Forgotten pin number to access iPhone. How to access?

[StinkyDonk]

I know there'll be the doubters on the forum but i'll carry on regardless...

Had to change my pin number on my iPhone 5 as i thought a family member knew it but in trying to make it too obscure i can't remember what i set it at. I keep trying combinations & i'm sure it's right but i guess not.

It's a contract phone with Vodafone & it's in my name so there's no issue in proving ownership if that helps.

I'd rather access it without formatting it though as it's been some time since i backed up (stupid i know) so i don't want to lose what's on there.

How can i access it? Thanks.

 

[rigormortis]

backup to itunes
turn off find my iPhone , using the cloud / website
erase phone
restore from backup

if you backed up to iTunes , even if you change the lock code, it will know how to access it and back it up

if itunes does not know how to access it, then your screwed and you have to erase the phone using www.cloud.com or find my iPhone on another iOS device, then restore it.

tip. after backing up, click on
file
device
transfer purchases from iPhone

this will ensure all your software updates you downloaded on the iPhone as well as anything you paid for on the iPhone will be transferred to your library, so you don't have to run all those software updates. you have to use that to send app updates to itunes now. its been that way since itunes 11

when restoring the iPhone , make sure you back up to the same computer you last sync'ed to, that way you won't lose sync'ed content

you can back up to any copy of itunes , but you can only sync content from one itunes library at a time

another thing you need to watch out for , is to make sure all your pictures are backed up or at least imported in iPhoto.

once itunes accesses your locked iPhone , it will allow iPhoto to import the pictures

if you use windows, then windows itunes will have a setting that you can tell it to backup / sync pictures

there is also a setting to copy videos ( that you shot with the camera )

 

[Gav2k]

You can still dfu restore as a last option with find my iPhone still enabled. You'll be prompted for your iCloud password on first boot

 

[StinkyDonk]

Thanks.

I should also have added that i sold the laptop that i had used to backup/sync the phone (formatted before selling of course).

I did get a laptop since this but i never used it to sync/backup my phone as it was always one of those "i'll do it later" moments.

Does this mean i can't do the iTunes approach and the only way is to lose everything on there?

 

[b0fh666]

sounds fishy

 

[Yakibomb]

I'd love to give you the benefit of the doubt OP, but this is increasingly sounding very fishy

 

[StinkyDonk]

I could provide as much evidence as you like. Photo evidence of the contracts, the bank statements, the original purchase, so on & so forth. It's not a problem.

But to jump through all those hoops to only be told at the end of it "sorry it can't be done without losing your data, we just wanted to see if you'd try prove it". Hmm.

 

[Applejuiced]

I should also have added that i sold the laptop that i had used to backup/sync the phone (formatted before selling of course).

Of Course you did....
Nothing you can do then, everything will be gone once you restore it.
Next time do backups or try not to forget your pin or try not to sell your laptop with all your backups and 100 other weird coincidences to go with it.
You cannot get around the passcode lock.

 

[lakaiordie]

only a dfu restore can solve this. and you have to know your itunes/icloud pw.

 

[Jstuts5797]

Lol. I really wanted to give the OP the benefit of the doubt... But as the story continued it got worse...and worse.... And worse...

 

[nightstalkerz]

Do you have iCloud backup turned on?

You can just restore your iPhone and then restore from backup (assuming you know the Apple ID attached to the phone).