Can't unlock iPhone after restart.

Question

Can't unlock iPhone after restart.

Around a week or 2 ago, the top half of my phone screen stopped functioning. To compensate for this, I turned on voice control via siri and used this to navigate my phone. It was going fine until today. My iPhone battery died, and now voice control will not activate on the lock screen and I cannot tap the first digit of my passcode. Is there anyway I can get back into my phone without:

Repairing the screen
Using Backup and Restore via iTunes

Please respond as soon as you can, I'm starting to freak out.

iPhone XS Max

Posted on Jan 6, 2023 5:52 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Axel Foley

Level 10

150,966 points

Jan 6, 2023 6:04 PM in response to JosephWatts08

No. This is because your iPhone has been restarted and therefore will need the initial passcode entered. You have stated that you are unable to enter the passcode from the failing/damaged screen.
No. You are not going to be able to backup and restore on a computer without unlocking the iPhone first.

The best solution, at this point, is to get the screen repaired.

Axel F.

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Answer 2

Jan 6, 2023 6:27 PM in response to JosephWatts08

No, your only solution is to replace the screen. Backups must be made before disaster strikes, after is too late. And it’s a shame, because you can just turn on automatic backups and the phone will back up overnight, every night. And you can also sync your photos and videos to iCloud, which happens in real time. Everything time you take a photo it is synced in near real time to iCloud. But too late for either now.

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Answer 3

Jan 6, 2023 6:25 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

I do not have the money to replace the screen right now, is there some other way I can maybe get voice control to re-enable? I'm also worried that if I send my phone to apple they will just replace it instead of repairing the screen, as I have months of photos and videos I haven't backed up. However if repairing it truly is my only option I guess I'll just have to wait.

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Answer 4

Jan 6, 2023 7:43 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

I did have automatic backups on but I ran out of iCloud space

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Answer 5

Jan 6, 2023 6:02 PM in response to JosephWatts08

Your best bet is to replace the screen. That can usually be done by Apple while you wait, and without having to erase the phone→iPhone Screen Repair & Replacement - Official Apple Support

Backup and restore will not fix the screen, and you will have to enter your passcode to do it.

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Can't unlock iPhone after restart.

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