How to Reset a Forgotten iCloud Password from iPhone or iPad

If you’re an iPhone or iPad user and you forgot your iCloud password, you’ll notice you can no longer access your iCloud data or Apple ID. But don’t freak out yet, because you can easily reset your iCloud password within a matter of minutes, directly from the iPhone or iPad. We’ll also show you how you can reset an iCloud password from the web using the iCloud website.

Your iCloud account (the same as your Apple ID) is used to access the entire online ecosystem of the Apple world, including all iCloud services, iMessage, Apple Music, the App Store, iTunes Store, and just about everything else. This is obviously an important login, but sometimes you may end up forgetting your current password. Fortunately, as long as you have access to an iOS or iPadOS device that you’re logged into, you will be able to change the password. If not, you’ll need to go through some extra steps.

Let’s read on to learn how to reset an iCloud password directly from iOS or iPadOS, or any web browser.

How to Reset an iCloud Password with iPhone or iPad

Before you go ahead with the following procedure, we want to inform you that you can use your iOS / iPadOS device to reset the iCloud password only if two-factor authentication is enabled on your Apple account. Therefore, make sure you’ve met the criteria and simply follow the steps below to change the password.

1. Open the “Settings” app from the home screen of your iPhone or iPad.
   
   
2. In the settings menu, tap on your Apple ID Name located right at the top.
   
   
3. Here, head over to “Password & Security” as shown in the screenshot below.
   
   
4. Next, tap on “Change password” to proceed further.
   
   
5. You’ll be asked to enter your iPhone or iPad passcode before you’re able to proceed to the next step. This is just a security measure put in place by Apple.
   
   
6. Now, type in your desired password in both the “New” and “Verify” fields. Once you’re done, tap “Change” which is located right at the top-right corner of the screen.
   
   

That’s how easy it is to reset your iCloud password with an iPhone or iPad.

But of course you can also reset the iCloud password from the web too.

How to Reset iCloud Password from the Web

If you currently don’t have access to an iPhone or iPad, resetting your iCloud password can get a bit more complicated. Head over to appleid.apple.com from any device with a web browser and click on “Forgot Apple ID or password?” to get started with the reset process.

Alternatively, you can visit iforgot.apple.com and type in your Apple ID email address to do the same.

With the web-based approach, you’ll be asked to type in the phone number that you use with your device, credit card details that are linked to your account, and more. You’ll also be asked to answer the security questions you set up while creating the Apple ID. Once you give all the accurate details, you will be able to reset the password for your iCloud account.

These are basically the approaches if you forgot the Apple ID email login and/or password, and you can also search by email address if you can’t recall which email account you used to setup the Apple ID in the first place. Once you get everything resolved, some users choose to write down the critical credentials and put them somewhere safe offline, like in a lockbox or safety deposit box, or something similar that is secure from prying eyes, but accessible in the event something goes awry again.

If you’re unable to reset your password from your iOS device, it’s very likely that you don’t have two-factor authentication turned on. So, make sure you set it up on Apple’s Apple ID webpage.

Using your iPhone or iPad to reset your iCloud password might be the most convenient option, especially if you don’t remember your current password and don’t want to go through the hassle of resetting it on the Apple website.

Mac users can also reset the iCloud password right on your macOS system by simply heading over to System Preferences and choosing the Apple ID option, where the steps are similar to those detailed above for iPhone and iPad, but of course Mac specific.

We hope you were able to successfully reset your iCloud password and regain access to your account. Let us know in the comments if you have any particularly helpful insight, tips, thoughts, or experiences!