How to hack an iPad or iPhone passcode: bypass iOS password security and remove the iPad's lock
How to hack an iPad or iPhone passcode? It’s not easy but if you’ve forgotten your iPad/iPhone passcode you can still use your device. Our guide to hacking iPad and iPhone passcodes will help you access your iPad or iPhone.
Sometimes you might forget your passcode - it happens and as a result, how to hack an iPad or iPhone passcode is a question we sometimes get asked at Macworld. Hacking iPad passcodes is on the "black hat" (dark) side of tech support. There are legitimate instances where people have forgotten the passcode. In these instances, you’ll need to get around the passcode to use your own iPad or iPhone.
In this tutorial, we’ll take a look at your options for hacking an iPad passcode - but if it's your iPhone that's locked you will also be able to follow this guide. This will help if you have an iPad with a passcode locked. You will have to restore your iPad, but it’s worth it to get the iPad up and running again. If you have a bit more confidence and a legitimate reason to want to recover an iPad’s passcode then there is software that can help you. Our guide to hacking an iPad passcode will give you the confidence to get your iPad back.
See:
- Understanding iOS passcode security
- How to set up Touch ID fingerprint scanner on iPhone 5s
- How to set up the iPad Air: guide to getting the new iPad up and running
How to hack an iPad passcode: Restore your iPad using Recovery Mode
Restoring an iPad and starting again is the best way to recover an iPad if you don’t have the passcode. It removes your personal information the iPad. But if you have a backup you can restore it and it’ll be as good as new (but without the passcode).
Trying to Restore the iPad from iTunes requires a passcode, but you can restore the iPad from Recovery Mode. This wipes the iPad completely and installs the latest version of iOS from scratch.
Note: You will need to possess the Apple ID and password that was used to originally set up the device.
Follow these steps to Restore an iPad from Recovery Mode:
- Charge the iPad up to at least 20 per cent.
- Ensure that the iPad to a Mac or PC is not connected to the Mac or PC.
- Open iTunes on your Mac (or PC).
- Hold down the Sleep/Wake button and use the Slide To Power Off to turn off the iPhone.
- Hold down the Home Button.
- With The Home button held down attach the Lightning Cable to the iPad.
- The iPad should power up in Recover Mode. The screen should display a blue iTunes logo and a white Lightning Cable. iTunes should display a message saying “iTunes has detected an iPad in recovery mode. You must restore this iPad before it can be used with iTunes”.
- Click OK and Restore and Update.
- Click Restore iPad and let iTunes wipe the software and restore the iPad.
- Enter the Apple ID and Password that was used to set up the iPad.
- Click Continue.
- Choose Restore From This Backup to restore the iPad to its earlier state Or you can set up the iPad as a fresh model by choosing Set Up As New iPad.
- Click Continue.
Your iPad will now be up and running as before but without a passcode.
How to hack an iPad passcode: use forensics software
Every so often a technique pops up that somebody enables to bypass the Apple Passcode. This is sometimes a finger-tapping trick that enables the person to access something on the phone locked down. Typically either Contacts or Messages. This isn’t hacking the passcode, it’s merely bypassing it.
See: iPhone iOS 6.1 security flaw lets attackers bypass passcode lock
Forget the finger tricks you’ll see in YouTube videos. It is possible to hack the iPad passcode, but you need serious software to do so. This is known as forensics software because law enforcement agencies use them when analysing a mobile phone. We tested Elcomsoft iOS Forensic Toolkit and found it a reliable means of cracking an iPad’s passcode. The software is not available to the general public and you will need to apply for a license (and show your credentials). Here are the Mac forensic tools available on the market:
- Elcomsoft iOS Forensic Toolkit
- Blacklight
- Lantern 4
Software tools like this can enable you to extract a passcode from an iOS device. You’ll need to be good with computers (at least capable of handling yourself using the Command Line in Terminal). Read this review of Elcomsoft iOS Forensic Toolkit to find out more information about how forensics software works.
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