Hello, my wonderful readers! After repeatedly entering the wrong passcodes, the iPhone Unavailable message appears on the lock screen. You might be worried about not being able to access your iPhone. However, this is a simple problem to solve. This blog will explain why your iPhone is unavailable and how to fix iPhone Unavailable so you can use your device again.
What does iPhone Unavailable mean?
An iPhone security feature is the passcode. The iPhone Unavailable or Security Lockout screen indicates that the phone is locked to protect your data if you repeatedly enter incorrect passcodes.
You will see the message “iPhone unavailable, try again in a minute” after entering five incorrect passcodes. After failing six times, you will be locked out for at least five minutes. You have locked up for between 15 and one hours the more incorrect passcodes you enter.
iPhone Unavailable Fix By Waiting It Out
If your iPhone displays a delay period on the “iPhone Unavailable” lock screen, the most straightforward solution is to wait it out. You will be able to unlock your iPhone with the correct passcode after the timer expires. Be extremely cautious when doing so, as entering the wrong passcode will reset the timer (for example, from one minute to five on the second attempt).
How to Fix iPhone Unavailable by Restoring Phone
No amount of waiting will make the problem go away if you do not see a timer and your iPhone only shows an “iPhone Unavailable” message. The only way to unlock your iPhone is to wipe it and start over completely. If the need arises, you should still be able to contact emergency services by pressing the “Emergency” button at the bottom of the screen.
You can finish this procedure using the “Erase iPhone” button on the lock screen in some iOS versions. Enter your Apple ID password after tapping it and verifying that you want to delete everything. Now your iPhone will be reset to factory conditions. It will require a complete setup before being restored from an iCloud, macOS, or iTunes (Windows) backup.
Alternate Ways by Restoring for iPhone Unavailable message
You can restore your iPhone by connecting it to a Mac or Windows computer. When your iPhone needs maintenance, macOS or iTunes for Windows will recognize this and allow you to “Restore” the software on the device. As part of this procedure, you must enter your Apple ID password.
For a hefty fee, there are third-party apps that make the “iPhone Unavailable” screen disappearable. We cannot vouch for their effectiveness, especially in light of Apple’s ongoing software updates for the iPhone. The most secure choice is to clean your device and restore it from a backup.
Avoid Triggering iPhone Unavailable Screen
The only way to avoid the unavailable iPhone issue in the future is to avoid entering the wrong passcode too frequently. This can happen by accident in your pocket or while holding your iPhone in your hand. Young children may also unintentionally activate the “iPhone Unavailable” screen.
When entering your passcode, use caution. Check that Face ID is working (or re-scan your fingerprints if you use Touch ID) so you do not always have to enter your passcode. Mistakes happen, and the safest thing you can do is enable iCloud backup or manually back up with macOS or iTunes for Windows regularly.
Before you reset your device
- You must have a device that runs iOS 15.2 or iPadOS 15.2 or later.
- Connecting your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to a cellular or Wi-Fi network is required.
- You will need your Apple ID and password, which you created when you first set up your device.
If you restart your device after seeing “Security Lockout” on the Lock Screen, you cannot connect to a Wi-Fi network until your device is unlocked. If you have active service, your cell phone will reconnect to a cellular network.
What to do if iPhone Says Unavailable
There is no denying that the iPhone is one of the most popular and secure mobile devices. And almost every iPhone user has set a screen passcode that only allows the owner to read the files on the device. However, forget your iPhone’s passcode and enter incorrect attempts more than 5 times. In that case, you will see an “iPhone unavailable” message on your iPhone screen for a period ranging from one minute to an hour, which is quite annoying.
- After a few failed passcode attempts, you can bypass the iPhone Unavailable error by selecting the “Erase iPhone” option from the “Security Lockout” screen. To restore your phone, you must enter your Apple ID and password.
- You can repair an unresponsive iPhone using Finder or iTunes, but you must first put the device into recovery mode and connect it to a computer.
- Third-party tools can also help you erase an iPhone or iPad’s unavailable screen in minutes.
- Logging into iCloud.com will allow you to locate your unavailable iPhone and see the Erase iPhone option, which will allow you to restore the device to factory settings and get it working again.
Reset Your Device For iPhone Unavailable Try Again
If you are using an eSIM, contact your carrier first and request a QR code to re-enable your eSIM.
- The “[Device] Unavailable” screen and a suggestion to try again later will appear after five unsuccessful passcode attempts on your device.
- As long as you can, keep entering your passcode until the “Security Lockout” screen appears, and the Erase [Device] option is visible in the lower right corner of the screen.
- To confirm, tap Erase [Device], then tap it again.
- To sign out of your Apple ID on your device, enter your password.
- To permanently delete your data and settings, select Erase [Device].
- To set up your device once more, restore your data and settings from a backup, and create a new passcode, follow the onscreen instructions after your device restarts.
- You can reset your device using a computer if you cannot follow these instructions.
Only those with a live cellular or Wi-Fi connection and previously enabled Find My can access the “Security Lockout” screen. Depending on how you previously configured your device, it will either erase itself after ten unsuccessful attempts to enter your password or display Security Lockout and the choice to Erase [Device] without a timer.
Reset With Computer
Reset your iPhone with your computer! Follow the instructions below to answer the question, “Why does my iPhone say Unavailable?”
Make sure that you have a computer (Mac or PC)
A Mac or PC is required for this process. Make sure your PC has Windows 10 or a later version and iTunes installed if you are using one. To connect your iPhone to the computer, you will also need the cable that was included with it or another suitable cable.
You must seek assistance from an Apple Retail Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider if you do not have a computer and can not borrow one.
Turn off your iPhone
If your iPhone is plugged into the computer, unplug it.
To turn it off, use the method that corresponds to your iPhone model:
- iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation), iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, and later: As soon as the power off slider appears, press and hold the Volume Down and Side buttons simultaneously.
- iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 6s, and iPhone 6: Hold the side button until the power off slider is visible.
- First-generation iPhone SE, iPhone 5s, and earlier: Till the power off slider appears, press and hold the top button.
To completely turn off your iPhone, wait a minute after sliding the slider to the left.
Put your iPhone in recovery mode
Prepare by locating the button on your iPhone that you will need to hold in the following step:
- The side button is used by the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, and later, as well as the iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation).
- The Volume Down button is used by the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
- The Home button is used by iPhone SE (1st generation) and iPhone 6s and earlier.
Hold down the appropriate iPhone button while immediately connecting your iPhone to the computer. Don’t let go of the button.
Hold the button down until you see the iPhone in recovery mode, then release it.
If you see the passcode screen, shut down your iPhone and restart it.
Restore your iPhone
- Using the computer it is currently connected to, find your iPhone in Finder or iTunes. (Find out how to locate your plugged-in iPhone.)
- When the option to Restore or Update appears, select Restore. Your computer starts the restore process by downloading software for your iPhone. Let the download complete, then turn off your iPhone and try again if it takes longer than 15 minutes and your device leaves the recovery mode screen.
- Wait for the process to complete. When the process is complete, your device will restart and display a setup screen.
- Set up and use your iPhone after disconnecting it from the computer.
Conclusion
Most people have nightmares about losing access to a device like a smartphone. The iPhone Unavailable message can appear in a variety of ways. It is possible that you forgot your password or your child played with your device without your knowledge. This blog should provide everything you need to overcome the iPhone Unavailable lock screen message. Still, it is also recommended that you back up your device to avoid experiencing the same issue in the future.
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