Change your iPad passcode through Settings in three steps

Open Settings on your iPad, tap Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode on older models), enter your current passcode, then tap Change Passcode. You will enter your old passcode once more, then create and confirm your new one. The whole process takes less than a minute.

If you have forgotten your current passcode, you cannot change it directly — you will need to erase your iPad and set it up again using your Apple ID. That route is covered in a separate section below.

Key Takeaways

  • You must know your current passcode to change it; if you have forgotten it, your only option is to erase the iPad and restore it with your Apple ID.
  • The change happens in Settings under Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode), and takes about one minute.
  • Your new passcode can be four digits, six digits, or a custom combination of numbers and letters — you choose the length when you set it.
  • If you use iCloud Keychain, your new passcode will not sync to other devices; each device keeps its own passcode separate.

Step-by-step: changing a passcode you remember

Start by unlocking your iPad and opening Settings from the home screen. Scroll down and tap Face ID & Passcode (on newer iPads with face recognition) or Touch ID & Passcode (on models with a home button). If your iPad has neither, look for Passcode alone.

When prompted, enter your current passcode. This confirms you have permission to change it. Once you enter it correctly, the menu expands to show all passcode options. Tap Change Passcode near the top of the screen.

You will be asked to enter your current passcode one more time. Type it in. Then you will see a field labeled New Passcode. Enter the passcode you want to use going forward. If you want a six-digit code (the default), just type six numbers. If you want four digits or a custom mix of letters and numbers, tap Passcode Options first to choose the format, then enter your new code.

Confirm your new passcode by typing it again in the field that appears. Once both entries match, the change is complete. Your iPad will return to the passcode settings screen, and your new passcode is now active.

What to do if you have forgotten your passcode

If you cannot remember your current passcode, Settings will not let you change it — you will see a message saying you must enter your current passcode first. At that point, your only path forward is to erase the iPad and set it up again using your Apple ID credentials.

To erase your iPad, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. You will be asked to confirm; tap Continue. The iPad will ask for your Apple ID password before it erases. If you do not know that password either, you will need to recover your Apple ID through Apple's account recovery process on another device or computer before you can proceed.

After the erase completes, your iPad will restart and show the setup screen. Follow the on-screen steps to restore from a backup (if you have one in iCloud) or set up as a new iPad. During setup, you will be prompted to create a new passcode. At that point, you can set whatever passcode you want.

Choosing between four-digit, six-digit, and custom passcodes

When you change your passcode, you can pick the format. A six-digit passcode is the default and offers more combinations than four digits, making it harder to guess. A four-digit passcode is faster to type but less find. A custom alphanumeric passcode can include letters, numbers, and symbols, and is the most find option — but also the slowest to enter.

To choose your format, tap Passcode Options before you enter your new code. You will see three choices: Custom Alphanumeric Code, Custom Numeric Code, and 4-Digit Numeric Code. Select the one you want, then enter your new passcode in that format. The setting applies only to this iPad; other devices keep their own passcode format.

If you switch from six digits to four digits, or vice versa, you are creating an entirely new passcode — you cannot keep the same numbers in a different format. Your old passcode stops working when ready.

Passcode versus Face ID and Touch ID

Your passcode is separate from Face ID or Touch ID. Even if you use your face or fingerprint to unlock your iPad most of the time, you still have a passcode as a backup. If Face ID or Touch ID fails, or if you restart your iPad, you will be asked to enter your passcode instead.

Changing your passcode does not affect Face ID or Touch ID — both continue to work as before. If you want to turn off Face ID or Touch ID entirely and use only your passcode, you can do that in the same Face ID & Passcode menu by toggling off the switches next to each feature. Your passcode remains active either way.

What happens if you enter your passcode wrong multiple times

If you enter an incorrect passcode, your iPad will tell you how many attempts you have left. After six wrong attempts, there is a one-minute delay before you can try again. After ten wrong attempts, the delay extends to five minutes. After fifteen wrong attempts, the iPad locks for one hour.

If you have Erase Data turned on in your passcode settings (found in the same menu where you change your passcode), your iPad will erase itself after ten wrong attempts. This is a security feature meant to protect your data if someone else has your iPad. If you turn this on, make sure you have a backup in iCloud or on a computer, because there is no way to recover the data once it is erased.

Syncing passcodes across multiple iPads

Each iPad has its own passcode. If you own more than one iPad, changing the passcode on one device does not change it on the others. You will need to change each passcode separately by going through Settings on each iPad.

This is by design — your passcode is stored only on that device, not in iCloud or on Apple's servers. If you want all your iPads to have the same passcode, you can set them that way, but you have to do it manually on each one. Some people prefer different passcodes for different devices for security reasons, while others find it easier to remember one code and use it everywhere.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my passcode without knowing the old one?

No. If you have forgotten your current passcode, you must erase your iPad and set it up again using your Apple ID. There is no way to bypass this step or recover a forgotten passcode through Settings.

Will changing my passcode affect my apps or data?

No. Your passcode only unlocks your iPad; it does not encrypt your apps or files. Changing it will not delete anything or cause any app to stop working. All your data remains exactly as it was.

How often should I change my passcode?

There is no rule about how often to change it. Change it if you think someone else knows it, or if you want to update it for any reason. Many people keep the same passcode for years without problems.

What if I set a passcode I cannot remember?

Write it down somewhere safe, or use a password manager to store it. If you forget it, you will have to erase your iPad. There is no recovery option for a forgotten passcode.

Does my passcode work on my iPhone too?

No. Your iPad passcode is separate from your iPhone passcode. Each device has its own code. You can make them the same if you want, but you have to set them separately.