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calvinlidge's avatar
calvinlidge
Iron Contributor
Apr 28, 2026

How can I Fix my iPhone is disabled and says connect to iTunes

Hi all, I am hoping someone can point me in the right direction. My iPhone is disabled and now shows the message "connect to iTunes." I am not very familiar with iPhone recovery steps, so I am not s...
harrietbman's avatar
harrietbman
Iron Contributor
Apr 28, 2026

Seeing "iPhone is disabled, connect to iTunes" means your device is locked after too many wrong passcode attempts. The only way to fix this is to erase your iPhone completely, which you can do with a computer or via iCloud.

The Main Fix: Restore Using a Computer

This is the most reliable method to fix iPhone is disabled and says connect to iTunes. The steps vary slightly depending on whether you use a Mac or Windows PC.

First, connect your iPhone to your computer with its cable.

Quickly press and release the Volume Up button, then the Volume Down button. Next, press and hold the Side button until you see a computer icon on the screen.

A window will pop up on your computer giving you the option to Restore or Update. Click Restore

Your computer will download the necessary software, erase your iPhone, and install the latest iOS. This may take some time.

After the process is complete, your iPhone will restart. You can then set it up as a new device, or if you have one, restore your data from a backup on your Mac or PC.