How to Change Apple ID Password on iPhone, Mac & Web

If you want to know how to change Apple ID password settings — or you typed something like "how can I change my Apple password" into search — the good news is that it takes about a minute on an iPhone or Mac you already use. One thing has changed: Apple ID is now called Apple Account. You still sign in with the same email address or phone number and password, but menus and help pages now say "Apple Account." This guide covers changing your password on iPhone, iPad, Mac and the web, how to create a new password for Apple ID, what to do if you forgot it, why you might have to wait an hour, and what to do if someone else changed it.

Quick answer: on iPhone or iPad, open Settings > [your name] > Sign-In & Security > Change Password, enter your device passcode if asked (or use Face ID or Touch ID), and type a new password. On a Mac, go to Apple menu > System Settings > [your name] > Sign-In & Security > Change Password. Forgot the old password? Tap Forgot password? on any Apple sign-in screen or go to iforgot.apple.com. Your new password needs at least 8 characters, with uppercase and lowercase letters and at least one number.

Every step below matches Apple's pages on changing your Apple Account password, resetting a forgotten password, account recovery, Stolen Device Protection, Apple Account security, a compromised account, trusted devices and phone numbers and verification codes. I checked them on November 8, 2026, when Apple's security releases page listed iOS 27.2 and macOS 27.2 as current and the macOS version page listed macOS 27 Golden Gate 27.2 and macOS Tahoe 26.7.2. The password steps are the same across these versions; Apple does not document any iOS 27-only password-change feature.

Which method should you use?

Pick the row that matches your situation, then jump to that section.

Before you change your password

Apple says the easiest and most secure way to change your password is on a trusted device. That's an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro or Mac where you're already signed in to your Apple Account with two-factor authentication. Because Apple already knows the device is yours, you usually won't need extra verification, and you can create a new password for Apple ID without typing the old one.

Run through this short checklist before you start:

1. Use a device you're already signed in on, if you have one. A brand-new device may need to wait a short time before it can change critical account information. If that happens, use another trusted device instead.
2. Have your device passcode (iPhone or iPad) or Mac login password ready. On a trusted device, that's what Apple asks for rather than the old Apple Account password.
3. Create a new password you haven't used before that meets Apple's rules (see below). Don't reuse this password on other sites.
4. Keep your trusted phone number nearby, in case Apple sends a verification code by text or call.
5. Decide what to do with other devices. If you think someone else knows the old password, plan to tap Remove Other Devices so they have to sign in again.
6. If you're about to sell or reset the iPhone, change the password first while you can still get codes on this device. You'll need the new password to turn off Find My iPhone before you factory reset your iPhone.

Apple ID password requirements

Apple requires a strong password for your Apple Account: eight or more characters, including uppercase and lowercase letters and at least one number. Apple also tells you not to reuse your Apple Account password on other online accounts, and never to share it, your verification codes, your device passcode or your recovery key with anyone. Apple says it will never ask you for them.

A practical tip: a short phrase of three or four unrelated words plus a number is long, easy to type on a phone and easy to remember. If the new password is rejected, it's usually too short, missing a number or capital letter, or one you've used before.

How to change Apple ID password on iPhone or iPad

Apple's change-password page lists the same Settings path for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple Vision Pro:

1. Open the Settings app, then tap your name at the top.
2. Tap Sign-In & Security.
3. Tap Change Password.
4. Follow the onscreen instructions to set a new password. Enter your iPhone or iPad passcode if asked, or use Face ID or Touch ID when that's what the screen requests.
5. If other devices are signed in to your account, choose Remove Other Devices to make them sign in again, or Keep All Devices Signed In.

If you suspect someone else knows your old password, removing other devices is the safer choice. It's worth doing the same on shared services, for example signing Netflix out of all devices, including TVs you no longer have.

Why does it say I have to wait an hour?

That's Stolen Device Protection, which is available on iOS 17.3 or later and may be on by default. When your iPhone is away from familiar locations such as home or work, changing your Apple Account password needs Face ID or Touch ID (with no passcode fallback), then a one-hour security delay, then Face ID or Touch ID again. It's designed so that a thief who learned your passcode can't lock you out of your own account.

What helps:

• Go home or to work. Apple says your iPhone may end the delay early once it detects you've arrived at a familiar location.
• Wait the hour. Keep the iPhone with you and finish the change when the timer ends.
• Check your setting. If you chose Always under Require Security Delay (Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Stolen Device Protection, or Touch ID & Passcode), the delay applies even at home.

Apple also notes that while Stolen Device Protection is on, these security settings can't be changed on the web at account.apple.com, and you might have to wait before changing them on a new device. So the website won't skip the delay. If you use your iPhone to change the password, Apple says the location of your devices may not be visible at iCloud.com for a period of time. That pause is temporary and does not turn Find My off.

Change your Apple Account password on a Mac

1. Choose Apple menu > System Settings.
2. Click your name, then click Sign-In & Security.
3. Click Change Password.
4. Enter the password you use to unlock your Mac, then follow the onscreen instructions.

You might also see the one-hour Stolen Device Protection wait on a Mac. These System Settings steps are the same on macOS 27 Golden Gate and macOS Tahoe 26; Apple does not document a different password menu for Golden Gate.

If System Settings freezes partway through, you can force quit on Mac and open it again.

Change it on the web at account.apple.com

If you don't have a trusted device nearby, for example on a Windows PC or an Android phone, you may be able to change your password in a browser if you still know the current one.

1. Go to account.apple.com and sign in with your current password.
2. Go to Sign-In and Security.
3. Choose Password and follow the steps.

Apple notes that the website redirects you to a trusted device when possible, so don't be surprised if a prompt appears on your iPhone instead. And if Stolen Device Protection is on, you won't be able to change this security setting on the website at all.

If account.apple.com looks stuck, shows an old error, or won't load properly in Safari or Chrome, clear the cache on your Mac and try the page again.

Changing a child's Apple Account password

Parents and guardians in a Family Sharing group can change a Child Account password from their own trusted device:

1. Open Settings, tap Family, then choose your child's account.
2. Tap Change [child's name] Password. If Screen Time is on for that account, you may need to tap Personal Information first.
3. Follow the onscreen instructions.

Apple says you can also change it in Settings on the child's own device. The same Family path is available on iPad and Apple Vision Pro.

Forgot Apple ID password? How to reset it

When you can't remember your password, look for "Forgot password?" or "Forgot password or don't have an Apple Account?" wherever you're asked to sign in, such as during setup of a new device, in Settings, or in the App Store. The onscreen steps will send you to a trusted device, ask for recovery factors, or start a waiting period.

Can't remember the email address instead? Apple says any email address or phone number associated with your Apple Account works for signing in, so try the other addresses and numbers you might have used. If you're still signed in on another device, you'll see them under your name in Settings (or System Settings) > Sign-In & Security. If you created the account in India or China mainland, you may have used a mobile number as the username.

Reset Apple ID password with a trusted device

If you're already signed in on another Apple device, you probably don't need account recovery at all. For example, if you're setting up a new iPad but you're still signed in on your iPhone, use the iPhone steps above to change your password to something you know. Your device passcode is enough; you don't need the old password.

Reset it using recovery factors

Without a trusted device, Apple may ask you to verify your identity with things like:

• Your trusted phone number, which receives two-factor codes.
• A code from your recovery contact, if you set one up. Ask them to be ready with the 6-digit code, or to help you regain access in person.
• Access to your Apple Account email address.
• The CVV of the credit card linked to your account. If the card issuer declines the check, you'll see an "incorrect" message even with the right CVV; select "Don't have access to this card."
• A recovery key or security keys, if you enabled them. These use a different process, so follow the onscreen instructions for that option rather than mixing it with the standard reset.

Have these ready before you start.

Use iforgot.apple.com or the Apple Support app

• Safari: on a device running iOS 17 or later, or macOS 27 or later, go to iforgot.apple.com in Safari and follow the instructions. When possible, the site redirects you to a trusted device.
• Apple Support app: on a borrowed device or one at an Apple Store, open the Support app, scroll to Support Tools, choose Reset Password, then Help Someone Else. Apple says the details you enter aren't stored on that device.

If you'll get your trusted device or phone number back soon, Apple recommends waiting. That route is much faster than account recovery.

How Apple Account Recovery works

If you have no trusted device and can't provide recovery factors, you can request account recovery. It's designed to be slow so that a thief can't take over your account. Apple Support can't shorten the wait.

1. Start the request from iforgot.apple.com or the "Forgot password?" prompt.
2. Watch for a confirmation email (or iMessage for phone-only accounts). It arrives within 72 hours and gives the date and time you can expect to regain access. Check spam if it's late.
3. Wait. Recovery can take several days or longer.
4. Follow the final instructions. Apple contacts you by email and text or automated call at the number used to start recovery. If you don't get the text or call, go to apple.com/recover after the time in your email.

To check status, go to iforgot.apple.com and enter the same email address and phone number you used to start the request. Different details can extend the wait. If the request is active, the site shows the expected time even if the email was delayed. If it isn't active after 72 hours, submit a new request.

What cancels a recovery request

• Signing in successfully because you remembered the password.
• Using any device that's still signed in to your account. If you started on the web, turn off all your Apple devices during the wait. If you started on a device with iOS 17, iPadOS 17 or macOS 27 or later, you can keep using that one device.
• Submitting duplicate requests, which can also extend the wait unless you have new recovery factors.
• Contacting Apple Support. They can't shorten the wait.

If you get a recovery email you didn't ask for, someone may be trying to get into your account: use the cancellation link in that email right away, then change your password and review your security details.

Someone else changed my Apple ID password

Apple lists warning signs such as a password-change alert you didn't trigger, two-factor codes you didn't request, devices you don't recognize, purchase activity you didn't make, messages you didn't send, or a password that suddenly stops working. If that happens:

1. Change your password right away using the steps above, if you still can. Choose a strong, unique password and tap Remove Other Devices.
2. If it was already changed by someone else, reset it with "Forgot password?" or iforgot.apple.com.
3. Sign in at account.apple.com and fix any personal or security details you don't recognize, including email addresses and phone numbers.
4. Open Devices on account.apple.com and remove any device you don't recognize.
5. Check with your email provider and mobile carrier that you control every email address and phone number on the account, and that SMS forwarding hasn't been set up on your number.

If you can't reset the password or sign in at all, start account recovery at iforgot.apple.com.

What if I can't get a verification code?

A six-digit verification code proves it's you when you sign in on a new device or browser. It usually appears automatically on a trusted device. Tap Allow, then type the code where you're signing in.

If no code shows up:

1. Select "Didn't Get a Code?" or "Can't get to your devices?"
2. Choose to have the code sent to your trusted phone number as a text or call.
3. If you filter unknown senders in Messages, check that folder. Apple notes that time-sensitive verification codes can still reach your inbox if those notifications are allowed.
4. If you can't use that number, choose "Can't use [phone number]" and follow the steps to recover access.

If you only temporarily don't have your trusted devices or phone number, Apple says the fastest fix is to wait until you do, then sign in and add another trusted number. Use a number that isn't tied to your iPhone, so you can still get codes if that phone is lost or damaged.

The city shown on a sign-in prompt is estimated from the device's IP address, so it can be off by a city or more. If you recognize the attempt, you can still tap Allow. If you didn't try to sign in, tap Don't Allow and change your password.

Troubleshooting password-change problems

Common mistakes when you change your Apple ID password

These are the mix-ups that cause the most trouble:

• Starting account recovery while you're still signed in somewhere. Use that old iPad or Mac to change the password instead. Using a signed-in device also cancels a recovery request already in progress.
• Leaving other devices signed in after a suspected leak. Choose Remove Other Devices rather than Keep All Devices Signed In.
• Trying to skip the one-hour wait on the website. With Stolen Device Protection on, those settings can't be changed at account.apple.com.
• Reusing an old or weak password. It needs eight or more characters, upper and lowercase letters and a number, and it can't be one you've used before.
• Sharing the password, a verification code or your passcode. Apple will never ask you for them.
• Sharing one Apple Account with family. That gives the other person access to your personal content. Use Family Sharing instead, and change the password if someone else set the account up for you.
• Submitting a second recovery request or checking status with a different email or phone number. That can extend the wait.
• Ignoring a recovery email you didn't request. Use the cancellation link immediately, then change your password.

Keep your account secure after changing the password

Pick a long, unique password you don't use anywhere else, keep your trusted phone number current, and leave two-factor authentication and Stolen Device Protection on. Add a second trusted number that isn't tied to your iPhone if you can. Apple also offers optional Security Keys for extra protection against phishing.

If you're preparing to sell or give away your iPhone, turn off Stolen Device Protection before you hand it over, then use your Apple Account password to turn off Find My iPhone before you factory reset your iPhone. Cleaning up an old Google login too? Here's how to delete a Gmail account without losing your other Google services, and how to delete a Facebook account permanently if you're closing that too. If unwanted calls or messages are part of the problem, see how to block a number on iPhone.

FAQ

Final thoughts

For most people, how to change Apple ID password comes down to one path: Settings > your name > Sign-In & Security > Change Password, using the passcode you already know. Create a new password you haven't used elsewhere, keep the web and iforgot.apple.com for when you're away from your devices, and only start account recovery when nothing else works, since it takes days.