Unlock a disable iPhone XS Max using macOS finder

Ian Lv13

Unlock Disabled iPhone XS Max Using iTunes or macOS Finder

Of course, there is an official way that Apple provides for users to restore device firmware using iTunes or macOS Finder. For this, iPhone XS Max is put under Recovery Mode manually and Finder or iTunes is used to reinstall software on it directly from Apple. This process is fine for people who are conversant in tech, since this process can throw up a lot of errors that are just numbers, and people can get confused as to what they mean, resulting in frustration.

  • Step 1: Connect your iPhone XS Max to a Windows/ macOS device and launch iTunes. If you are on a Mac that runs macOS Catalina or higher, open Finder since you would not have access to iTunes anymore.

  • Step 2: Pick your iPhone XS Max and do the following:

    • (2.1) Press the volume up button and let it go.
    • (2.2) Press the volume down button and let it go.
    • (2.3) Press the Side Button (power button, on the right side of your iPhone XS Max) and keep it pressed till Finder or iTunes detects the phone in Recovery Mode.

Unlock Disabled iPhone XS Max Using iTunes or macOS Finder

  • Step 3: Choose Restore to download and reinstall the latest iOS on your iPhone XS Max and unlock your iPhone XS Max.

When the iPhone XS Max reboots, it will be reset to factory settings, and you can set it up again as you did when brand new.

Unlock Disabled iPhone XS Max Without A Computer

here are millions in the world who do not use the traditional computer so to speak. They have entered the post-PC era as they say, and their needs are met without a regular desktop or a laptop. They live wirelessly. They travel the world. Are you one of them? How would you unlock disabled iPhone XS Max with no desktop/ laptop computer around? You have a few options.

You can use your other iOS device with Find My iPhone app to unlock your disabled iPhone XS Max or you can use the iCloud website from your other device and Find iPhone app to unlock your disabled iPhone XS Max.

The second option is to get a loaner device from someone you know. A loaner device is a device you borrow from someone to use for a purpose and return it when you are done with it. In this case, you can ask for a computer from someone you know and use it to unlock your disabled iPhone XS Max and return the device back. That way, you can use iTunes or macOS Finder if you’re more favorable to using that method.

When using a computer, the simplest, easiest, most flexible, and robust method to unlock disabled iPhone XS Max is using third-party tools such as Dr.Fone – Screen Unlock (iOS). However, Dr.Fone is not just for troubleshooting and unlocking your disabled devices. Dr.Fone is like that multi-utility knife that can do a variety of things.

Using Dr.Fone you can not only unlock your iPhone XS Max with ease, you can also use it periodically as a backup and restore tool that gives power in your hands. How does it do that? When you launched Dr.Fone , you had several modules to choose from and you chose Screen Unlock to unlock your disabled device. Instead of that, you can choose the Phone Backup module to backup and restore data from and to your device. Why would you use a third-party tool to backup and restore?

As you may be aware, using iTunes or macOS Finder allows you to backup and restore data onto your iPhone easily, but, the one glaring omission here is that it does not allow you to choose what you want to backup and what you want to restore. This is a much-coveted feature that is glaringly absent from the Apple world so far, and with Dr.Fone ‘s iOS Phone Backup feature you can have that choice in your hands, just like you do with Android. Dr.Fone allows you to choose what you want to backup, so, you can back up just your photos, just your text messages, just your files, or any combination thereof, for the matter. And, when it comes to restore, you can restore selectively as well. So, suppose you backed up your entire data using Dr.Fone , now you can restore just the text messages if you so want.

Unlock Disabled iPhone XS Max Using iCloud Website

unlock your disabled iPhone XS Max is using the iCloud website to gain access back. This is a fairly easy way and doesn’t require going through complex hoops.

Find My is available both online via the iCloud website and on iOS devices and on Macs. In case the only Apple product you own is the currently disabled iPhone XS Max, you can use Find My on the iCloud website from any other computer you may have to unlock your disabled iPhone XS Max.

  • Step 1: Visit https://icloud.com and log in into the same iCloud account/ Apple ID as the disabled iPhone XS Max.

  • Step 2: Go to Find My, select your iPhone XS Max.

Select your iphone

  • Step 3: Click Erase iPhone and confirm.

This will start the wipe process on your iPhone remotely and your iPhone will be reset to factory settings. You can now proceed to setup your iPhone once again.

Unlock Disabled iPhone XS Max Using Find My iPhone App

There are times you have another iOS device in the family or just lying around, you can use that device to unlock your disabled iPhone XS Max. This method is particularly useful if you’re traveling with family or alone, and only have family members with their own iOS devices or, say, your iPad with you. As always, note that all these methods will wipe your data from your iPhone.

  • Step 1: Open the Find My app on your other iOS device or Mac.

Open the Find My app on your other iOS device or Mac

  • Step 2: Select your disabled iPhone XS Max from the devices from the left pane, click/ tap your disabled iPhone XS Max and click/ tap Erase This Device

The disabled iPhone will be wiped and reset to factory settings. You can then set it up again.

Prevent iPhone From Getting Disabled Again

After all this to get access back, you might think let’s go passcode-less and prevent the hassle. Don’t do that - that’s worse and unsafe. Instead, here are tips you can use to make sure you don’t accidentally disable your iPhone XS Max again.

  • Tip 1: About Passcodes

1.1 Set a passcode that is easier to remember for you but difficult to think of for thieves and others.
1.2 Never use birthdates, years, vehicle numbers or any such numbers that may be easily tried by others.
1.3 Never use repeating numbers.
1.4 Do not use your ATM PIN as your phone passcode either. Think of some digits or combination that makes sense to you and only you. And then use it.

  • Tip 2: Use Face ID

Along with Passcode comes the option of Face ID on your iPhone XS Max, so use that. That will minimize instances for you to enter your passcode, and may make you forget it again, though. So, make sure that the passcode you set does make sense to you and you can remember it always without effort.

Not all of us have the memory of elephants. With Touch ID and Face ID on our iPhones minimizing the use of passcodes, we may forget them. Another factor in forgetting passcodes is being too smart for our own good and trying to set up such a secure passcode that even we are not able to remember it. If we enter incorrect passcode too many times, the iPhone disables itself and we need to restore it to factory settings to unlock it again. There are several ways to do that, depending on the time you are willing to spend on the job and your proficiency level, along with the resources that you have with you right now. For example, if a method requires use of another iOS device and you do not have it, that method is not useful to you right now, pick another. Lastly, when the device is reset, instead of going passcode-less to make sure that you do not forget the passcode again, it is best to set up a passcode that you can somehow remember.

Unlock Disabled iPhone XS Max Without iTunes/ iCloud

We know and understand that the word troubleshooting can remind you of long telephone calls with support or making appointments and driving down to specialists and spending obscene amounts of money to get solutions. You do not want that. How about a way you could unlock your iPhone XS Max in a simple, 1-click way instead?

Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (iOS) is a tool that can help you unlock your iPhone XS Max without iTunes or iCloud. It is a simple and easy-to-use tool that can help you unlock your iPhone XS Max in a few minutes. It is a safe and reliable tool that can help you unlock your iPhone XS Max without any data loss. It is compatible with all iOS devices and all versions of iOS. It is a simple and easy-to-use tool that can help you unlock your iPhone XS Max in a few minutes. It is a safe and reliable tool that can help you unlock your iPhone XS Max without any data loss. It is compatible with all iOS devices and all versions of iOS.

  • Step 1: Launch Dr.Fone and click the module titled "Screen Unlock"

  • Step 2: Choose the "iOS" option, then select "Unlock iOS Screen" on the subsequent screen to continue unlocking your iPhone XS Max.

Unlock iOS Screen

  • Step 3: Follow the provided instructions to start the disabled iPhone XS Max in Recovery Mode to unlock it. If for any reason the phone does not boot in Recovery Mode, there are instructions provided at the bottom to enter what is called DFU mode.

Enter Recovery Mode

  • Step 4: Dr.Fone will read and display your phone model and the software installed on it. If the model displayed is incorrect, use the dropdown to pick the correct detail. Click "Start" to download the specific firmware file for your particular iPhone XS Max model.

Download Firmware

  • Step 5: After the download completes, please click Unlock Now to start unlocking the disabled iPhone XS Max.

Unlock Now

Your iPhone XS Max will be unlocked in a short span of time. Please note that all data would have been wiped out from the device. When you set the device up again, if you set it to use iCloud, data such as Contacts, iCloud Photos, iCloud Drive data, etc. will be downloaded onto your device again. The apps you had on your iPhone XS Max prior to it getting disabled can be downloaded again from the App Store. If you did not use iCloud but backed up the data manually, you will have to manually restore that data onto the device again.

Unlock iPhone XS Max without Passcode or Face ID

A problem commonly faced by all iPhone users is that they forget the password, and then they are stuck because they cannot use their phone anymore. This might seem impossible because iPhone users cannot use the phone without a passcode, but let us show you a magical application that makes this impossible.

Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock, the well-known application among most iPhone users, can resolve the problem quickly. This is a very secure platform for iPhone users because it promises to safeguard user’s personal information. The application is easy to use, that even a new person can use it without facing any trouble. Let us highlight its features.

  • It runs on all major iOS versions.
  • It can unlock the phone. It doesn’t matter if it’s second-hand or if you forgot the password.
  • Easy to handle and use, no technical skills are required.
  • It can even unlock a disabled phone without using its passcode.

This might be possible that not all iPhone users know about Dr.Fone – Screen Unlock, so, for such users, let us take you through the steps that are required to unlock iPhone XS Max using Dr.Fone – Screen Unlock without a passcode.

  • Step 1: Download and Install the Application

First of all, the user is supposed to download Dr.Fone – Screen Unlock from its official website and install it on your Windows or Mac system. Once it is installed, the application is all set and ready to use; launch it in the time of need and unlock your iPhone XS Max without a passcode.

After the application is launched, the Welcome Screen will appear with different options. The user is requested to select the option of ‘Screen Unlock.’

Screen Unlock

  • Step 2: Connect Phone with System

In the second step, the user should connect their phone to the system and let Dr.Fone ‘s application automatically detect it. Whenever you are ready to initiate the process, click on the button ‘Unlock iOS Screen.’

Connect Phone

  • Step 3: DFU Mode Activation

Once the application has detected your iPhone XS Max, you now need to activate the DFU mode. Step by step illustration on how to activate DFU mode is shared on-screen.

DFU Mode

  • Step 4: Download Firmware Update

A new window will appear now on which the application will ask for some information regarding your iOS device. Provide the application with asked information and click on the ‘Download’ button to get the firmware update for your iPhone XS Max.

Download Firmware

The user is requested to wait for some time, as the firmware update is being downloaded for your phone. Once that is done, now click on the ‘Unlock Now’ button to complete the process.

Unlock Now

  • Step 5: Confirmation Code

The application will now ask for the confirmation code. Just provide the on-screen confirmation code and let the process complete itself. As soon as that is done, the application will notify you through the interface. The process can also be repeated by clicking on the ‘Try Again’ button.

Confirmation Code

Bypassing Activation Lock using official methods (iPhone XS Max)

An Activation Lock is not the end of the world, as Apple might have you believe. Nothing in the world is perfect, except for the world itself. As such, there are ways to bypass Activation Lock on an Apple device that you bought used, and the previous owner forgot to unlock or did so intentionally and is now trying to fleece you for more money to unlock it. Or an employee who just left the job surrendered their iPhone XS Max but forgot to erase the device before submitting and consequently, the device is still associated with their Apple ID, and you need to bypass Activation Lock for that iPhone XS Max to make it useable again. There are a few ways you can go about it.

Bypassing Activation Lock Using Apple ID

Disabling Activation Lock on iPhone XS Max is easy if you have the Apple ID credentials that are associated with the iPhone XS Max.

Bypassing Activation Lock Using Apple ID

  • Step 1: Enter device Recovery Mode and Restore the device to factory settings.
  • Step 2: When you set up the device again, you will be required to sign in to the Apple ID associated with the device. Do that and you are golden!

Bypassing Activation Lock from iCloud Website

You may also do away with Activation Lock using the Find My iPhone app in iCloud remotely by erasing the device and removing the device from the associated iCloud account.

  • Step 1: Visit the iCloud website on a computer at https://icloud.com .
  • Step 2: Sign In and go to Find iPhone.

Bypassing Activation Lock from iCloud Website

  • Step 3: Click All Devices and select the device that was sold to the user.
  • Step 4: Click Erase iPhone and if the device is still there after the erase is complete, click Remove From Account.

Erase iPhone

This process requires that the data service be functional on the iPhone in question, otherwise, this will not work. When the process is done, restart the iPhone and set it up with your Apple ID to remove the lock.

Bypassing Activation Lock Using Microsoft Intune

If you are an IT administrator and are using Microsoft services, you may have given employees iPhones. When employees leave or are made to leave, it is possible that the devices they leave behind are still signed in with a password only they know. There is a way Apple provides for Microsoft Intune to disable Activation Lock for corporate devices.

Bypassing Activation Lock Using Microsoft Intune

  • Step 1: Sign in to the admin center on Microsoft Endpoint Manager.
  • Step 2: Select Devices under Intune.
  • Step 3: Select All Devices.
  • Step 4: Locate the device you want to disable the lock for, and under the Hardware section, copy the Activation Lock Bypass Code given under Conditional Access.
  • Step 5: Under the Overview pane of the device, select Wipe.
  • Step 6: When the device resets, it prompts for the Apple ID and password. Leave the ID blank and enter the bypass code as a password.

The device will be reset, and employees can set it up again with a new Apple ID.

How to use Face ID on iPhone XS Max to make purchases in App Store, Book Store, and iTunes Store

  • Step1: Check if Face ID is enabled for purchases in these stores by going to Settings > Face ID & Passcode and ensuring that iTunes and App Store are toggled On.

  • Step2: On any of these stores, when you tap on the option to buy some content, a payment confirmation popup will be displayed along with instructions to authenticate yourself using Face ID.

The instructions are simple: press the side button twice to authenticate yourself using your Face ID and make the purchase.
When done, a satisfying ting and a checkmark will confirm the action.

How to Unlock Apple ID on iPhone XS Max

How to Unlock Apple ID

It is unfortunate you are facing a locked Apple ID. Apple tries its best to make users aware of safety protocols they need to follow to minimize and mitigate such unfortunate occurrences, such as using two-factor authentication, trusted devices, trusted phone numbers, passwords, passcodes, etc. that serve as deterrents to prevent unauthorized access to devices and accounts. Yet, when the unfortunate happens, what to do?

Here are the steps to unlock your Apple ID:

Unlock Apple ID Via Two-Factor Authentication

Apple implemented two-factor authentication a long time ago to prevent unauthorized access to Apple ID accounts. If you have it enabled, you would be able to use two-factor authentication to unlock your Apple ID again.

https://iforgot.apple.com

  • Step 2: Key in your Apple ID and proceed.

  • Step 3: Confirm your mobile number associated with the Apple ID.

Confirm your mobile number

If you have another device associated with the Apple ID and it is a trusted device, you can now receive instructions to proceed with a two-factor code on that device.

Two-factor code

  • Step 4: Use that code to unlock your Apple ID using two-factor authentication.

Unlock Apple ID Via a third party tool

Dr.Fone is a name that will be instantly familiar to anyone who has ever had any issue with their mobile devices and would be able to vouch for the quality and efficacy of this software at fixing issues quickly and efficiently.

Dr.Fone is a collection of carefully crafted modules that helps you when most needed. Ranging from helping you wipe your devices securely with Data Eraser to maintain your privacy when you sell your device or give it to service and helping you erase not just junk on your device but also user data such as SMS (whether single or batch) to free up some space on your iPhone XS Max, to Phone Transfer that helps you to easily transfer data you’re your old phone to your new iPhone 13 including restoring from iCloud Backups, Dr.Fone is a venerable utility from Wondershare that does it all and lives up to its name. Naturally, this tool was designed to help you unlock your Apple ID as well.

  • Step 1: Download Dr.Fone .

  • Step 2: Launch Dr.Fone and select the Screen Unlock module.

Screen Unlock

  • Step 3: Click Unlock Apple ID to start the process.

Unlock Apple ID

  • Step 4: Connect your device to the computer and wait for Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (iOS) to detect it. You must know the passcode of your device.

Connect your device

You will be asked on your iPhone XS Max to Trust the computer, and then you will need to enter the passcode.

  • Step 5: Unlocking Apple ID via Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (iOS) will erase the contents of the device. You need to confirm this by typing six zeroes (000 000) in the popup.

Unlock Apple ID

  • Step 6: Follow the on-screen instructions to reset all your settings on the iPhone and then reboot to start the unlocking process.

Reset all settings

Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (iOS) will notify you when the process is complete.

Reasons for Locked Apple ID

There can be a few reasons why your Apple ID is locked. You forgot the password and now it is locked since you entered the wrong password too many times. A scarier prospect, albeit a real one, is that some malicious actor attempted to login into your Apple ID account but failed. Had they succeeded, you would have gotten a message that ‘your Apple ID is being used on another device’ now.

Apple does a lot to ensure that your Apple ID remains safe. You trust Apple with a lot of your data, including financial data by way of your credit cards associated with Apple ID to make purchases on the App Store and iTunes Store. Therefore, some of the time, Apple preempts issues by proactively locking up your Apple ID or even disabling it. It goes without saying that sometimes it is something so simple as a software error that is believed to have locked up Apple IDs for many users around the world a while ago. It is also entirely possible that it was some malicious actor probing the servers for accounts.

All of these will result in a locked Apple ID that users will have to reset their password to in order to gain access back.

What Can You Do with Face ID?

Most of us know that we can unlock iPhone XS Max with our face via Face ID instead of a thumbprint or passcode. But actually, Face ID does more than just that. Let us learn more cool things you can do with Face ID, which helps you to make a decision if you still want to disable it. Here‘s what you can do on your iPhone XS Max with Face ID:

Unlock Your iPhone XS Max

As an authentication mechanism, Face ID enables you to unlock your iPhone XS Max with a look. How to do that? Here are the steps:

  • Step1: Pick your iPhone XS Max up in your hands or tap the screen to wake it up.
  • Step2: Look at the iPhone.
    When the lock symbol changes to the unlocked position, you can swipe up to unlock your iPhone XS Max using Face ID and get to the Home Screen.Note that Face ID will not work in landscape mode on an iPhone XS Max.

Making Purchases Using Face ID on Your iPhone XS Max

Face ID allows you to authenticate yourself to make purchases in the App Store, Book Store, and iTunes Store and use Apple Pay wherever supported.

Lowering Ringer and Alarm Volume Automatically

Face ID also enables what Apple calls Attention Aware features that are conveniences afforded to users who have a Face ID enabled iPhone.

What is Face ID?

Setting up and using Attention Aware features is easy:

  • Step 1: Go to Settings > Face ID and passcode.

  • Step 2: Toggle Require Attention For Face ID On.

  • Step 3: Toggle Attention Aware Features On.

That’s it. Now, when you get a call and your iPhone XS Max is ringing loud, looking at your iPhone XS Max will cause it to lower the volume. When an alarm goes off, you can lower the volume by simply looking at your iPhone. Additionally, your iPhone screen will not dim or switch off for the duration you are looking at it. This means you can now read those books on Kindle without constantly tapping the screen for it to stay awake.

Autofill Passwords and Usernames in Safari and Other Apps

Face ID also allows users to fill passwords in Safari automatically for a faster and more convenient login experience on your iPhone 15/14/13 with Face ID.

Step 1: Go to Settings > Face ID and Passcode and toggle Password Autofill On.

Step 2: Now, when you use Safari to open a website that requires a login, tapping the username field or password field will bring up the keyboard, and on top of that keyboard there will be your credentials for the website if you have saved them in iCloud Passwords. Tap the credentials.

Step 3: Look at your iPhone to authenticate yourself with Face ID and Safari will autofill the credentials for you.

Authenticate Yourself for Third-Party Apps

Face ID is also used for authenticating you for third-party apps that support Face ID. This means you can use Face ID to authenticate yourself for banking apps, password managers, and other apps that support Face ID.

Animojis and Memojis

Up until now, we saw how Face ID enables productivity features and how convenient it is to use it. Now, we come to the fun part - Animojis. Apple launched Face ID in 2017 on the iPhone X with much fanfare and a huge part of that fanfare was Animojis. Over time, Apple brought new capabilities to the iPhone and added Memojis alongside Animojis.

Animojis and Memojis

Animojis are animated emojis. These are made possible with advanced algorithms enabled by the TrueDepth camera in Face ID. Animated emojis or Animojis can mimic your facial expressions and you can use them in your message conversations in apps.

Here‘s how to send Animojis in conversations on your new iPhone XS Max:

Step 1: Open a message conversation in the Messages app.

Step 2: Tap the Memoji button (a character in a yellow frame) and swipe to select the desired Animoji/ Memoji you want to send.

Animojis and Memojis

Step 3: Tap the Record button and you now have 30 seconds to do what you want with your face and the character will reproduce it on screen for you.

Step 4: When done, the Record button changes to Send:

Animojis and Memojis

Tap Send to send your first Memoji/ Animoji.


  • Title: Unlock a disable iPhone XS Max using macOS finder
  • Author: Ian
  • Created at : 2024-02-26 14:43:26
  • Updated at : 2024-05-21 18:21:01
  • Link: https://techidaily.com/unlock-a-disable-iphone-xs-max-using-macos-finder-by-drfone-ios-unlock-ios-unlock/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.