If you have recently lost a friend or family member, you may be trying to access your loved one’s phone, computer or tablet to retrieve personal data you left behind. Whether you’re looking for photos, passwords or other information, it’s annoying not knowing a password to access them easily.
I’ve gathered together the steps you need to follow to unlock an Apple device if its owner dies.

A man holds an iPhone in Rottweil, Baden-Württemberg, December 2022.
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How to unlock an iPhone, iPad or Mac without a passcode
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This first step is only for the late owner of the device. backed up data to iCloud. While it’s easy to turn on automatic backups, sometimes Apple users forget Doing so and photos and data can only live on a phone, tablet or computer.
If you don’t know the owner’s password or passphrase, check if you have iCloud login. An iCloud sign-in uses email, so try common passwords or see if it goes off the password list.
If you have access to an iCloud login and have backed up its information, you can access a lot of data, including photos, on iCloud.com. Check if any of the owner’s devices are automatically signed into iCloud, and if not, follow the steps below.
Using iCloud.com to access data
Go to iCloud.com on a different device. It is best to do this on a computer
login using owner’s Apple ID
If you log in successfully, you’ll likely be able to access the user’s Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Photos, Cloud Drive, Notes, Reminders, and a few other apps if they’ve used it.
You can download photos directly from iCloud.com.
If you don’t have access to an Apple ID but have access to the user’s email, check if the login information is automatically saved on any of their devices, such as another computer or tablet.

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Using an email to access iPhone, iPad, Mac data
Go to iCloud.com on a different device; it is best to do this on a computer
Forgot your Apple ID or Password?
Use the user’s iCloud email address to reset the password
Open the user’s email account and you should see the email with instructions to reset an iCloud account.
After new sign-in, use iCloud.com to sign in and follow the above steps to use an iCloud account to access data.
Did the owner of the device have a former contact?
Many Apple users An old person may not know that you can set up on your devices in the event of an unexpected death. If the owner of the device has set an old person, accessing this data will be very easy. Legacy contacts are available on iOS 15.2, iPadOS 15.2, or macOS 12.1 or later.
If your deceased loved one had a legacy contact, visit Apple’s digital heritage to request access.

A guest is holding a new iPhone 14 at an Apple event at its headquarters in Cupertino, California, on September 2. 7, 2022.
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Pro tip for Apple users: Set up an old contact if you haven’t already.
Request access to a device without an iCloud login
If none of the above steps worked and you want Request access from Apple A court order may be required to access your deceased loved one’s iCloud login information.
In the court order, you must provide the following information:
Name and Apple ID of the deceased
Name of the next of kin who requested access to the decedent’s account
The deceased is a user of all accounts associated with the Apple ID
The requester is the legal personal representative, agent or successor of the decedent whose authorization constitutes “legal consent”

An iPhone 6s Plus at an Apple retail store in Palo Alto, California, in September 2017. 25, 2015.
(REUTERS/Robert Galbraith)
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Apple is then instructed by the court to assist in gaining access to the decedent’s information from the decedent’s accounts. The court decision must be communicated to the relevant authority. related Apple entities.
You can try visiting an Apple Store or contact Apple Support to see alternative options.
How do you give loved ones access to your data?
In the event of an emergency or death, you want to make sure your loved ones can still access your data. Make sure someone you trust writes down your login and/or passwords in a safe, protected place. That way, they can still access your photos and other phone apps without having to go through a court order or complex reset process.
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If your phone provider offers a legacy communication option, set it up now.
If you use social media, platforms like Facebook give you the option to name someone after you. old person.