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I have a iPad mini that has photos on it which I need and the iPad has not been used for 4 year and we don’t know the password and can’t use our computer to transfer them and there was no iCloud account made at the time is there another way we can get the photos from the iPad
If your iPad is locked with an unknown or forgotten Passcode - or of the iPad indicates that it is unavailable - by design you will not be able to access (or recover) any data locally stored on the iPad.
Your iPad uses an encrypted filesystem - this being designed to protect your locally stored data. Unless you can successfully enter the correct Passcode, your data/photos will remain inaccessible and beyond reach.
If your iPad indicates that it is disabled, as will occur after repeated entry of an incorrect Passcode, all locally stored data will be permanently beyond reach. As soon as the iPad becomes disabled, all data is automatically erased from the device.
Should you have an iCloud or iTunes backup of your data, you can restore the backup to your iPad. Otherwise, with neither backup nor knowledge of your Passcode, your data/photos have been lost.
iPadOS 15.2 or later with a forgotten Passcode
Apple has introduced a new procedure with which to reset an iPad or iPhone with a forgotten Passcode - allowing you to use your AppleID and associated Password to reset your device.
How to reset your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch when you forgot your passcode - Apple Support
You will be able to restore data from a pre-existing iCloud backup without the use of a computer, but will require a PC/Mac to restore data from an iTunes backup.
iPadOS 15.1 and earlier - and all devices that are Disabled
If your iPad is disabled/unavailable/locked-out, or you have forgotten your iPad passcode, you have no alternative other than to follow this process:
If you’ve forgotten the passcode on your iPad, or your iPad is disabled – Apple Support
You’ll need access to either a Windows PC (with iTunes for Windows installed) or a Mac (with iTunes or Finder - as appropriate for the installed version of macOS).
Download and use iTunes for Windows – Apple Support
Update to the latest version of iTunes – Apple Support
Use of a PC or Mac is unavoidable. If you don’t have access to a suitable computer of your own, that of a helpful friend or family member will suffice. Alternatively, the technicians at the Genius Bar of your local Apple Store will be delighted to assist:
Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple
You may also need your AppleID and associated password. If these have also been forgotten, they can be recovered here:
To recover your credentials, you’ll need access to one of the following:
Unless you AppleID account has not been fully/correctly configured, or has been seriously neglected, recovery of the AppleID and password should not be difficult.
More information about recovery of your AppleID:
If you forgot your Apple ID - Apple Support
More information about recovery of your AppleID password:
If you forgot your Apple ID password - Apple Support
When you recover access to your credentials, you would be well advised to log-in to your AppleID account from a web browser - and verify/update any email addresses and trusted telephone numbers:
If your iPad is locked with an unknown or forgotten Passcode - or of the iPad indicates that it is unavailable - by design you will not be able to access (or recover) any data locally stored on the iPad.
Your iPad uses an encrypted filesystem - this being designed to protect your locally stored data. Unless you can successfully enter the correct Passcode, your data/photos will remain inaccessible and beyond reach.
If your iPad indicates that it is disabled, as will occur after repeated entry of an incorrect Passcode, all locally stored data will be permanently beyond reach. As soon as the iPad becomes disabled, all data is automatically erased from the device.
Should you have an iCloud or iTunes backup of your data, you can restore the backup to your iPad. Otherwise, with neither backup nor knowledge of your Passcode, your data/photos have been lost.
iPadOS 15.2 or later with a forgotten Passcode
Apple has introduced a new procedure with which to reset an iPad or iPhone with a forgotten Passcode - allowing you to use your AppleID and associated Password to reset your device.
How to reset your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch when you forgot your passcode - Apple Support
You will be able to restore data from a pre-existing iCloud backup without the use of a computer, but will require a PC/Mac to restore data from an iTunes backup.
iPadOS 15.1 and earlier - and all devices that are Disabled
If your iPad is disabled/unavailable/locked-out, or you have forgotten your iPad passcode, you have no alternative other than to follow this process:
If you’ve forgotten the passcode on your iPad, or your iPad is disabled – Apple Support
You’ll need access to either a Windows PC (with iTunes for Windows installed) or a Mac (with iTunes or Finder - as appropriate for the installed version of macOS).
Download and use iTunes for Windows – Apple Support
Update to the latest version of iTunes – Apple Support
Use of a PC or Mac is unavoidable. If you don’t have access to a suitable computer of your own, that of a helpful friend or family member will suffice. Alternatively, the technicians at the Genius Bar of your local Apple Store will be delighted to assist:
Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple
You may also need your AppleID and associated password. If these have also been forgotten, they can be recovered here:
To recover your credentials, you’ll need access to one of the following:
Unless you AppleID account has not been fully/correctly configured, or has been seriously neglected, recovery of the AppleID and password should not be difficult.
More information about recovery of your AppleID:
If you forgot your Apple ID - Apple Support
More information about recovery of your AppleID password:
If you forgot your Apple ID password - Apple Support
When you recover access to your credentials, you would be well advised to log-in to your AppleID account from a web browser - and verify/update any email addresses and trusted telephone numbers:
Need photos and forgot password
