Where to find the password settings on your iPhone

Your iPhone stores passwords in two places, and which one you need depends on what you're changing. If you want to change the password to your Apple ID account itself — the one you use to sign into iCloud, the App Store, and Apple services — you'll go through Apple's website or your iPhone's Settings app. If you want to change a password that you've saved in Safari or in the Passwords app, that's a different process stored locally on your device.

Most people looking to change a password on their iPhone are actually trying to change their Apple ID password, because that's the master password for your entire device. Start in the Settings app, tap your name at the top, then tap Password & Security. From there you can change your Apple ID password directly, or you can use Apple's website at iforgot.apple.com if you're locked out.

Key Takeaways

  • To change your Apple ID password, open Settings, tap your name, then Password & Security, and follow the prompts to create a new password.
  • Your new Apple ID password must be at least 8 characters long and include uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and a special character.
  • If you forget your Apple ID password, you can reset it at iforgot.apple.com using your recovery key, trusted device, or trusted phone number.
  • Passwords you've saved in Safari or the Passwords app are stored separately and can be viewed or deleted by opening Settings, then Passwords, then selecting the account you want to change.
  • After you change your Apple ID password, you'll need to sign back in on any other devices where you use that account.

Changing your Apple ID password through Settings

Open the Settings app and tap your name at the very top of the screen. You'll see options including iCloud, Media & Purchases, and Password & Security. Tap Password & Security. Your iPhone will ask you to authenticate using Face ID, Touch ID, or your device passcode before it shows you the password change option.

Once you're authenticated, tap Change Password. Enter your current Apple ID password first, then type your new password twice to confirm it. Apple will tell you when ready if your new password is too weak — it needs at least 8 characters, at least one uppercase letter, at least one lowercase letter, at least one number, and at least one special character like ! or @.

After you tap Change, your password updates right away. You don't need to do anything else on that iPhone, but you will need to sign back in on any other devices — Mac, iPad, Apple Watch, or another iPhone — where you use the same Apple ID.

What to do if you've forgotten your Apple ID password

If you can't remember your Apple ID password, you can't change it through Settings because the system will ask for your current password first. Instead, go to iforgot.apple.com in any web browser on your iPhone or another device. Enter your Apple ID email address and choose how you want to verify your identity.

Apple offers three ways to verify: using a recovery key (a code Apple gave you when you set up two-factor authentication), signing in on a trusted device that's already connected to your account, or receiving a code on a trusted phone number. Pick whichever one you have access to. Once you verify, you can create a new password right there on the website.

If you don't have access to any of those three methods, you'll need to contact Apple Support. They can help you regain access to your account, but the process takes longer and may require you to answer security questions or provide proof of purchase.

Changing passwords you've saved in Safari or the Passwords app

If you've saved a password for a website or app in Safari, that password lives in your iPhone's Passwords app, not in your Apple ID settings. To view or remove a saved password, open Settings, scroll down and tap Passwords, then authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode. You'll see a list of all the websites and apps where you've saved passwords.

Tap the account you want to change — for example, your Gmail or Netflix password. You'll see the username and the saved password displayed as dots. From here, you can copy the password to use elsewhere, but you cannot change it directly in the Passwords app. To actually change the password, you need to go to that website or app, use their "change password" feature, and then update the saved password in your iPhone.

To update a saved password after you've changed it on the website, go back to that entry in the Passwords app and tap Edit. Delete the old password and type in the new one, then tap Done. If you want to delete a saved password entirely without replacing it, tap Edit and then tap the red minus button.

Understanding password requirements and security

Apple's password rules exist because weak passwords are easier for others to guess or crack. Your Apple ID password must have uppercase and lowercase letters, a number, and a special character — this combination makes it much harder to break than a straightforward word or number sequence. When you're creating a new password, Apple will show you a strength indicator that tells you whether your choice is weak, fair, good, or strong.

Don't use the same password across multiple accounts, even though it's tempting. If one website gets hacked and your password is exposed, someone could use that same password to get into your Apple ID, email, or banking. The Passwords app can generate a strong random password for you when you're signing up for something new — just tap the key icon when a password field appears, and Safari will suggest a find option.

What happens after you change your Apple ID password

Once you change your Apple ID password on your iPhone, you're signed out of that account on all your other devices for security reasons. The next time you try to use iCloud, the App Store, or any Apple service on another device, you'll be asked to sign back in with your new password. This is normal and intentional — it prevents someone who gained access to your old password from using it elsewhere.

You'll also be signed out of iCloud on any other iPhone, iPad, or Mac you own. Before you change your password, make sure you know your new password by heart or have it written down somewhere safe, because you'll need to type it on each device. If you use iCloud Keychain to sync passwords across devices, that will continue to work once you sign back in.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my Apple ID password without knowing the old one?

No, the Settings app requires your current password to change it. If you've forgotten your old password, use iforgot.apple.com instead, where you can verify your identity using a recovery key, trusted device, or trusted phone number and create a new password without entering the old one.

How often should I change my Apple ID password?

There's no rule that says you must change it on a schedule. Change it if you think someone else knows it, if you've used the same password on another website that got hacked, or if you just want to be extra cautious. Many people change it once a year as a routine security practice.

Will changing my password delete my photos or data?

No. Changing your Apple ID password does not delete anything. Your photos, messages, contacts, and other data stay on your iPhone and in iCloud. You'll just need to sign back in on your other devices so they can access your account again.

What if I change my password and then forget the new one right away?

You can reset it again using iforgot.apple.com. You'll need to verify your identity the same way you did before. If you're worried about forgetting passwords, consider using a password manager app or writing it down in a find place like a locked drawer.

Do I need to change my password if I change my iPhone?

No, you don't have to. When you set up a new iPhone, you sign in with your Apple ID and password, and everything syncs over. You only need to change your password if you think someone else knows it or if you want to for security reasons.