How to Retrieve Apple ID PW if You Don't Have the Associated Cell Phone

Report · May 20, 2018

Guys I know this is a long way from being an Apple support forum, but I don't know Apple forums, and there are some clever Apple users here. Fingers crossed.

The elderly gentleman next door to my mother-in-law (where we are currently staying) has forgotten the password for his Apple ID. To make life difficult, he no longer has access to the cell phone associated with his Apple ID, and after searching for ages, I can't find a way to get the password sent to his email address. That email address is also his Apple ID.

He is trying to get on to his iPad, but he has no idea what model it is, so we don't know what version of IOS. He certainly doesn't know his verification code, but he might know the answers to security questions. Is this doble. or does he need to contact Apple support? He has a working laptop that he can access his email on.

The poor guy has had a stroke, and is pretty messed up, so we'd like to help him. I can PM his Apple ID / email address to anyone who can help.

Otherwise, if you can advise the go-to Apple forum, that would be good.

Thanks guys.

Report · May 21, 2018

Hi Trevor does this help?

https://www.imore.com/how-to-reset-apple-id-icloud-itunes-app-store

Dave

Report · May 21, 2018

Thanks Dave. I had not found that site, but have been to the pages it links to several times. Pages that give the option of retrieving with your apple ID and email, as well as all other options, now appear to take you to the page below, which leaves us stuck because they no longer have that phone, and entering any other number brings up a 'wrong number' error. So I keep going round in frustrating circles.

I have tried this with Edge, Chrome, and Firefox in case it is a pop-up being blocked but they re all the same. I'm guessing that it is tightening of security to combat phone theft, but how do you manage if you lose the phone or it dies?

Report · May 21, 2018

Hi Trevor

Does he or any relation not have the phone number e.g. in their contact lists? I don't think you need access to the phone - just the number

Dave

Report · May 21, 2018

davescm wrote
Hi Trevor
Does he or any relation not have the phone number e.g. in their contact lists? I don't think you need access to the phone - just the number
Dave

Are you thinking that knowing the number might be a security question? It's worth a try. I asked yesterday, and they didn't seem to know they number The man has had a stroke, and not exactly flash, and his wife is not great with technology. Seeing as they did not recognize the last two numbers, I wondered if the iPad might have a SIM, but he says not. I have the iPad here now, charging up from 2%, so I'll pop it out of the case to check for SIM.

BTW they let me use their desktop computer to search yesterday, and it was a nightmare. Turned out they'd swapped the mouse buttons because his right arm was munted by the stroke.

A wee story here... Chris's mum lost her cat a few days ago, and we thought it had been scared away after a plumber visited. We put up leaflets and walked the area, and even went back to her old house in case it had walked back there. (Five miles, but the cat might have seen a few Disney movies). At first light this morning we thought we heard the cat, and went outside looking for it, but no joy. Then we realized that the daft feline was in the loft! It must have been tricky climbing the ladder, and the plumber did not notice the cat when he shut the loft entry. Goodness knows why it did not make a noise before, unless it had run out of creepy crawlies to eat. So that's one less out of her nine lives.