If you're an Apple user, then you know how important your Apple Account -- formerly Apple ID -- and password are. You can't access Apple services like iCloud, iMessage and Apple Pay without them. You also need these credentials to set up new Apple devices -- like any of the devices in the iPhone 17 lineup.
If you forgot your Apple Account password (and don't use a password manager) or your account has been compromised, you might not be able to access your device or any of Apple's services. Resetting your Apple Account password might be just the trick to gaining access again.
Here are several easy ways to change your Apple Account password.
Reset your Apple Account password with your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch
iPhones account for about half of Apple's revenue, according to consumer data website Business of Apps, so we'll start there. The instructions for resetting your Apple Account password on your iPhone will also work on your iPad and Apple Watch. Here's how.
1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap your name near the top of the menu.
3. Tap Sign-In & Security.
4. Tap Change Password.
Follow the onscreen instructions, and you're all set. Easy, right?
Resetting your Apple Account password from a Mac device
You can also reset your Apple Account password from your MacBook or iMac. Here's how.
1. Click the logo in the top left corner of your screen and click System Settings.
2. Click your Apple Account in the top left corner of the menu.
3. Click Sign-In & Security.
4. Click Change Password.
Follow the onscreen prompts to finish changing your password.
Reset your Apple Account password on a new device
While setting up a new Apple device, you'll be asked to sign into your Apple Account. If you can't remember your password, no worries. Here's how to reset your password during the setup process.
1. During device setup, select Forgot password or don't have an Apple Account? whenever the option is available.
2. Finish the setup process.
3. Once setup is complete, select an app or another option that requires you to sign into your Apple Account.
On iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch, you can select Messages. On your Mac computer, follow the instructions above.
Resetting your Apple Account password without an Apple device
If you've forsaken Apple devices after previously using them, but you still need to log into your Apple Account, you have a few options. You can either borrow a friend or family member's Apple device, or you can use one of the devices in an Apple store. You can't follow the same directions as above, though. Instead, here's how to change your Apple Account password from a borrowed or in-store device.
1. Open the Apple Support app -- you can download the app from the App Store if it's not on your borrowed device.
2. Select Reser Password under Support tools.
3. Select Help Someone Else.
4. Enter your Apple Account email address or phone number.
5. Select Continue and follow the onscreen instructions.
Reset your Apple Account password from the web
If all else fails, Apple has a website you can visit to reset your Apple Account password. However, Apple warns this process might take longer than the other methods on this list. But if it's your only option, visit iforgot.apple.com, follow the instructions and your password will be reset.
It's important to remember that once you change your Apple Account password on one device, you'll have to log back into your other devices with your new password. So instead of forgetting your new password in three days and repeating this cycle again, save yourself the headache now and log back into everything while your new password is still fresh in your mind.
For more on Apple, here's our iOS 26 cheat sheet, what to know about the iPhone 17 lineup and what to know about Apple's upcoming WWDC 2026 event.
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