- If your iPhone says "iPhone is disabled connect to iTunes", it means you no longer have the opportunity to enter your passcode, even if you know the correct answer to it.
- You can reset your iPhone via Recovery Mode or iCloud to remove the passcode.
- Don't know how to connect to iTunes? This article will detail each of the unlocking methods.
Have you ever faced the situation when you suddenly pick up your iphone and see the message "iPhone is disabled connect to iTunes" or try again in a few minutes?
Well, I have. I thought it was because my iPhone in the pocket may be accidentally touched and disabled.
Gosh! At that time my iPhone was locked for two hours. I've never missed my iPhone so much. Then I searched on Google as we all mostly do to solve our queries.
Fortunately, ultimately I unlocked my iPhone. Now, I hope to share my experience with more people who are troubled by the same problem.
Here I have come up with this killer article to share four effective methods to unlock a disabled iPhone. Let's move on!
Method | Apple ID & Password | Estimated time | Delete Data or Not |
---|---|---|---|
iTunes/Finder | Yes | A few hours | Yes |
Mobitrix LockAway | No | 30 minutes | Yes |
Mobitrix iPhonePass | No | 1 hour | No |
Find my iPhone | Yes | 30minutes | Yes |
Part 1: Why Did My iPhone Say “ iPhone is disabled connect to iTunes”?

iphone disabled itunes screen
Most importantly, to unlock your iPhone, you must use the correct passcode, facial recognition, or a touch ID. Sometimes your iPhone is disabled when it detects many wrong passcode attempts or some suspicious activity. To be concise, iPhone gets disabled because of two scenarios:
Intentional password entry
Inadvertent password entry
This usually happens when you continuously enter the wrong passcode because you have forgotten it. Or your iPhone is owned by someone who does not know its passcode and ends up trying wrong passcodes on your phone.
Unintentional passcode entry sometimes happens when your iPhone’s screen or touch sensor is accidentally touched and you end up picking up the iPhone indicating the "iPhone is disabled connect to iTunes"error. Just like me.
However, if you can't unlock the iPhone after several attempts, the iPhone gets automatically deactivated.
After making 10 consecutive wrong passcode attempts, even if you recall the passwcode at this time you can only choose to reset your iPhone.
Part 2: How To Fix “ iPhone is disabled connect to iTunes”?
Moreover, the method recommended by Apple is to put your device in recovery mode with iTunes or Finder and set it up again. And I suggest you understand its pros and cons before deciding whether to use it.
Advantages
- This method is recommended by Apple.
- I found this method to be safe and secure.
- It didn’t charge me anything and was free of cost.
Disadvantages
- The process is a bit lengthy and requires a few hours to complete.
- I experienced that the success rate is very low.
- This method will wipe all of your iPhone’s valuable data.
- You may also have to face many other problems, like
- Problems in iTunes like "to allow access, respond to iPhone."
- When you are trying to back up the iPhone in iTunes, you may face issues like “iPhone is locked with a passcode, please try again”.
Steps:
- Prepare a Mac or PC
- Turn your phone off and enable recovery mode in your iPhone
- Find your iPhone in Finder or iTunes on your computer to which it is connected. When you see the option to restore or update, select “Restore”.

erase iphone via recovery mode
But as I said, I found this technique is inefficient.
At first I was happy that I could unlock my iPhone immediately, but in fact, I kept putting my iPhone in recovery mode and it kept going back to the disabled screen. iTunes also didn't recognize my iPhone!
Ah! That was horrible. Can you imagine how it feels to spend hours and get nowhere!
Luckily, I found a way to unlock the iPhone without iTunes, which helped me out of this mess. Let’s get into the details.
Part 3: How to Solve the "iPhone is disabled" Problem Without iTunes/iCloud?
Put iTunes aside, I will tell you my experience of successfully unlocking an iPhone without iTunes without reservation.
What does Mobitrix LockAway do?
It helps in quick unlocking of iPhone passcode, face ID, and touch ID.
At the time, I was already planning to take my iPhone to a repair shop, and that's when I found Mobitrix LockAway. It can help us to remove iPhone lock permanently, whether it is a forgotten passcode,or too many unlocking attempts.
Mobitrix LockAway Advantages
- According to my experience, it is a fast and efficient way to unlock your iPhone which usually takes around 20 minutes.
- It proved to be 99% successful for me and others whom I recommended this method.
- No passcode was required when I opted for the process.
- This process only takes a few simple steps and you have access to your iPhone within a few minutes without any frustration.
- It offers full support for iPhone 5s-14 and iOS 12/13/14/15/16 and later.
Steps:
- Download and Install Mobitrix LockAway, choose “Unlock Screen Passcode”.
- Connect iPhone/iPad to Computer.
- Download and extract Keyfile Package and then start removing the lock.

Use Mobitrix LockAway to Unlock Screen Passcode
That's all! Your iPhone is back. Isn't it amazing?
Well, using Mobitrix LockAway proved to be a good experience for me to successfully unlock my disabled iPhone as it was easy to follow, fast to perform, and accurate in the result. If I had found it in the first place, I could have unlocked my iPhone faster.
Next, remember when I said I found a way to not delete iPhone data? Let's get into the details of the next method.
Part 4- How To Unlock A Disabled iPhone Without Data Loss? (Mac Only)
Mobitrix has launched a tool called iPhonePass to unlock a disabled iPhone without losing any data.
I think this method is awesome for people who don't have a backup of some very important data. The only thing to note is that this method requires jailbreaking your iPhone.
Advantages
- The entire unlocking process typically takes around 30 minutes.
- There is no need to provide passwords or authentication information.
- It is completely free and easy to use.
- Unlocking processes don’t result in the loss of data.
- The success rate is 99%.
Disadvantages
- This process is not supported for iPhone models after iPhone X.
- You might take the risk of turning on and off the jailbreak status.
- Not available for Windows.
Steps:
- Preparation Before you Begin: This is what you need before you begin the process of unlocking your iPhone without deleting your data.
- A MacBook.
- An iPhone pass and jailbreak tool checkra1n.
- Download the above lock detection tools.
- Jailbreak your iPhone with checkra1n: Chekra1n is a jailbreak tool suitable for a wide range of iPhone types. Moreover, it is easy to operate and highly recommended to jailbreak your Apple device. It only runs on macOS.
- The first step to jailbreak your iPhone is to launch checkra1n and click on start.
- Don’t set up your phone right after jailbreaking.
- Connect your iPhone to MacBook, and create an Internet network for your iPhone and Mac.
- Launch your Terminal in your MacBook and enter the command of “iproxy 22 44”.
- Now you need to use the iPhonePass tool to remove the screen lock. Double-click and remove or delete “deliphonepass.sh”.

Mobitrix LockAway - Launch Checkra1n and click Start to Jailbreak your iPhone

Mobitrix LockAway - Installing jailbreak

Mobitrix LockAway - Installing jailbreak

Mobitrix LockAway - Installing jailbreak
And that’s it, your iPhone is unlocked and you now have access to your personal data without worrying about losing it. Now reset the code and use your iPhone as before.
Part 5- How To Unlock A Disabled iPhone Without Computer?
There is another method to get access to your disabled device through the “Apple’s Find my iPhone” service. This method does not require a PC. Nothing is needed, just log into the website or app on another device and the problem is solved! Your iPhone is enabled.
Advantages
- It is a feature provided by Apple.
- It’s safe and free.
- The web-side operation, regardless of device limitations.
Disadvantages:
- The locked iPhone has the Find My feature enabled.
- The Apple ID and password of the locked iPhone are required.
- The locked iPhone is connected to the internet.
- This method will delete all the data in your iPhone, which may lead to the loss of some data which was not backed up in time.
Steps to Unlock your phone:
Follow the steps and get yourself out of this frustrating “your iPhone is disabled” situation.
- Visit icloud.com/find and login with your Apple ID.
- At the top, tap All Devices and choose the device you wish to restore.
- Select Erase iPhone, and confirm.
- Provide your Apple ID password.
- Once you finish the erasing process, it will automatically turn on.

disabled iphone with icloud all devices

erase iphone passcode using find my iphone
At this point, your disabled iPhone has been erased and it will also remove the passcode from your device. Then you can configure the device from scratch and restore your iPhone's data and content from your most recent backup.
Part 6 FAQS About "iPhone is disabled connect to iTunes"

faqs
1. How many times is a disabled iPhone caused by a wrong password?
Check the following table to know more about entering wrong passcodes.
Wrong passcode | Disable Duration | Method |
---|---|---|
5 times in a row | iPhone is disabled for 1 minute | Wait and try again |
7 times in a row | iPhone is disabled for 5 minutes | Wait and try again |
8 times in a row | iPhone is disabled for 15 minutes | Wait and try again |
9 times in a row | iPhone is disabled for 60 minutes | Wait and try again |
10 times in a row | iPhone is indefinitely disabled | Reset (erase) iPhone |
2. What is self-destruction mode?
This is a protection mechanism provided by Apple to prevent others from accessing your phone by guessing the password. If this mode in your phone is enabled, your iPhone will erase all information, media, and personal settings after 10 consecutive failed passcode attempts.
You can set or close this mode easily. To learn more, visit Apple’s official website.
By following any one of the methods discussed above, you would use your iPhone and surpass its passcode whenever says "iPhone is disabled connect to iTunes".
In the end, I would recommend using Mobitrix LockAway to resolve the problem. My 30-minute unlock experience is a good example. With just a few clicks, your iPhone will be enabled in no time!
Well, that's all I have to share. I hope my experience can help you unlock your iPhone without taking a detour!