Annoying things do happen in life and in a very unpredictable manner and one of the most frustrating things is getting locked out of your own mobile device. 

Imagine picking up your iPhone after a long tiring day at work and ending up with a message, “iPhone is disabled. Try again in a few minutes/Connect to iTunes“. That would be the last thing you wished would have happened to you after an exhausting day.

There can be multiple reasons why your iPhone is displaying such a message. Some of the most common reasons why this may happen are,

• You tried entering the passcode to access your iPhone and ended up entering a wrong passcode for more than five times. Failed attempts less than ten times disables your iPhone for a specific amount of time. However, 10 failed attempts ask you to connect your iPhone to iTunes for enabling your device. 
• Due to the pocket disabling which occurs while your iPhone is in your pockets which your hands are often used to be in while accidentally sliding the touch inside the pocket and ending up typing a wrong passcode.
• Unknowingly even if it’s not your mistake because someone around you has tried to access your phone and have made multiple failed attempts to unlock your phone without your concern.

In this guide, we will show you five ways on how you can fix the iPhone is disabled. Connect to iTunes error.

Without further ado, let’s jump right in.

“iPhone is disabled. Connect to iTunes” Error: 5 Ways

1. Wait It Out.

If you are stuck with a message saying, “iPhone is disabled. Try again in 1, 5, 15 or 60 minutes” due to 5, 7, 8 or 9 failed attempts. The best way is to just wait for the specified time and later try unlocking your iPhone.

In the case of 10 failed attempts when the message displayed on your iPhone is, “iPhone is disabled. Connect to iTunes” you can carry out any one of the five methods below and try fixing the error in your iPhone.

Note

Before proceeding with the below steps, we suggest making a backup using iTunes beforehand as the methods below may result in you losing your data. Here’s a guide by Apple themselves on how to backup your iPhone using iTunes.

After successfully completing all the steps mentioned in the instruction window, your iPhone will restart as a completely new iPhone. Follow the usual iPhone setup process and choose the most recent backup of your data available on either iTunes or iCloud.

Note

If you get an error message saying “Find My iPhone must be turned off” after choosing the Restore iPhone option from the summary tab, you will have to try fixing your device using iCloud or by using recovery mode.

You may try once again to sign in to your iPhone to see if your iPhone is still disabled.

2. Using iCloud to Reclaim Your Disabled iPhone.

This is an alternative method to getting around the disabled iPhone issue and subsequently fixing it. You can use this approach only if you have set up “Find My iPhone” on your iPhone.

Do take note that this method will erase all the data on your iPhone completely. Hence it is best if you can backup your iPhone beforehand using iTunes. Apple has written a great guide on how to backup your iPhone using iTunes, which you should definitely look at. 

1. Go ahead and visit https://www.icloud.com/find then log in using your Apple ID and password.
2. Next, click on the All Devices option present at the top of the screen.
3. Choose amongst the devices your iPhone as the one that you are trying to fix. Then click on the Erase this iPhone option and then hit Erase.

4. Now authenticate the confirmation with your Apple ID and password. The device will now be empty, and you have to set up your device just the way you would set up a new device.

Once you have carried out all the steps mentioned above, try to restore the most recent backup of your data from either iTunes or iCloud.

3. Entering Recovery Mode.

You can try fixing your issue using the recovery mode approach if you have not synced your iPhone with iTunes or have not set up “Find My Phone” using iCloud.

Do take note that this method will erase all the data on your iPhone completely. Hence it is best if you can backup your iPhone beforehand using iTunes. Apple has written a great guide on how to backup your iPhone using iTunes, which you should definitely look at.

Here’s how you enter Recovery Mode using your iPhone:

1. Firstly, connect the USB cable to your PC and make sure the other end of the USB cable is not connected to your iPhone (we have a few things to do beforehand). Then proceed to launch iTunes on your PC.
2. Now depending on your iPhone, you can enter recovery mode in two ways:

• If you’re on an iPhone which has a Home button, then press the Side button and the Home button on your iPhone to power off your iPhone. Once your iPhone is switched off, leave the Side button and just keep on pressing the Home button or until your iPhone goes into recovery mode. This will power off your iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, iPhone 7, iPhone 8.
• If you’re on an iPhone without a Home button then this can be done by pressing and quickly releasing the Volume Up button and then press and quickly release the Volume Down button. In the end, press and hold the Side button until the recovery mode screen appears. This will power off your iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone 11 or iPhone 11 Pro.

3. Awesome! Now plug-in the other end of the USB cable to your iPhone.  iTunes would now display a message box asking you if you want to Update your iPhone or Restore it.
4. Simply, select the Restore option and wait till your iPhone is completely restored.

Note

If it takes more than 15 minutes, your device will exit recovery mode and you’ll need to repeat steps 2-4 above.

After the download is successful, your device will be restored and will start off as a brand new device. You can then restore your most recent backup of data from either iTunes or iCloud.

4. Using Your Existing iTunes Backup (If You Have One).

If the fixes above do not work for you, you can try this approach of backing up your data on iTunes.

1. Connect your iPhone to your PC via USB cable and launch iTunes.
2. Right-click on the icon of your device on the top left corner of your iTunes screen.
3. Select the Back-up option from the dropdown.
4. After choosing the backup option, a message window will pop-up saying, “iPhone is locked with a passcode, please try again later”.
5. At the time the message pops-up on your PC screen, you will be allowed to enter your passcode on your iPhone.
6. You can then enter the correct passcode and unlock your iPhone.

Once you’ve carried the above steps, you may try once again to enter your iPhone. 

5. Using iTunes Sync.

If all the above-mentioned fixes fail to resolve your problem. You can still try to fix the problem by trying to sync your iPhone with iTunes.

1. Connect your iPhone to your PC via USB cable and launch iTunes.
2. Right-click on the icon of your device on the top left corner of your iTunes screen.
3. Select the Sync option from the dropdown.
4. After choosing the Sync option, you would be allowed to enter your passcode on your iPhone.

You can then enter the correct passcode and unlock your iPhone. After following the above steps try entering the correct passcode to unlock your iPhone.

6. If All Else Fails, Contact or Visit Apple Support. 

If you tried all of the above methods but you still find that the “iPhone is disabled. Connect to iTunes” error persists, then a quick trip to your nearest Apple Authorized Service provider should be able to clarify and inspect what’s going on or if you’re a new iPhone buyer then will a replacement is allowed.

If you feel like not wasting your time going all the way to the shop and then talking with them and you would much prefer an online solution, then why not try contacting them for assistance. 

Jump onto Apple’s Get Support website, click iPhone, then click System Performance and then select The topic is not listed option to chat with them.

Feel free to go through the many tips and advice from the many helpful comments posted by others who had the same issue below. Let us know below if you found a better option and we will update the article with your credit.

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