A disturbing message appeared on the screen of your iPhone informing that the device is blocked or unavailable? This is a common problem that is not yet a reason for panic. In this article, we explain what to do in such a situation.
This can happen to everyone. You pull out the smartphone with a bitten apple out of your pocket or purse, and the screen shows the message: “The iPhone is blocked. Try again in x minutes” or “iPhone is unavailable.” The heart stands for a moment, and the worst scenarios are immediately displayed. Relax – in most cases it’s nothing terrible. The iPhone could have been blocking quite accidentally, and the solution is simpler than you think.
The iPhone is blocked – you see such a message, don’t panic!
To start with, good news: Your iPhone was unlikely to be hacked or there was no disaster. Blocking the device is usually the result of several unsuccessful attempts to enter the unlock code. Interestingly – such attempts are often a coincidence. If you wear the phone in your pocket or in a bag without a case or the screen accidentally unlocked, the system could register false touch as incorrect attempts to enter the code. It is then that the message appears: “The iPhone is blocked. Try again in 1 minute / 5 minutes / 15 minutes / 1 hour.”
What threatens too many attempts to enter the code?
Apple seriously treats data security, which is why the iOS system reacts very specifically to further incorrect attempts:
- after 5 incorrect attempts – lock for 1 minute,
- after 7 – lock for 5 minutes,
- after 8 – lock for 15 minutes,
- after 9 – lock for 1 hour,
- After 10 – the iPhone can be blocked for 1 hour or even erased if you have such an option on (it is turned off by default).
If you see a message about the blocking for x minutes – do nothing. Wait exactly as much as the screen indicates, and only after this time enter the correct code. Do not try to restart your phone or panic to look for alternative solutions.
It is also worth remembering that 10 incorrect attempts the phone is completely blocked and displays the message “the iPhone is blocked. Connect with iTunes.” The device no longer allows you to enter the code – it requires a computer restoration.
What if you don’t remember the code?
The stairs begin here, but still not everything is lost. If you don’t remember the unlock code, you have several options:
- Use face id or touch idif they were previously configured. It should be added here that the Face ID and Touch ID are turned off after 5 unsuccessful attempts to unlock the device.
- Use the “Find My iPhone” function On another device or via iCloud to erase the iPhone remotely and set it again (if you do not have data you want to keep).
- Use the emergency / recovery mode mode And restore the iPhone by iTunes or Finder on Mac.
Remember: if you do not have a backup, restoring from iTunes will unfortunately delete all data from the phone.
Sometimes it’s just an effect … a handbag or a pocket
Although it sounds like a joke, it’s one of the most common causes. The phone thrown into the purse can activate itself, and accidental touches of material or other items can “enter” random digits on the lock screen. And so after a few minutes of unconscious clicking, the screen serves us a lock.
That is why it is worth:
- keep the phone in a flap case or in a separate compartment,
- turn off the lifting function that automatically wakes up the screen,
- Consider Face ID or Touch ID that eliminate the need to enter the code in most situations.
What if the iPhone says: “The iPhone is blocked, connect with iTunes”?
This is a message that you do not want to see – means that there has been a maximum number of incorrect attempts and the system no longer allows you to unlock. At this point you only have one option: Restoration of the iPhone to the factory settings. If you have a backup in iCloud or iTunes – you can then restore your data. If not – well, it will be a solid backup lesson.
How to avoid this in the future?
In addition to the obvious remembering of the code, there are several ways to reduce the risk:
- Use face id or touch id – You will enter the code much less often.
- Turn on automatic backup In iCloud – even if something goes wrong, the data can be recovered.
- Take care of the way you wear the phoneespecially in bags, backpacks, pockets.
- Avoid sharing your phone with children – It’s a frequent culprit of “home blockades”.
Can you somehow “cheat” the system in such a situation?
If you are looking for an alternative, i.e. an application or a key combination that will miss the code without deleting data – unfortunately, I have to worry you. iOS has been working in zero compromise for years when it comes to safety. It is impossible to unlock a blocked iPhone without code and without erasing data – unless you have previously configured biometric unlocking or you do not know the Apple ID password.
Blocked iPhone is not the end of the world. Most often it is only a case effect – a bit of patience is enough to restore everything to normal. And if you also learn to do regular backups – the better. Maybe someday you will thank you from the past for this thoughtful movement.
