Help a friend or family member as their account recovery contact

As a recovery contact, you can help a trusted friend or family member regain access to their account if they’re ever locked out. Learn what to do if they need your help and how to accept or decline the request.

What a recovery contact does

As a recovery contact, you can help a friend or family member regain access to their account if they ever forget their Apple Account password or get locked out. If this happens, they can contact you on the phone or in person with simple instructions for how to generate and share a six-digit recovery code with them. This code, along with other information they verify, can allow them to reset their password and regain access to their account and their data.

How to become an account recovery contact

To become an account recovery contact, a friend or family member first has to invite you. When they send the invitation, you see a notification in the Messages app on your device. If you’re part of their Family Sharing group, you’re added as their recovery contact automatically. If not, you’ll be asked to accept or decline this request.

You can remove yourself as a recovery contact at any time in Settings on your device.

Things to remember

As someone’s account recovery contact, you won’t have any access to their account, only the ability to provide them with a code upon request. You should only provide a code directly to your friend or family member. If anyone else contacts you requesting a code, do not provide it.

Requirements to be a recovery contact

• Your device must be running iOS 15, iPadOS 15, or macOS Monterey or later.

• You must be over the age of 13.

• You need two-factor authentication turned on for your Apple Account.

• You need a passcode set up on your device.

How to help your contact regain access to their account

If your friend or family member is locked out of their account, they first have to verify some of their Apple Account information. Then, they’ll reach out to you on the phone or in person. You can follow the steps below to generate and share a recovery code that they can enter on their device.

On your iPhone or iPad with iOS 15 or iPadOS 15 or later

1. Go to Settings, then tap [your name].

2. Tap Sign In & Security > Account Recovery.

3. Tap your contact’s name.

4. Tap Get Recovery Code.

   

5. When your friend is ready, read them their recovery code. After they enter it on their device, they can reset their password and regain access.

On your Mac with macOS Monterey or later

1. Choose Apple menu  > System Settings, then click [your name].

2. Click Sign In & Security.

3. Click Account Recovery.

4. In the Account Recovery For section, find your contact’s name.

5. Click Get Recovery Code.

   

6. When your friend is ready, read them their recovery code. After they enter it on their device, they can reset their password and regain access.

How to remove yourself as a recovery contact

If you don’t want to be someone’s recovery contact, follow these steps on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

On your iPhone or iPad with iOS 15 or iPadOS 15 or later

1. Go to Settings, then tap [your name].

2. Tap Sign In & Security, then tap Account Recovery.

3. Under Account Recovery For, tap the person's name.

4. Tap Remove. The contact sees a message that you’re no longer their account recovery contact.

   

On your Mac with macOS Monterey or later

1. Choose Apple menu  > System Settings, then click [your name].

2. Click Sign In & Security.

3. Click Account Recovery.

4. In the Account Recovery For section, find your contact’s name.

5. Click Remove. The contact sees a message that you’re no longer their account recovery contact.