What to do when your iPhone 6s Plus is disabled and you’re locked out due to incorrect password entries? [Troubleshooting Guide]

Got an iPhone 6s plus is disabled error or being locked out or? Find some ways on how to fix as you read further on this article.

While security features are essential in keeping your device information secure, they can also get you into some trouble especially when not used accordingly. Keying in the wrong passcode for several times on your iPhone for instance would result to you being locked out of your iPhone and your device disabled. What should you do when you get into this situation? Read on to find out.

Mobile devices are now considered an alternative storage for digital contents including photos, videos, music, and even personal and confidential information. Aside from being handy, new smartphones are already equipped with high storage capacity to allocate various files including multimedia contents, photos, videos, music, and more. These are just a few plus factors of having a smartphone like the iPhone 6s Plus, not to mention its sophisticated design. And for this same reason, these smartphones are also equipped with a number of security features from unlocking the screen to using of certain apps. The integration of these security features is indeed essential given the rising threats of identify theft from various online entities. Typically, security features entrenched into mobile devices like the iPhone 6s Plus need to be configured beforehand. This denotes that you will need to set them up first so as to have them enabled or activated on your device.

Highlighted in this post are possible solutions to a pertinent security issue with the iPhone 6s Plus in which the device gets disabled due to successive incorrect passcode inputs upon unlocking the iPhone. Keep reading to find out what to do when you’re locked out of your iPhone and your device is disabled due to incorrect password entries.

But before anything else, if you have a different issue with your device, visit the troubleshooting page we’ve setup for the iPhone 6s Plus. We list down every problem we address each week in that page so try to see if we’ve already addressed your concern before. If we did, try to use the solutions we suggested and if they won’t work, then you may contact us by filling up this form.  

Solution: Erase your iPhone 6s Plus

Typically, you are given a maximum of six attempts to enter the password to unlock your iPhone screen. After six consecutive incorrect password inputs will prompt you with a message saying that your iPhone is disabled and then you’re locked out of your iPhone. Unfortunately, there is only one solution you can use to deal with this situation. And that option is to wipe or erase your iPhone. Unless you have created a backup of your device before you got your iPhone 6s Plus is disabled error, there is no other way for you to recover files and personal information stored on your device. The recommended solution denotes that all of your data and settings will be erased.

In this regard, you will need to use either of these two Apple services for iOS device management — iTunes or iCloud. In the case when your iPhone is lost and connected to Wi-Fi or cellular network, you can use Find My iPhone to erase your device remotely and prevent others from access to the information you saved in it.

When you erase your iPhone 6s Plus, the passcode you have set up on your device will also be removed along with other contents. After the process, you will have your iPhone good as new.

To give you some clues on which method is best applicable to you, here are some guidelines for your reference:

  • iTunes – this option is recommended to if your iPhone is synced with iTunes.
  • iCloud – this option is recommended if you’re signed into iCloud and Find My iPhone is turned on or enabled on your device.
  • Recovery Mode – this option is recommended if you don’t use iCloud and you cannot sync or connect your iPhone with iTunes.

Just pick the best applicable option to your situation.

How to erase your iPhone 6s Plus passcode with iTunes?

If you prefer to use iTunes to erase your iPhone and remove the passcode at the same time, then you should secure a computer beforehand. You can use either Mac or Windows PC for as long as it runs the latest version of operating system available. Another requisite is the iTunes program installed on the computer must be the latest version. Otherwise, update iTunes on your computer. Once all these requirements are met, proceed with the following steps to erase your iPhone 6s Plus with iTunes and remove the passcode on your device.

  • Connect your iPhone 6s Plus to the computer. As much as possible, use only the USB cable or connector that comes with your device (Apple-supplied or OEM).
  • Open iTunes on your computer.
  • If prompted, enter the correct password.
  • Wait for iTunes to sync and create a backup of your iPhone.
  • Once the sync and backup processes have completed, click the option to Restore [your iPhone 6s Plus].
  • When prompted with the Set Up screen while restoring your iPhone, tap the option to Restore from iTunes backup. Doing so will let you restore your iPhone 6s Plus from a previous iOS backup you’ve created in iTunes.
  • Select your device in iTunes, locate the backup you prefer to use. Each backup contains the date and file size. You can use this information when choosing which backup file to use. Be sure to pick the most relevant backup for your device.
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What if contents won’t sync with iTunes?

If your iPhone 6s Plus or some contents won’t sync with iTunes, here’s what you should do:

  • Verify and ensure that your computer is authorized for the content(s) that you are trying to sync. Some computers are not authorized to process certain file types and as a result, these contents won’t sync with iTunes.

Normally, iPhone contents would sync  each time your device is connected to the computer and open iTunes. But there are also other file types or contents that don’t sync in iTunes. Among them are mail accounts, bookmarks and notes. Often times, an error prompt saying that syncing has failed or iTunes cannot copy the file to your device will appear when attempting to sync these files with iTunes and then syncing won’t go through. Pertinent error codes as including iTunes error -5000, -69, 13010 and 13014 might also show up. If by any chance, you’ll get to see any of these error codes, try to check and ensure that you are using the latest iTunes version and the computer’s operating system is updated. Other possible solutions to these iTunes errors are explicated on a separate troubleshooting article.

  • Disable antivirus or configure security software settings. Another thing to check in this case are security software installed on the computer you are using. Antivirus or firewalls can also trigger any of these errors to show up while using iTunes for iOS device management.

As possible remedy, you can try to temporarily disable the antivirus or firewall and then try to sync your iPhone with iTunes again without a security software running on the computer. Or if you are already familiar with the software, then you can just configure the settings or set permissions to grant your iPhone full access to the computer system and iTunes controls. After doing so, try to sync your iPhone with iTunes again and check if iPhone 6s Plus is disabled problem has been resolved.

If that doesn’t work, you may consider other alternatives. This is also where iCloud plays its role. Instead of using iTunes, you can manage and sync your iPhone contents across your device with iCloud.

How to remove your iPhone 6s Plus passcode using iCloud?

When it comes to iOS device restoration and update, iCloud is deemed the next best alternative to iTunes. However, you can also resort to using iCloud and remove your iPhone passcode if you have set up and enabled Find My iPhone on your device beforehand. If you do, then you’re good to go. All you need is to secure another device and then follow these steps:

  • From another device, navigate to iCloud.com/find.
  • Enter your Apple ID and password to sign in.
  • Click All Devices located at the top of your browser screen.
  • Scroll to and select the device you want to erase. In this case, select your iPhone 6s Plus.
  • Next, click Erase [iPhone 6s Plus. Doing so will erase your device and its passcode.
  • After the device is erased, you may now opt to restore from a backup or set up your device as new.

Should you wish to restore from a backup, you will be prompted to choose from previous iOS backups you’ve created and use the most applicable backup file. Otherwise, you can just set up your iPhone as new.

How to remove your iPhone 6s Plus passcode using recovery mode?

Another alternative platform you can use to erase your iPhone and remove passcode is recovery mode. In order to proceed, you will need a computer (Windows or Mac) that runs the latest iTunes version. Once you’ve got everything set, follow these steps:

  • Connect your iPhone 6s Plus to the computer using the supplied USB cable.
  • Open iTunes on the computer.
  • Wait until iTunes recognizes your iPhone.
  • When recognized, force your iPhone 6s Plus to restart by pressing and holding the Sleep/Wake (Power) button and Home button simultaneously. Don’t release the buttons when the Apple logo appears. Wait until the Recovery Mode screen shows up and then release both buttons.
  • If prompted with the option to Restore or Update, select Restore. Doing so will trigger iTunes to download the appropriate software for your device.

Normally, the entire process gets done in fifteen minutes. If it is already beyond 15 minutes, your iPhone will exit recovery mode and you will need to repeat the steps on force restart up to selecting the option to Restore your iPhone.

Wait until the iPhone restore is finished and then proceed with setting up your device for use.

Seek More Help to fix iPhone 6s Plus is disabled error

If none of these methods is able to help or you’re still locked out of your iPhone 6s Plus and your device remains disabled, at this point you should consider escalating the problem to Apple Support. Apparently, there’s nothing more you can do to rectify the problem on your end. Or you can also contact your iPhone carrier for other options or ask them to reset the passcode for you instead.