Unlocking passcode on dead partners iPhone

Scenario here is a friends husband collapsed, was hospitalised and unfortunately, the support was switched off the following day. She was given his personal effects after this which included his iPhone. There are a lot of memories and photo’s she would like to access but cant get past the initial passcode. There is a way to do this by setting something up on the phone but like a lot of us, we are only wise after the event…… She has a lot to organise this week having no family to help so I am trying to take this distraction off her and find a solution.

Hospital said if it is a fingerprint lock then she can get that from her husband via the mortuary or undertakers which frankly, is grim. It doesn’t look like a fingerprint is set up, the home screen just has a number pad… is it possible to get past this somehow?

A quick google suggests take the phone to an Apple store with a death certificate but Nairn is a bit away from one. There looks like a few software download options but who can you trust here to not unlock and wipe the contents which are the memories she wants to keep?

Any ideas very welcome….

Do not trust anyone other than Apple. They have procedures in place to allow authorised relatives access to the deceased’s account. They are the only ones who can safely provide access to the data.

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/102431

It should be possible to do this via Apple Support without needing to go to a store.

For anyone who has Apple devices and isn’t yet in this unfortunate situation, make sure you have a Legacy Contact set up.

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/102631

Can she log into his email, might be able to recover photos from icloud rather than the device.This would be easier

I think Apple are very hardcore with this sort of stuff so might be a challenge to unlock phone.

Am I alone though thinking that it’s a bit odd that this blokes partner didn’t know his passcode, he didn’t have biometrics set up or have her as legacy contact? Apple make this stuff so easy its almost harder to not do it. Given that he seems quite secretive, is there a risk that the phone contents might cause more distress?

I wouldn’t trust downloaded software at all

but like a lot of us, we are only wise after the event

just like wills and many other necessary preparations for the inevitable end.

like you say, a lot goes on in the immediate aftermath of someone’s death. Is opening the iPhone really that high up the list?

As they’re pretty secure by design getting into it is meant to be an almost insurmountable problem.

Reading the Apple support page it looks like the iPhone cannot be unlocked without the passcode. But the associated iCloud account can be accessed. Let’s hope your friend’s husband used iCloud Photos otherwise it does not look these are going to be seen again.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/102431

The only inexpensive and almost practical way I’m aware of being able to open an iPhone and gain access to the content is a brute force hack – write a list of ‘socially engineered’ passcodes and try those. The iPhone quickly starts to time you out. To the extent that we rooted out one my children’s iPod Touches from childhood, they could not remember the passcode. We tried the expected ones. No luck. We were quickly at an unfeasible time out and reset it to factory settings. NP, most of the photos were on iCloud and in their Mac’s photo library.

sorry to hear about your friend’s bereavement. And sorry I can’t offer more help.

I’ve been through this unfortunately. Firstly, condolences.

Best thing is to speak to Apple. I had to wait for death certificates and then cooling periods, I’m afraid it took over six months in the end.

Give them a ring https://support.apple.com/en-gb/102431

Am I alone though thinking that it’s a bit odd that this blokes partner didn’t know his passcode, he didn’t have biometrics set up or have her as legacy contact? Apple make this stuff so easy its almost harder to not do it.

I don’t think it is odd. Apple biometrics (Face ID?) probably won’t work. I don’t really have any need access my wife’s phone or vice versa. It isn’t easier to set up a legacy contact than not, doing something rather than nothing is always going to result in people not doing it.

I don’t think it’s odd at all.

The only inexpensive and almost practical way I’m aware of being able to open an iPhone and gain access to the content is a brute force hack – write a list of ‘socially engineered’ passcodes and try those. The iPhone quickly starts to time you out. To the extent that we rooted out one my children’s iPod Touches from childhood, they could not remember the passcode.

Don’t try this. There is a setting on an iPhone where after 10 failed passcode attempts the phone will be wiped. You have no way of knowing if this setting is enabled or not.

Go through Apple, get access to the iCloud account, log into that to find out if iCloud Photos and Backup have been used, then decide how to proceed with the device. Don’t do anything with the device at the moment. Just leave it powered off in a safe place.

Am I alone though thinking that it’s a bit odd that this blokes partner didn’t know his passcode, he didn’t have biometrics set up or have her as legacy contact?

Probably.

As mentioned Apple is your only hope, biometrics will not work.

I have no help. Sorry to hear of this, and good on you for helping out your friend.

Hopefully the photos have been backed up to iCloud. Apple should be able to help reset that password (will make you jump through hoops I’m sure if this hasn’t been arranged in advance though) which should at least get you access to the photos (if they’ve been backed up)

you won’t be able to get access to the phone itself, it’s not possible, not even Apple can (or would) do that for you. Absolutely ridiculous that the hospital are even suggesting getting the mortuary to attempt it! Biotmetric access is locked after 48hrs inactivity, in any case.

It shouldn’t be possible.  It completely defeats the point of having a passcode in the first place if it’s bypassable.  I would be both astonished and disappointed if Apple had the means let alone the inclination to unlock it, that would be a serious concern.  A password reset for cloud storage, maybe.

I have nothing to hide, but on principle I’d be royally pissed if anyone accessed any of my accounts posthumously without my explicit permission.

Hospital said if it is a fingerprint lock then she can get that from her husband via the mortuary or undertakers which frankly, is grim.

Modern fingerprint readers use ultrasonics which detect a pulse, so that probably won’t work either.

I’d be royally pissed if anyone accessed any of my accounts posthumously without my explicit permission.

No you’d be dead.

There are a miriad of reasons why they might need access and another bunch for why they might not have shared  passwords yet.   We don’t all get a chance to tick the checklist before life turns on us.

I have no idea what my wife’s passcode is but its made me think I should share mine so she has information  access to the bank accounts and insurance policies that sit in my name.

Biotmetric access is locked after 48hrs inactivity, in any case.

You can still use the thumb ID. Number pad will still show as its there as a backup or for reboots.

wife knows my code, I’ve nothing to hide in phone if she want to look a my shit pics of bikes dogs and trails she is welcome to rummage.

like you say, a lot goes on in the immediate aftermath of someone’s death. Is opening the iPhone really that high up the list?

Given how much “life” stuff (banking, social media etc) is done solely from a phone, potentially yes.

I know my Mum’s passcode – I’ve never had cause to use it and I never would without her express permission but if she’s dead it’ll be a huge help to get in there and access her info.

My sister is set up as the backup on my account. She’d have to wait for Google to try its automated “if you haven’t used your account for x months we’ll do this” safety checks but after that, she’d have access to everything.

There are a miriad of reasons why they might need access and another bunch for why they might not have shared  passwords yet.   We don’t all get a chance to tick the checklist before life turns on us.

Nonsense.  It’s hardly an onerous task to go “hey, my PIN is 1234” at some point in the years/decades you’ve been together.

You wouldn’t be advocating that people  should not change passcodes and passwords  semi regularly would you ?

You wouldn’t be advocating that people  should not change passcodes and passwords  semi regularly would you ?

My previous employer stopped this practice because it got so onerous that people were basically choosing weaker and weaker passwords or simple variations on a theme. It became a massive ballache when logging on and every 2 months the system would say “you need to change your password…” and everyone would sigh and opt for Password2 instead of Password1.

https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/blog-post/problems-forcing-regular-password-expiry

No one said force . But to suggest that you have the same passcode permanently  seems odd – perhaps the conversation that you had changed it hasn’t happened yet by the time the number 52 goes wallop on your walk to work

There is a setting on an iPhone where after 10 failed passcode attempts the phone will be wiped

it’s an option. It has to be enabled. You are right that you don’t know whether it is enabled or not before it happens.

Thanks for the replies. I’ve suggested caution before trying anything, keep it charged and on until the funeral has been arranged and then, when things have calmed down. She is a little distressed that any photos etc etc will be erased, but it can all wait for a little while.

Is opening the iPhone really that high up the list?

For her, its a niggle on top of a lot of things that have just piled in with the death of her husband and I’m trying to take this little irritant away, or park it for a little later. She has enough to sort right now without this worry.

Some good info up there, thanks for that.

You can still use the thumb ID. Number pad will still show as it’s there as a backup or for reboots.

this is not correct. There are several situations where you can’t use TouchID and it will demand the code instead:

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/101612#:~:text=If%20you%20need%20to%20enter,device%20in%20over%2048%20hours

You wouldn’t be advocating that people  should not change passcodes and passwords  semi regularly would you ?

Yes.

and everyone would sigh and opt for Password2 instead of Password1.

I was up to Passw0rd29 on my work PC when Corporate decided that was too obvious. A few of my longer serving colleagues were into triple figures and mighty annoyed at the change. Corporate also decided that all PCs would auto lock after 15 minutes inactivity or when the screen saver came on, whichever happened first. As someone who is often working away from the computer but referencing technical drawings this was a PITA. After some resistance from Corporate the local IT bod managed to get me a facial recognition thingie.

But to suggest that you have the same passcode permanently seems odd

Surely the only time people change their password/pin is when forced to by policy or when they think it’s been compromised?

I have a pretty secure/long password at work since they stopped making us change it every 3 months, before that we used to all write them down in a diary or deskpad or it would be done in a way based on months or seasons etc that was easy to remember. (And everyone would regularly forget it)

We still have some legacy systems that want a password change every 30 days and if someone worked out my method 20 years ago they would still be able to get it today within a couple of guesses!

I was up to Passw0rd29 on my work PC when Corporate decided that was too obvious. 

We used to get our passwords reset via humans and they would often choose p1easechange or over2you and it would force you to pick a new password.  I know one colleague was up to over17you before they made us select longer, permanent passwords!

But to suggest that you have the same passcode permanently seems odd

I’ve only changed mine when they moved from 4 digits to 6, the first 4 digits are the same the my previous 4.

Was going to mention 21CFR11 and associated rules related to password maintenance but that is so far from the OP’s question that I’ll just say:

OP Apple will not unlock this iPhone. IRL no one can unlock it except by, potentially destructive, brute force hacks. If the living partner wants the photos then their best hope is iCloud access with appropriate documentation.

the lesson learned is: prepare for the inevitable in the best way possible.

Can totally relate to this, whilst supporting p20s brother-in-law after the death of his wife/p20s sister. The phone thing was really bugging him. Anyway, after 5 or so failed attempts carefully during the day, we suddenly remembered the dogs date of birth…! He cried with absolute relief. I can appreciate what your friend is going through as a result. Good luck with the Apple route.

Thankfully I know p20s and he knows mine.

Am I alone though thinking that it’s a bit odd that this blokes partner didn’t know his passcode, he didn’t have biometrics set up or have her as legacy contact?

It would have to be a pretty old iPhone to have TouchID, they’ve been FaceID for some years now, and my late partner didn’t have the 6-digit passcode for my phone or pad. I may well have given it to her eventually though.

You wouldn’t be advocating that people should not change passcodes and passwords used semi regularly would you ?
Yes.

Indeed, see above – it’s a pointless waste of time making people change passwords on a regular basis, real tech security experts have been saying it for ages, it just forces people to choose a simple password and add an incremental digit to the end. It’s what everyone did at the last place I worked, and that was on the tablets we were issued. Which was even more annoying, because they didn’t hold any information that was particularly important or useful, just vehicle registrations and their locations within the site.

But to suggest that you have the same passcode permanently seems odd
I’ve only changed mine when they moved from 4 digits to 6, the first 4 digits are the same the my previous 4.

Exactly the same here. It’s only FaceID that’s changed anything, my passcode, or the first four digits, I’ve used since I got my first iPhone 3G.

Hunt around the house in obvious places for it written down or at place of work.

Desk drawer.

Important documents folder.

Under keyboard.

Sock drawer.

Etc depending on the individual and where you might think they would put this.

Take it to a mobile phone repair /vape shop and ask them.

So that he can be told it can’t be done by more people?

I suggest the OP post the same question in a few more forums 🙂

It would have to be a pretty old iPhone to have TouchID

Current model iPhone SE is still TouchID. My work phone is a pain because of this.

Hunt around the house in obvious places for it written down or at place of work.

Desk drawer.

Important documents folder.

Under keyboard.

Sock drawer.

Etc depending on the individual and where you might think they would put this.

Not a bad shout actually – my Mum has a little “passwords book” although she does occasionally misplace it.

Her insistence on writing stuff down will come in handy one day!

It would have to be a pretty old iPhone to have TouchID

So? Nobody said what model it was, my daughter is running about with a 7.

But to suggest that you have the same passcode permanently seems odd

Seems even more odd to suggest you would change your pass code for no reason, I’ve had the same one for 24 years now.

Just to close this thread and something which may help others. As has been mentioned up there ^^^, we can be wise after the event but this may not give any options for information recovery on accounts after a family member dies without disclosing or sharing log in details.

The funeral of my friends husband was on the 24th of last month and as mentioned, fingerprint unlocking didn’t work, Meg tried this, no avail. The phone has been on standby since Tom died and not touched.

If Tom didn’t use icloud and kept things only on his phone, Apple won’t share anything or allow access.

The only thing, in this case that “might” get access is if Tom backed up pictures etc etc to icloud. Apple need a death certificate, they consider the application and may share the icloud pasword after they have considered the case.

After sharing the icloud password, the phone contents are erased and no longer available.

Thanks everyone who made suggestions. It’s a waiting game for Meg to see what Apple offer next.

So, recommendations are a little book of passwords stashed where the relatives know where it is (my mum does this)

Or from Ben above,

For anyone who has Apple devices and isn’t yet in this unfortunate situation, make sure you have a Legacy Contact set up.

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/102631

Is an interesting thing to ponder.

I know my wife’s PIN code to get in her phone, but most of our banking, insurances etc accessed via Face ID .

The phone keeps a record of the actual password I assume, but I don’t think it actually shows the passwords ie they are asterisk

This must mean now that all the big companies ie Apple / Google must have to have departments now that deal purely with deaths

@FunkyDunc FaceID  or any other biometric identifier on Apple devices is a toggle switch within the banking/insurance/utility app. An option to login with a password should present if biometrics fail depending on how good the programming is.

I would ask anyone who is on EoL care to remove biometric login from everything while they are still capable. I would also recommend that we all run a password manager with partners master password in your own manager and vice versa. Most big companies run a bereavement team and will assist with getting you access to a partners info on receipt of a death certificate, some are better than others. Having access by password will help get around the more obstructive ones.