Sometimes it may happen that you no longer have access to your Apple ID and iCloud account. You have forgotten the password and cannot recover it. For that reason, you can use account recovery.
Using this recovery function, you assign one or more people you trust as contacts, who can then help you recover your account. If you are in trouble, you can reset your password through them so that you can regain access to your account. Apple can also help you recover data from their servers with the iCloud data recovery service.
Set up account recovery and link contacts
- Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad
- Navigate to your name
- Tap ‘Password & Security’
- Choose ‘Account recovery’
- Tap ‘Add recovery contact’
- Follow the steps on the screen
The recipient must have their own Apple ID. This person will receive a message via Messages, tap the attached card to accept the request.
Account recovery step-by-step plan for macOS
- Go to  ▸ System Settings
- Click on your Apple ID
- Go to ‘Password and security’
- Click on ‘Manage’ under ‘Account recovery’
- Use the plus button to add a person
- Follow the steps on the screen
On a Mac with macOS Monterey, you can link contacts via  â–¸ System Preferences â–¸ Apple ID â–¸ Password & Security â–¸ Select ‘Manage’ from ‘Account Recovery’ â–¸ click the plus button to add a person.
Restore account functionality
Account recovery is a procedure designed to help you regain access to your Apple ID account when you don’t have enough information to reset your password. For security reasons, it may take several days or longer before you can use your account again. It is of course annoying that you have to wait, but it is necessary so that Apple can keep your account and your data optimally secured. You can also rely on recovery contacts for account recovery. You can then regain access to your Apple ID via their account.
An account recovery contact is someone who can verify your identity and help you regain access to your account and all your data if your account is ever locked. Have you forgotten your Apple ID or iCloud account password, or have you forgotten your device’s passcode? Then the linked contacts can help you recover. After following the steps on the screen, the recovery contact will receive a six-digit code that you enter on your device. After your identity is confirmed, you can reset your Apple ID password. Read more information about account recovery here back.
iCloud data recovery service
If you don’t want to add contacts, Apple can also help you through its iCloud data recovery service. Support can then help you recover your data, such as photos, notes, reminders and device backups. The service requires Apple to have access to your data in order to help restore it. For your privacy, Apple can never access or recover your end-to-end encrypted information (for example, Keychain, Screen Time, and Health data).
The iCloud Data Recovery Service lets you view your photos, notes, reminders, and other files on the web at iCloud.com without first requesting access from your Apple device. For more information about the iCloud Data Recovery Service, visit this support page.
Account recovery support
To use this feature, you must update your iPhone, iPad or Mac to iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS Monterey or newer. It is important that you update all devices if possible. Can your iPhone and iPad run the latest software? You will then have to update this first before you can use account recovery.
Digital-legacy
Apple’s Digital Legacy program lets you designate people as estate contacts so they can access your account and personal information after your death. This way they have access to your photos, files and other personal data. They can view and download these. Only contacts you choose while you are alive have access after your death. This way you decide who gets access to your data.
Account recovery is not the same, contacts can only help you gain access to your account. With digital inheritance, the chosen contacts really get access to your data after death.