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iPhone Went from Disabled to Unavailable How to Fix It

Are you looking for the solutions for “iPhone went from Disabled to Unavailable, how to fix it?”

iPhone says “iPhone is disabled” or iPhone says “iPhone Unavailable” are both locked iPhone status. It stopped you from using your iPhone with the black lock screen. Apple only lets you reset the iPhone to factory settings to enable it if you won’t remember your passcode.

In this article, we are going to show you how to fix the problem that iPhone went from disabled to unavailable screen. 

Why iPhone Went from Disabled to Unavailable?

iPhone is disabled lockout message comes with iOS software prior to iOS 15.2. While iPhone unavailable lookout message comes along with iOS after the release of iOS 15.2. In a word, the "iPhone unavailable" screen is the newly updated version to replace the "iPhone is disabled" lockout screen. 

Additionally, if your iPhone from disabled to iPhone Unavailable or security lockout, the iPhone unavailable security lockout screen it's also a newly updated saying on iOS 15.2 or later. Solutions are the same. 

At all those stages,  you'll need to reset your iPhone with everything to take control of it. 

If your iPhone got disabled and you forgot the passcode, you restored it with iTunes and updated your iOS software. When you set up your iPhone after resetting with iTunes, you can set up a new passcode. 

If there are some glitches in the restoring and updating process, you will see iPhone Unavailable screen message after the iPhone restarts. 

If you previously got the "iPhone is disabled" message, and wipe it on iTunes, after restoring it and setting up it, iTunes will update your iPhone to the latest iOS version, which is higher than iOS 15.2. Next time when you set up a new password, and later enter too many failed passcode attempts, Apple will never show you the "iPhone is disabled" message. Instead, it will show you iPhone Unavailable message or iPhone security Lockout. 

If you only click on "Update" option, it may also get from the iPhone is Disabled mode to iPhone Unavailable mode. If you need a quick fix, please click "Restore" option, not the "Update" option on Finder or iTunes.

iTunes Restore.
Finder Restore.

While also there are some people saying that they did nothing after restoring the disabled iPhone with iTunes, they go to the iPhone unavailable message instead. Even some newly set up passwords won’t be accepted by the iPhone, add it went iPhone unavailable Lockout screen immediately. These may be some actually existing but weird situations. 

Before starting the next part, you should be aware that iPhone is disabled or iPhone Unavailable/Security Lockout screen will both lose your data if you don't have any backups. You'll need to factory reset your iPhone to reopen it. Fortunately, if you have the previous backups, you can restore your iTunes or iCloud backup or third-party software backups.

What should you do if your iPhone went from disabled to unavailable?

We’ll give you three solutions to fix the problem that your iPhone went from disabled to unavailable. 

  1. Restore it again with iTunes or Finder. 
  2. Reset it with third-party software, an easy and efficient tool.
  3. Fix it with iCloud Find My iPhone feature. 

Solution 1. Reset the iPhone Lockout screen turning from iPhone is disabled message to iPhone unavailable message screen with Recovery Mode.  Apple Suggested Method.

If your iPhone is disabled, we’ve suggested you fix it with iTunes or Finder in the previous guides. iPhone unavailable is the same kind of problem so you can unlock it still with iTunes. 

To let a lockout iPhone be recognized by iTunes or Finder, you should put your locked iPhone in DFU mode or Recovery Mode. Both modes will let your iPhone go to a safe and stable status that is easy to be accepted and updated with the new iOS software packages. You need to enter either of the two modes by pressing buttons manually and correctly. 

Recovery mode or DFU mode is the key approach to let you regain access to your iPhone. 

To let you put your iPhone into DFU mode or recovery mode easily and conveniently, do the following. 

  1. Connect your iPhone Unavailable locked iPhone to iTunes or Finder with the USB cable. 
  2. Launch iTunes or Finder. Enter your iPhone into recovery mode, or DFU mode. 
  3. Click Restore and confirm Restore and Update. 
Remember always choose Restore, or Restore and Update to proceed.  Yes, you need to reset it to factory settings to fully get rid of the disabled mode.
Only choosing "Update" will put your iPhone into another iPhone Unavailable loop mode. Updating the iOS software won't fix the iPhone is disabled or the iPhone Unavailable mode. It's one of the reasons that your iPhone went from iPhone is disabled mode to iPhone Unavailable mode.

If failed, tried to restore it with iTunes again or turn to Solution 2. 

Solution 2. Fix the iPhone Disabled/Unavailable Lockout Screen with a Software Tool.

If your iPhone with from “iPhone is disabled” to “iPhone unavailable”, besides entering wrong passcode entries, there may be another possible reason that when you were restoring and updating it with iTunes, there are some glitches in updating the iOS software. 

If you deal with your "iPhone is disabled" screen with the third-party software first, it should avoid the iPhone to get the “iPhone unavailable” problem. Happily, this third-party software can still solve the iPhone Unavailable problem perfectly. 

We pick the SD iPhone Unlocker to be the real problem solver.  This SD iPhone Unlocker software is the program that can resolve various iPhone screen lockout problems. It can remove your forgotten screen unlocking passcode, and get rid of your screen time passcode. Moreover, it can unlock your Apple ID if you can't sign out of it, and I remove the MDM.

Before start, free download and install it.  Choose either the PC version or the Mac version according to your computer system.

Launch the program. Navigate to “Wipe Passcode”.

Connect your iPhone to your computer with the lightning cable and put it in recovery mode.

Confirm your iPhone information. Start to download the firmware and fix it.

Unlock your iPhone. Type "0000" and hit the Unlock option.

Unplug your iPhone from the computer when you see the successfully unlocked screen.

Set up your iPhone. 

During the setup process, on the Make this your new iPhone page, if you want to restore from backup, hit Customize settings to view all the Apps & Data screen on iOS 15 or later. Choose from Apps & Data directly on iOS 14 or prior versions. Choose one option to proceed.

apps & data

Video Tutorial:

Solution 3. Erase the iPhone Disabled/Unavailable Screen with iCloud Find My.

There are two options for you to erase your iPhone disabled or unavailable screen with iCloud Find My. 

But you should know the requirements first.

  1. You’ve turned on Find My iPhone or iPad before the iPhone disabled/unavailable screen appears.
  2. Your device is connected to the Internet, via Wi-Fi or a cellular network.
  3. You do know your Apple ID and password which you signed in to your Disabled/Unavailable iPhone. 

If you have no computers at hand, you can remotely erase your disabled/unavailable iPhone with a smartphone, or tablet as well. 

  • Open icloud.com on your computer, smartphone, or tablet with any one of your browsers. 
  • Sign in with your Apple ID credentials.
  • Click or Tap Find My iPhone. 
  • Tap All Device. Locate your iPhone on the map. 
  • Tap Erase iPhone. Enter your Apple ID password to confirm it.
  • Tap Erase iPhone.

Your iPhone will then got erased everything and be updated with the latest iOS software once it meets the above requirements. 

erase iPhone ipad via find my iPhone

Solution 4. Erase it with the Erase iPhone Option on the Device.

On iOS 15.2 or later, Apple brings convenience for iOS users with the Erase iPhone option. You can directly erase it on the device.

Just enter many wrong passcode attempts and wait until the timer is up and try again in a group to trigger the Erase iPhone option.  Enter at least 7 failed passcode attempts first. If you can't see the option, try the 8th, 9th, or the 10th failed passcode attempts.

After seeing the Erase iPhone Option, tap it. Tap Erase iPhone again. Enter your Apple ID password.

The Erasing process should begin. Wait and later set it up when the iPhone is awake again.

Explore more details about how to Erase Unavailable iPhone with the Erase iPhone option in the article: How to Erase Unavailable iPhone with the Erase iPhone Option.

We hope this article can help you in resolving the problem that your iPhone went from disabled to Unavailable.  Make sure to keep a regular backup habit if you don't want to lose your data in future. You may also be interested in our guides on iPhone Unavailable Try Again in 15 minutes, iPhone is Disabled and Won't Connect to iTunes, iPhone is Disabled vs. iPhone UnavailableiPhone Disabled Bypass, Forgot iPhone 14 passcode, iPad is Disabled and Won’t Connect to iTunes, or iPhone is Disabled Connect to iTunes.

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I am the chief editor of softwaredive.com. I have been engaged in software and computer gadgets fields for over 10 years, offering proven guides, tips, and software solutions in data recovery, and multimedia field.

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