Forgotten password: what to do, device by device

A forgotten password is one of the most frequent situations I see at the workshop. Not a week goes by without a client turning up with a locked PC, a disabled iPhone or an inaccessible email account. The good news: in the vast majority of cases, the situation is recoverable, often in under 30 minutes.

This guide covers the most common situations, device by device. I also explain what you absolutely shouldn't do : because bad solutions can make things worse or cost you money for nothing.

Forgotten Windows password#

Microsoft account (Windows 10 and 11)#

If you sign in with a Microsoft email address (@outlook.com, @hotmail.com, @live.com or your personal address linked to a Microsoft account), recovery is simple and done from another device.

1. 1
   From a smartphone or another computer, open a browser and go to account.live.com/password/reset.
2. 2
   Enter the email address of your Microsoft account and click Next.
3. 3
   Choose your verification method: SMS to your registered mobile number, recovery email, or notification via the Microsoft Authenticator app if you use it.
4. 4
   Enter the code you receive, then set your new password. On your PC, at the Windows sign-in screen, the new password works immediately if the PC is connected to the internet.

Procedure (recap):

1. From a smartphone or another computer, go to account.live.com/password/reset
2. Enter your Microsoft email address
3. Choose the verification method: SMS to your mobile, recovery email, or Microsoft Authenticator app
4. Follow the steps, a new password can be set in 5 minutes
5. On your PC, at the Windows sign-in screen, your new password works immediately (with an active internet connection) or after restart

Local Windows account (no Microsoft account)#

If your Windows account isn't linked to a Microsoft account, particularly on older PCs or local work accounts, recovery is more technical.

Option 1: security questions (Windows 10 only) At the sign-in screen, click "I forgot my PIN" or look for the reset link. If you set up security questions when creating the account, you can reset the password directly.

Option 2: password reset USB stick Windows lets you create a "Password Reset Disk" in advance. If you've made one, plug it in, click "Reset password" at the sign-in screen, and follow the steps.

Option 3: via another administrator account If your PC has a second account with administrator rights (a family account, for example), sign in with that one, go to Settings → Accounts → Other users, click your account and reset the password.

Option 4: technical intervention with a bootable USB stick If none of the above options is available, a technician can boot the PC from a Windows USB stick and access the recovery tools. That's what I do at the workshop, it takes 15 to 30 minutes and doesn't require reinstalling Windows.

Forgotten Mac password#

With an Apple ID (recent macOS)#

If your Mac is running macOS Ventura, Sonoma or newer with a user account linked to your Apple ID, recovery is relatively simple.

1. At the sign-in screen, enter the wrong password several times, a "Reset using Apple ID" option usually appears after 3 attempts
2. Enter your Apple ID and Apple ID password
3. Create a new session password

Via macOS Recovery mode#

If the Apple ID method doesn't work, or if the account isn't linked to an Apple ID:

1. Mac with Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4): Shut down the Mac, hold the power button until the startup options appear, then click "Options" → Continue
2. Mac with Intel: Restart and hold Cmd + R during startup

Once in Recovery mode, in the top menu bar → "Utilities" → "Terminal", then type the command resetpassword. A graphical reset interface opens.

Locked or disabled iPhone#

"iPhone disabled" or "Connect to iTunes"#

This message appears after too many incorrect PIN attempts. It's an intentional Apple security mechanism.

Solution: restore the iPhone via Recovery mode

1. 1
   On a Mac or Windows PC, open Finder (Mac) or iTunes (Windows). Connect the iPhone with a USB cable.
2. 2
   Put the iPhone into Recovery mode: on iPhone 8 and later, press and release Volume Up, press and release Volume Down, then hold the Side button until the recovery mode screen appears (don't release before). On iPhone 7, hold Volume Down + Side button at the same time. On iPhone 6s and earlier, hold the Home button + Side button.
3. 3
   Finder or iTunes detects an iPhone in Recovery mode and offers two options: Update or Restore. Choose Restore, this completely erases the iPhone and installs the latest version of iOS.
4. 4
   Once the restore is complete, the iPhone reboots to the initial setup screen. If you had a recent iCloud or iTunes backup, select Restore from backup during setup to recover your data.

1. On a Mac or PC with iTunes installed, connect the iPhone with a cable
2. Put the iPhone into Recovery mode:
   • iPhone 8 and later: press and release Volume Up, press and release Volume Down, then hold the Side button until the recovery mode screen appears
   • iPhone 7: hold Volume Down + Side button simultaneously
   • iPhone 6s and earlier: hold Home + Side button simultaneously
3. On the Mac (Finder) or Windows (iTunes), a window offers "Update" or "Restore", choose Restore
4. The restore erases the entire iPhone and installs a clean iOS

Warning: all data is erased. If you had a recent iCloud or iTunes backup, you can restore it during the initial iPhone setup.

Forgotten PIN without total lockout#

If you've forgotten your PIN but the iPhone isn't yet disabled, try to remember possible variations. If you're truly stuck, the restore procedure above applies.

Android: forgotten PIN or pattern#

Android is more fragmented, the procedure varies by manufacturer and version.

General solution: boot into Recovery mode#

1. Turn off the phone
2. Hold Volume Up and the power button simultaneously (or Volume Down and Power depending on the model) to access the Recovery menu
3. In the Recovery menu, the "Wipe data / Factory reset" option wipes the phone and the PIN

This operation erases all local data. If Google Photos was synced and Google Backup enabled, your contacts, photos and main data are recoverable on reconnecting to the Google account.

Samsung: via the Samsung account#

On recent Samsungs with an active Samsung account, you can sometimes unlock remotely via findmymobile.samsung.com : sign in with your Samsung account and use the "Unlock" function.

Forgotten email password#

Gmail#

Go to accounts.google.com/signin/recovery and follow the steps. Google offers several verification methods: SMS, recovery email, notification on another already-signed-in device, or security questions.

If you no longer have access to any of the recovery methods, Google offers an identity verification process based on your account usage history. This process can be long and isn't always successful if the account hasn't been very active.

Outlook / Hotmail#

Via account.live.com/password/reset : same procedure as for a Windows Microsoft account (it's the same account).

Other providers (Orange, SFR, Free...)#

Each provider has its own password recovery page, usually accessible from the sign-in page via a "Forgot password" link. The verification method is most often an SMS to the registered mobile.

Social media: account recovery#

For Facebook and Instagram in particular, if you no longer have access to the email or phone number, there's an "identity verification" process, you submit a photo of an ID document and Meta processes the request (variable wait: a few days to a few weeks).

What you absolutely shouldn't do#

• ❌ Download "password recovery software" found on obscure sites, 90% are malware or scams. Legitimate procedures require no paid third-party software.
• ❌ Pay a "hacker" on forums or social media to "recover your account", guaranteed scam, often with an upfront payment that will never be refunded.
• ❌ Try passwords in a loop on iPhone : after 10 attempts, data can be permanently erased if the feature is enabled.
• ❌ Ignore the problem hoping it'll sort itself out : an inaccessible account may have been compromised (someone else may have changed the password), better to act fast.

Prevention: how never to be in this situation again#

Use a password manager#

This is the most effective long-term solution. A password manager generates and stores unique, complex passwords for each service, you only have to remember a single master password.

My personal choice and usual recommendation to clients: Bitwarden. It's free, the source code is open and publicly audited (so more trustworthy than proprietary solutions), and it works on every device (iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, all browsers).

Always set up a recovery method#

For each important account (email, Apple ID, Google, social media), set up:

• An up-to-date phone number for recovery SMS
• A recovery email different from the main email
• Recovery codes downloaded and stored safely (or in your password manager)

Take 15 minutes today to check this information on your main accounts, it's the best investment you can make for your digital security.

When to call a professional?#

Most forgotten password situations are sorted with the procedures above. But some cases warrant professional help:

• Windows with a local account and no available recovery method
• Mac with FileVault enabled and lost recovery key
• Phone with important data not backed up before lockout
• Professional email account (Exchange, company domain), the IT administrator is needed
• Suspicion that the account has been hacked (someone else has changed the password)

At the workshop, most password cases are resolved in 20 to 30 minutes. It's one of the most frequent jobs, and often one of the simplest. Don't hesitate to come by if you're stuck.

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