How to Delete a Password on iPhone: What You Need to Know
Removing or changing passwords on an iPhone sounds straightforward — but depending on which password you're referring to, the steps and implications are completely different. "Password" on iPhone can mean your Screen Time passcode, your Apple ID password, your Safari saved passwords, your device passcode, or passwords stored in the iCloud Keychain. Each one lives in a different part of the system and follows different rules.
What Kind of Password Are You Actually Trying to Delete?
Before anything else, it helps to identify what you're actually targeting. Here's a breakdown of the most common types:
| Password Type | Where It Lives | What It Controls |
|---|---|---|
| Device Passcode | Face ID & Passcode settings | Unlocking your iPhone |
| Apple ID Password | Apple's servers | Your Apple account access |
| Safari Saved Passwords | Passwords & Keychain settings | Auto-fill for websites/apps |
| Screen Time Passcode | Screen Time settings | Content and usage restrictions |
| Wi-Fi / App Passwords | Various settings and apps | Network and app access |
Understanding which category you're in determines everything about what's possible — and what's safe.
How to Delete Saved Passwords in Safari and iCloud Keychain 🔑
This is the most common request. When you log into a website and tap Save Password, iOS stores it in your Keychain, accessible across Apple devices signed into the same Apple ID.
To delete individual saved passwords:
- Open Settings
- Scroll to Passwords (or Passwords & Accounts on older iOS versions)
- Authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode
- Find the entry you want to remove
- Swipe left and tap Delete, or open the entry and tap Delete Password
To delete all saved passwords at once, you'd need to go through them individually or use the Edit button to select multiple entries. iOS doesn't currently offer a single "wipe all passwords" button within Settings — that's intentional, as a safeguard.
If you use iCloud Keychain, deleting a password on your iPhone removes it across all synced Apple devices. If Keychain sync is off, the deletion stays local.
How to Remove Your iPhone's Device Passcode
Your device passcode is the PIN or alphanumeric code used alongside Face ID or Touch ID. Technically, you can turn it off — but Apple strongly discourages this for security reasons.
To disable the passcode:
- Go to Settings → Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode)
- Tap Turn Passcode Off
- Confirm with your existing passcode
This removes the requirement to enter a code when unlocking. However, disabling the passcode also disables Face ID and Touch ID — biometric authentication requires a passcode backup to function. It also weakens encryption on your device.
Some managed devices (corporate or school iPhones enrolled in MDM — Mobile Device Management) may have policies that prevent removing the passcode entirely. If you're on a managed device, this option may be greyed out regardless of your preference.
What About the Apple ID Password?
You cannot delete your Apple ID password — it's tied to your account on Apple's servers and is required to access iCloud, the App Store, and Apple services. What you can do is change it through Settings → [Your Name] → Sign-In & Security → Change Password.
If you've forgotten it, Apple's account recovery process at appleid.apple.com is the path forward. This is separate from anything happening on the device itself.
Screen Time Passcode: A Frequently Forgotten Code 😅
The Screen Time passcode is a four-digit code that restricts access to Screen Time settings, app limits, and content controls. It's separate from your device passcode and easy to forget if you set it up months ago.
To remove it:
- Go to Settings → Screen Time
- Scroll down and tap Change Screen Time Passcode
- Select Turn Off Screen Time Passcode
- Enter the current code to confirm
If you've forgotten the Screen Time passcode, recovery options depend on your iOS version and whether you set it up with your Apple ID as a recovery method. On iOS 13.4 and later, Apple ID recovery for Screen Time passcode is supported — but it requires the Apple ID credentials associated with the device at setup.
Factors That Affect What's Possible for You
Several variables shape which of these steps will actually work in your situation:
- iOS version — Menu names and available options have shifted across iOS 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18. If your screen doesn't match the steps above, the setting likely exists but is named or located slightly differently.
- MDM enrollment — Corporate or school devices may restrict or hide passcode and password settings entirely.
- iCloud Keychain status — Whether sync is on or off changes how deletions propagate.
- Apple ID recovery options — What you set up at account creation affects what recovery paths are available.
- Two-factor authentication — Enabled 2FA changes how password resets and account changes are verified.
The Security Trade-Off Worth Understanding
Deleting certain passwords — particularly the device passcode — meaningfully reduces your device's security posture. iOS encryption is partially tied to the passcode, and removing it affects how protected your data is if the device is lost or stolen. That's not an argument against doing it, but it's a real consequence worth factoring in.
For saved website passwords, deleting them is low-risk, though you'll lose auto-fill convenience until you re-enter or re-save them.
Whether any of this is the right move depends on how you use your device, whether it's personal or managed, and what your actual security needs look like day to day.