Losing your Apple Account password can make your digital life a misery, as it can leave you locked out of the account that you use to manage your Apple devices, unable to access your iCloud data and manage your app and service subscriptions.

Recovery Contact Feature
In this scenario, Apple can't just reset your password for you, especially if your have two-factor authentication enabled. Setting up a recovery key is one alternative solution, but in such cases you can't change your password unless you have a trusted second device as well as the recovery key.

In an effort to make things easier, Apple allows you to set up an account recovery contact that can help make sure you always have access to your account, even if you forget your Apple Account password or device passcode. Your recovery contact is someone who can verify your identity and help you regain access to your account and all of your data if you ever get locked out.

Who Should Be My Recovery Contact?

Your recovery contact should be a person you know and trust, such as a family member or a close friend. They will need an iOS device of their own running iOS 15 or iPadOS 15 or later, or a Mac running macOS Monterey or later, and they must be over the age of 13. They'll also need two-factor authentication turned on for their own account and a passcode set up on their device.

Invite Someone to Be Your Recovery Contact

Note: If you're on a Mac, you can find the same options as above in System Settings ➝ Apple Account.

  1. Open the Settings app on your iOS device and tap your Apple Account banner at the top of the main menu.
  2. Tap Sign In & Security.
    settings

  3. Under "Recovery Methods," tap Recovery Contacts.
  4. Read the onscreen information, then tap Add Recovery Contact... and authenticate.
    settings

  5. Choose a recovery contact. If you're part of a Family Sharing group, eligible contacts will appear in the options. Alternately, tap Choose Someone Else to search your contacts.
  6. Tap Next, and the following screen lets you send your chosen contact a message letting them know you've added them as your recovery contact. You can send the default message or edit it before sending. Tap Send when you're ready, then tap Done.
    settings

Remember to save the person's phone number so that you can contact them if you need help with account recovery.

Help Someone Regain Access to Their Account

If you are someone's designated recovery contact, here's how you can help them. They'll first have to verify some of their Apple Account account information, and then they'll contact you over the phone or in person. The following steps show how you go about generating and sharing a recovery code that they can then enter on their device. On Mac, the same options can be found in System Settings ➝ Apple Account.

  1. Open the Settings app on your iOS device and tap your Apple Account banner at the top of the main menu.
  2. Tap Sign In & Security ➝ Account Recovery.
  3. Tap your contact's name, then tap Get Recovery Code.
  4. When your friend is ready, read them their recovery code. Once they've entered it on their device, they'll be able to reset their password and regain access to their Apple Account.

Remove Yourself As a Recovery Contact

If you no longer want to be someone's recovery contact, follow these steps on your iOS device. On Mac, the same options can be found in System Settings ➝ Apple Account.

  1. Open the Settings app on your iOS device and tap your Apple Account banner at the top of the main menu.
  2. Tap Sign In & Security ➝ Account Recovery.
  3. Under "Account Recovery For," tap the person's name.
  4. Tap Remove Contact.

After completing these steps, the contact will automatically receive a message explaining that you're no longer their account recovery contact.

Note: To set up the recovery contact feature, all of the Apple devices associated with your account must be upgraded to iOS 15/iPadOS 15 or later, or macOS Monterey or later. Apple Watch models must be upgraded to watchOS 8 or later. You will not be able to use the recovery contact feature until you upgrade all of your devices or remove them from your Apple Account.

Popular Stories

iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

Apple Says Installing iOS 26 Might Impact Battery Life

Monday September 15, 2025 10:56 am PDT by
In the iOS 26 release notes, Apple is warning iPhone users that installing the new software might have a temporary impact on battery life, which is normal. A new support document explains that major iOS updates require background setup like indexing data and files for search, downloading new assets, and updating apps. Further, Apple says that new features could require more resources,...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 Get iOS 26 Features With New Firmware Update

Monday September 15, 2025 10:50 am PDT by
Apple today released updated firmware for the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4, introducing support for the new AirPods features that are included in iOS 26, iPadOS 26, and macOS Tahoe. The firmware has a build number of 8A356, and it replaces the current 7E93 firmware. With Apple's new software updates, the AirPods Pro 2 and the AirPods 4 support better audio quality for phone calls and...
iOS 26

iOS 26.1 to iOS 26.4: Here Are 5 New Features to Expect on Your iPhone

Tuesday September 16, 2025 11:17 am PDT by
iOS 26 was finally released on Monday, but the software train never stops, and the first developer beta of iOS 26.1 will likely be released soon. iOS 18.1 was an anomaly, as the first developer beta of that version was released in late July last year, to allow for early testing of Apple Intelligence features. The first betas of iOS 15.1, iOS 16.1, and iOS 17.1 were all released in the second ...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 26's Liquid Glass Design Draws Criticism From Users

Wednesday September 17, 2025 2:56 pm PDT by
It's been two days since iOS 26 was released, and Apple's new Liquid Glass design is even more divisive than expected. Any major design change can create controversy as people get used to the new look, but the MacRumors forums, Reddit, Apple Support Communities, and social media sites seem to feature more criticism than praise as people discuss the update. Complaints There are a long...
Tim Cook Rainbow

Apple Reportedly Plans to Launch These 10 Products in 'Coming Months'

Sunday September 14, 2025 8:45 am PDT by
Apple's annual September event is now in the rearview mirror, with the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air, Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, Apple Watch SE 3, and AirPods Pro 3 set to launch this Friday, September 19. As always, there is more to come. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple plans to release many products in the...
iOS 26 Glass Feature

iOS 26: The Top 100 New Features and Changes

Tuesday September 16, 2025 12:26 pm PDT by
Apple released iOS 26 on September 15, and it's now available for all iPhone users with a compatible device. There are a lot of changes and features to learn about, so if you want a quick, easy-to-read list that outlines what's new, we've got you covered. Design Liquid Glass design that reflects light and refracts what's underneath. It's system wide, with dynamic tab bars and toolbars...
new iphone lockscreen ios 26

iOS 26: All the New iPhone Lock Screen Customizations

Tuesday September 16, 2025 5:56 am PDT by
Apple has now made iOS 26 available to download on compatible iPhone models, and if you just installed the new software, Apple has made some changes and feature additions to the iPhone Lock Screen that you may want to check out. To download iOS 26 on your iPhone, go to Settings ➝ General ➝ Software Update, then let your device check Apple's servers for the latest software. Wait for the...