Q: “When I put my iPhone 15 in my pocket, I may have accidentally entered the wrong passcode. Now, it says ‘iPhone unavailable, try again in 15 minutes’ on the lock screen. What’s worse, the timer never counts down. How can I unlock this locked iPhone?”
When an iPhone is locked due to multiple incorrect passcode attempts, a countdown timer appears on the screen, indicating that the device will become accessible after a certain period. This is a security feature Apple implemented to prevent unauthorized access through brute-force attempts.
However, sometimes the timer may get stuck, preventing you from entering the correct passcode and unlocking your device. In this article, we’ll explore several solutions to help you fix the “iPhone unavailable, try again in 15 minutes” issue.
Why Is My iPhone Unavailable Try Again in 15 Minutes
The iPhone typically displays a message like “iPhone unavailable, try again in 1/15/30 minutes or 1 hour” after multiple incorrect passcode attempts, which is a normal security feature designed to protect your device. However, if the countdown time is abnormal (e.g. hours), or the timer fails to continue counting down, there may be a software malfunction, SIM card problem, or system conflict with the device.
How to Fix iPhone Unavailable try again in 15 minutes
If your device screen says “iPhone unavailable, try again in 15 minutes” and the timer is stuck, you may not be able to enter your passcode to unlock it. Here are a few proven ways to unlock or bypass the “iPhone Unavailable” screen.
Fix 1: Restart iPhone
If your iPhone is stuck on the “iPhone unavailable, try again in 15 minutes” screen due to a minor software glitch, a simple reboot can often resolve the issue. Restarting your device clears the cache and refreshes the system, allowing the timer to start counting down again.
Step 1: Press and hold the Side Button (or Top Button, or both the Volume and Side Buttons, depending on your iPhone model). When the Power Off slider appears, drag the slider to turn off your iPhone.
Step 2: Wait for a few minutes, then restart your iPhone by pressing and holding the Side Button until the Apple logo appears.
Once the reboot is complete, check if the timer begins to count down. If the issue persists, proceed to the next solution.
Fix 2: Re-insert SIM Card
While solving the “iPhone unavailable, try again after 15 minutes and it is stuck” issue, I came across a tip from users on various tech forums: re-inserting the SIM card may work.
This problem can sometimes occur if the SIM card isn’t installed correctly, leading to a disruption in the device’s internal communication. By removing and re-inserting the SIM card, you can restore the iPhone’s network connection and allow the timer to resynchronize. If you suspect the issue might be related to the network connection, this method is definitely worth trying.
Fix 3: Unlock Your iPhone without Entering Password
If the previous methods haven’t worked and you’re still stuck on the “iPhone unavailable” screen with the timer frozen at 15 minutes, 1 hour, or longer, waiting might not resolve the issue.
But don’t worry—you can unlock your iPhone without entering the passcode. There are multiple methods available, and the first one we’ll discuss is using iSunshare iPhone Passcode Genius, a popular and easy-to-use tool that can unlock the iPhone lock screen, remove Apple ID, bypass Screen Time controls, and even handle MDM restrictions.
Step 1: Visit the official website of iSunshare on your PC to download and install iPhone Passcode Genius software.
Step 2: Launch the software, select “Unlock Lock Screen“, and then click “Start” to confirm to continue unlocking iPhone.
Step 3: Connect your iPhone to PC with a USB cable and click “Next“, the software will detect your device information and load the corresponding iOS firmware package for it.
Choose the save path and download the firmware, make sure you keep your
Step 4: Finally, click the “Unlock” button. The software will start the unlocking process and remove the screen passcode lock. Once done, your iPhone will reboot and enter a settings screen.
Fix 4: Restore Unavailable iPhone with iTunes/Finder
If your iPhone shows the message “iPhone unavailable, try again in 15 minutes”, you might consider resetting it to factory settings using iTunes (or Finder). This process will erase all data and reinstall the system, but it will also unlock the iPhone and may resolve any software issues.
Step 1: Ensure you have the latest version of iTunes (or Finder) installed on your computer. If not, visit Apple’s official website to download and install it.
Step 2: Put your iPhone into recovery mode and connect it to your computer using a USB cable.
- For iPhone 8 and newer: Quickly press and release the Volume Up button, then the Volume Down button. After that, press and hold the Side button until the Recovery Mode screen appears.
- For iPhone 7 and 7 Plus: Press and hold both the Side button and Volume Down button at the same time until the device enters Recovery Mode and the relevant screen shows up.
- For iPhone 6s and earlier: Press and hold both the Side button and Home button simultaneously until the Recovery Mode screen appears.
Step 3: iTunes/Finder will display a prompt asking if you want to “Update” or “Restore” your iPhone.
Step 4: Click “Restore“, and iTunes will download the latest iOS version for your device and begin the recovery process. After the process is complete, your iPhone will restart and show the welcome screen, ready for setup.
Fix 5: Erase The Locked iPhone with Apple ID
When your iPhone displays “iPhone unavailable, try again in XX” and the timer is stuck, it can feel frustrating. How can you unlock your locked iPhone without a computer? If you remember your Apple ID and password, you can remotely erase your device using iCloud’s Find My feature.
Note: This method only works if Find My is enabled on your iPhone and you have an active internet connection.
Tip: If your iPhone’s lock screen displays the “Erase iPhone” option or the “Forgot Passcode?” button, you can tap it to directly wipe the device.
Step 1: Open a browser on any device with internet access and go to the iCloud website, sign in with the same Apple ID used on the locked iPhone. You can also sign in the “Find My” app on another Apple device.
Step 2: Select Find My iPhone from the main menu. Locate the locked iPhone in the device list and click on it.
Step 3: Click “Erase This Device” and enter your Apple ID password to confirm. Your iPhone will be wiped clean, resolving the “iPhone unavailable, try again in 15 minutes” issue.
Conclusion
It’s not uncommon to encounter the “iPhone unavailable, try again in 15 minutes” message. Typically, you can unlock your iPhone by entering the correct passcode once the timer expires. However, if the timer is not going down, your iPhone may remain stuck in security lock. Hopefully, the methods outlined in this article will help you unlock your device and regain control smoothly.
