running on iOS 15.2 or later.
With all those requirements met, follow the steps below:
Step 1. On the “Screen Lockout” screen, tap on Erase iPhone
Step 2. On the confirmation pop-up that appears, tap Erase iPhone again to proceed.
Step 3. Enter your Apple ID password, then tap erase. Your iPhone will restart and then prompt for a new setup.
Note: Communication between the device and Apple servers is required for this process to succeed. Therefore, ensure your iPhone is connected to the internet the whole time.
Method 3: Use iTunes
If you are not a fan of third-party apps, then this is one of the methods you can use. iTunes’ original focus was music, but lately, more features have been added, and now it can also act as a device management tool.
This method requires your iPhone to be connected to the pc. To increase your chances of success, ensure your iPhone is synced with iTunes, and iTunes is also updated to the latest version.
Below are the steps to unlock your iPhone using iTunes.
Step 1. Launch iTunes on your pc and update to the latest version.
Step 2. Connect your iPhone to the pc
Step 3. On the iTunes window, select your iPhone.
Step 4. On the pop-up screen that appears, click on Restore.
Method 4: Use iCloud
This method is relatively easy and does not need any installation. However, you must have access to your iCloud account. This method also needs the Find my iPhone feature to be enabled.
Follow the steps below.
Step 1. Visit the iCloud.com website and enter your Apple ID to sign in.
Step 2. On the next page, click on Find my iPhone.
Step 3. On the next page, click on All devices, then select your iPhone from the drop-down list.
Step 4. Click on Erase device.
Step 5. On the confirmation screen, click on Erase once again.
Final Words
As this we conclude, we hope that you got a general idea of what Security Lockout is, its purpose, and why it is a great feature. For users using iOS 15.2 and later, this feature will save you from the struggle of finding a computer to connect to so that you can reset your iPhone.
Finally, remember to back up your iPhone regularly. Forgetting passcode is a common thing; it happens to almost everyone. If or when it happens, it would be nice to have a recent backup of your data to which you can restore your iPhone.
We hope the article was helpful, and let us know in the comments sections if the solutions we listed also worked for you.
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