Have you ever found yourself locked out of your iPhone because you forgot your passcode or Touch ID is not working? It can be frustrating to be locked out of your own device, unable to access important apps, contacts, and data. Fortunately, there is a little-known backdoor method to temporarily unlock your iPhone using the emergency call screen.

All iPhones come equipped with an "Emergency Call" screen that can be accessed even when the phone is locked. By utilizing this emergency screen, you can create a temporary workaround to enter your iPhone when locked out. In this article, I will explain what the iPhone emergency call screen is, why it allows access to your locked iPhone, and provide a step-by-step walkthrough on how to leverage this screen to gain entry into your locked down iPhone.

The emergency call screen is an important iPhone feature that could potentially save lives. By pressing and holding the side or top button on any iPhone model, it will bring up a screen that allows you to call emergency services. This provides the ability to call for help even when the phone is locked or disabled.

Apple designed the emergency call feature this way intentionally to make sure users can always reach emergency services if needed. Even if you forgot your passcode or your iPhone is otherwise inaccessible, you can still tap the "Emergency Call" button and dial for help. Of course this screen is meant to be used only for legitimate emergency calls, not as a backdoor entry into your iPhone.

However, once you are on the emergency call screen, there is a workaround that allows you to cancel the call and return to the lock screen, thus granting you access to unlock the iPhone. Since this workaround takes advantage of an important emergency access feature, it should only be used as a last resort when locked out of your iPhone. Still, it provides a good temporary solution in a pinch.

In this article, I will walk through step-by-step how to properly leverage the iPhone emergency call screen to gain entry into a locked iPhone. I will also discuss precautions, security risks, and when it's appropriate to use this method. While not a permanent fix, using the emergency call screen can get you out of a jam if you ever find yourself locked out of your iPhone.

Step-by-Step Guide to Unlocking Your iPhone

Before attempting to use the emergency call screen to unlock your iPhone, it's important to note that this method only works consistently on iPhone models running iOS 6.1 or earlier. For later iOS versions and models, the steps may be unreliable or not work at all. If you have an iPhone with iOS 7 or later, you may need to try alternative unlocking methods which I will cover later in this article. 

That said, if you do have an eligible older iPhone model, here is how to unlock it using the emergency call screen:

First, turn on your locked iPhone and type any wrong passcode at the lock screen. After typing the incorrect password, tap "Cancel" at the top of the screen to return to the lock screen. This first step sets up the emergency unlock trick.

Next, slide to unlock the phone again, but this time tap the "Emergency Call" button instead of typing a passcode. This will bring up the emergency calling screen. 

Now, while on the emergency call screen, hold down the power button on the top or side of your iPhone until the "Slide to Power Off" prompt appears. As soon as you see this, tap "Cancel" to return to the emergency call screen. 

With the emergency call screen still open, dial the emergency number 112 (or 911 in the US). Tap the green call button to initiate a call, then immediately tap cancel again to end the call before it goes through. This will result in a blue bar appearing at the top of the screen.

Quickly press the power button to turn off the iPhone screen completely black, then turn it back on again by pressing either the home button or power button. 

Finally, as soon as the lock screen appears, hold the power button down for about 3 seconds until the emergency call button pops up. Tap the emergency call button, and your iPhone should now be unlocked!

Be aware this is not a permanent solution, your iPhone will lock again if it goes to sleep. But it does provide a handy way to access a locked iPhone in a pinch. Just be careful not to abuse emergency services when following these steps.

Precautions and Warnings

While the emergency call unlock trick can get you out of a jam, it is incredibly important to understand this is meant to be a temporary solution only. Do not use this method regularly to unlock your iPhone, as it can lead to potential problems, risks, and even legal consequences in some regions.

First and foremost, you should never actually place an emergency call when following these steps, unless there is a real emergency. Misusing emergency numbers like 911 or 112 for reasons other than their intended purpose can result in criminal charges or penalties. At minimum, it wastes critical emergency resources. 

When dialing these numbers, even if you cancel immediately, your call still has the potential to go through and ring on the other end. So emergency dispatchers may end up calling you back to verify if it was an accidental dial or real crisis. Only call emergency services when truly needed.

Besides the misuse of emergency numbers, frequently relying on the emergency call screen to access your iPhone can cause technical problems over time. Apple never intended for it to be utilized this way regularly. Doing so can potentially trigger security flags, crash detection alerts, or other software issues.

For example, repeatedly unlocking your iPhone by holding down the power and home button in a pattern similar to a forced restart could trigger the iOS crash detection to activate unnecessarily. This could result in erratic device behavior.

The emergency call unlock method also represents a security risk if others know how to access your iPhone this way. Since it bypasses your normal passcode, anyone could get into your device. Make sure not to demonstrate this workaround to those you don't fully trust.

Given the potential problems, you should reset your normal iPhone passcode as soon as possible after using the emergency unlock trick. Never rely on it for more than temporary access to your device. It is meant as an emergency measure only, not for routine unlocking of your iPhone.

Instead, if you forgot your passcode or Touch ID is not working, use the proper reset steps through iTunes or iCloud. Or take your iPhone to an Apple store for proper service to maintain security.

The emergency call screen backdoor exists solely to provide access to emergency services on a locked iPhone. It should only be used in that context when someone's safety is at risk and urgent help is needed. Unlocking your iPhone through other means should not involve emergency numbers. 

In summary, this unlock method comes with considerable risks if improperly used. Limit use to temporary access when truly locked out. But reset your iPhone promptly to ensure robust security and avoid potential technical issues that can arise from overusing an exploit not meant for regular access.

Exercising caution and care when utilizing this workaround will keep your iPhone functioning smoothly while still allowing you to regain entry when locked out in a pinch! 

When Should This Method Be Used

Given the risks and warnings, it's reasonable to wonder - in what situations would this emergency unlock trick actually be appropriate to use? While not recommended as a regular access method, there are some circumstances where leveraging the emergency call screen can be justified to gain entry to an iPhone.

Firstly, if you simply forgot your passcode or Touch ID is not recognizing your fingerprint, the emergency unlock provides a quick temporary workaround. It can save you the time and hassle of fully resetting your iPhone to factory settings and having to set everything up again from scratch. 

In this case, you can use the emergency method to quickly access your device, back up any unsaved data or contacts, then proceed to fully reset your passcode through standard procedures. The emergency method just gives you quick access without a full reset.

Secondly, if your iPhone itself is having software issues that prevent you from resetting the passcode normally, the emergency screen may be your only option. Whether it's a glitch that causes Touch ID failure or some other system problem, this backdoor bypass can restore iPhone functionality.

However, in any normal situation where you just forgot your passcode, you should reset it properly through trusted methods like iTunes or iCloud find my iPhone. The emergency screen should only be used if standard reset options are unavailable due to extreme circumstances.

In some rare cases, you may need quick access to your iPhone for an urgent reason, and don't have time to perform a full system reset. For example, needing to pull up a document, contact info, or access to a website through your phone's browser that is critical in a time-sensitive situation. 

While an edge case, the emergency method does provide a rapid way into your iPhone that standard reset options cannot match for speed. Again, this access would be temporary until you can properly reset security through Apple's recommended methods.

Essentially, the emergency call screen unlock is a last resort for gaining quick entry to your iPhone when locked out, only if absolutely needed. It is not intended for routine access, but rather for emergency situations where immediate access is truly required and justified.

As soon as possible, legitimate passcode reset options should be utilized to restore your iPhone's security. Never rely on this backdoor regularly - it exists for emergency purposes, not standard unlocking convenience. But in certain limited cases, it can be a lifesaver when locked out of your device at a critical moment.

Alternatives for Resetting iPhone Access

While the emergency call screen method can provide temporary access to unlock your iPhone, there are better alternatives for permanently resetting iPhone access if you forget your passcode. One great option is using the Unlockdog software. 

Unlockdog is an easy-to-use program that lets you bypass the lock screen on your iPhone quickly, even without knowing the passcode. It is designed as a reliable alternative to emergency unlock methods that pose risks.

               Video: How to unlock your iPhone screen without passcode?

 To use Unlockdog to reset your iPhone passcode, first download and launch the Unlockdog program on your computer. Select the "Remove Screen Passcode" mode within the software. 

 Click on "Start Removal" to begin the process.

 follow the on-screen instructions to put your iPhone into recovery mode and follow the on-screen instructions to put your iPhone into recovery mode. Read more. 

 Unlockdog will walk you through this process step-by-step including downloading any required firmware packages.

 Unlock Screen Passcode after it ready

Within just a few minutes, the lock screen passcode will be successfully bypassed.

The great thing about using Unlockdog is it provides a simple, fast, and safe way to reset iPhone access. There is no need to experiment with makeshift emergency call unlocks or other inconvenient workarounds. 

Unlockdog takes care of the passcode removal process for you automatically. It even preserves all your data in the process. So you can easily regain access to your iPhone without risking emergency service misuse issues or losing your information.

For anyone who has forgotten their iPhone passcode and needs to urgently regain access, using trusted software like Unlockdog is the recommended method. It provides a seamless experience and works reliably on all iPhone models and iOS versions.

No more hassle of emergency unlock exploits or full factory resets. With Unlockdog, resetting iPhone access after forgetting a passcode is quick and easy. Just install, connect your iPhone, and let the software remove the passcode for you within minutes!

Try out Unlockdog to experience a simple and convenient solution for bypassing lock screens when locked out of your iPhone. It's the safer and faster alternative to emergency call unlock methods.

Conclusion

In closing, the iPhone emergency call screen provides an obscure backdoor method to temporarily unlock your iPhone when locked out due to a forgotten passcode or Touch ID failure. By utilizing the built-in emergency call function in a specific sequence, you can trick the iPhone into unlocking so you can access the home screen and apps. 

However, this workaround should only be used in true emergency situations when you urgently need access to your iPhone and have no other options. It is not meant for routine unlocking, as misuse of emergency services can bring legal consequences. Frequent use also risks technical issues with your iPhone.

The proper way to handle a forgotten passcode is to reset it through trusted Apple services like iCloud or iTunes. The emergency method is a last resort for temporary access when absolutely needed. Exercise caution when inputting emergency numbers and cancel the call before it goes through. 

Overall, view this emergency unlock trick as an emergency measure only, not a standard unlocking method. Restore your iPhone's security through official channels as soon as possible after gaining temporary access. While obscure, the emergency call screen can provide vital access to your iPhone in a pinch!