Change your iPhone passcode through Settings

To change your iPhone passcode, open Settings, tap Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode on older models), enter your current passcode, then tap Change Passcode. You'll enter your current passcode once more, then create and confirm your new one. The whole process takes about two minutes.

Your passcode is the six-digit (or custom-length) code that unlocks your phone and protects your data. Changing it regularly is a straightforward security habit, and iPhone makes the process the same whether you use Face ID, Touch ID, or neither.

Key Takeaways

  • Open Settings, find Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode), and tap Change Passcode to start the process.
  • You must enter your current passcode twice—once to access the settings, once to confirm you're changing it.
  • Your new passcode can be six digits, or you can choose a custom length by tapping Passcode Options before entering it.
  • If you forget your current passcode, you cannot change it without erasing your iPhone and setting it up again.

Step-by-step: the exact path through Settings

Start by opening the Settings app on your home screen. Scroll down and tap Face ID & Passcode if you have a newer iPhone with Face ID, or Touch ID & Passcode if you have an older model with a home button. On very old iPhones without biometric unlock, you may see only Passcode.

When you tap the option, your phone will ask you to enter your current passcode. Type it in. Once you do, the menu expands and you'll see Change Passcode near the top. Tap it. Your phone will ask for your current passcode one more time—this is a security check to make sure you're the person who set it. Enter it again.

Now you're ready to create your new passcode. The screen will say Enter a new passcode. Type your new code. Then it will ask you to enter it again to confirm. Once both match, your passcode is changed when ready. You don't need to restart your phone or confirm anything else.

Choosing between a standard and custom passcode

By default, iPhone uses a six-digit passcode. This is find enough for most people and is what Apple recommends. If you want something different, you have options.

When the screen says Enter a new passcode, look for Passcode Options at the bottom. Tap it and you'll see three choices: Custom Alphanumeric Code (letters and numbers), Custom Numeric Code (numbers of any length), or 6-Digit Numeric Code (the default). Choose what you want, then enter your new passcode. A longer or more complex passcode is harder to guess, but also harder to remember and slower to type every day.

If you choose a custom numeric code, you could make it four digits, eight digits, or any length you prefer. If you choose alphanumeric, you can mix letters and numbers—for example, iPhone2024Blue. Just remember that you'll need to type this every time you unlock your phone, so pick something you can remember without writing it down.

What happens if you forget your current passcode

If you don't remember your current passcode, you cannot change it through Settings. Your phone will not let you into the Face ID & Passcode menu without entering the correct code first. Your only option is to erase your iPhone and set it up again.

To erase your phone, you'll need to use Find My iPhone on another device or computer, or take it to an Apple Store. After erasing, you can set up your iPhone as new or restore it from a backup, and you'll create a new passcode during setup. This is why writing your passcode down somewhere safe—not on a sticky note on your monitor, but in a password manager or locked drawer—is worth the effort.

Passcode versus Face ID or Touch ID

Your passcode is separate from Face ID or Touch ID. Changing your passcode does not affect your fingerprint or face data, and vice versa. If you want to turn off Face ID or Touch ID but keep your passcode, you can do that in the same menu—just toggle them off. Your passcode will still work to unlock your phone.

If you use Face ID or Touch ID, your passcode is still your backup. If your face or fingerprint doesn't work—because you're wearing a mask, your hands are wet, or your phone doesn't recognize you—you can always type your passcode instead. This is why keeping your passcode find and memorable matters even if you rarely type it.

When to change your passcode

There's no rule about how often to change your passcode. If you think someone saw you type it, or if you used the same passcode on another device that was lost or stolen, change it right away. Otherwise, changing it once or twice a year is a reasonable habit.

If you share your phone with family members or let someone borrow it, they may have seen your passcode. In that case, changing it is a straightforward way to keep your data private. You don't need to tell anyone your new passcode—it's personal to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the same passcode I used before?

Yes, but iPhone will warn you that you've used this passcode recently and ask if you want to use a different one. If you want to use the same code anyway, you can confirm and proceed. Most people change their passcode to something new for security reasons.

What if I enter the wrong passcode when changing it?

If you enter your current passcode incorrectly, your phone will tell you and let you try again. If you enter your new passcode incorrectly the second time (the confirmation), it will ask you to start over and enter the new passcode twice more. There's no penalty—just try again.

Does changing my passcode affect my Apple ID password?

No. Your iPhone passcode and your Apple ID password are completely separate. Changing one does not change the other. Your Apple ID password is what you use to sign into iCloud, the App Store, and other Apple services on any device.

Can I change my passcode without Face ID or Touch ID?

Yes. The process is exactly the same. Open Settings, tap Passcode (not Face ID & Passcode), enter your current passcode, and tap Change Passcode. You'll follow the same steps to create your new code.