iPhone Unavailable No Erase Option? Fix It In 4 Ways

“iPhone Unavailable” is a common iPhone problem, and when it occurs, the device usually needs to be erased. Many times, the screen has an Erase option that allows you to quickly erase the device. However, there are times when there is no Erase option on the iPhone Unavailable screen, which can be frustrating and confusing for users.

This post delves into the reasons behind this issue and provides practical solutions to fix it.

Why is iPhone Unavailable not showing the Erase option?

After entering an incorrect passcode seven or eight times in a row on the iPhone while connected to the internet and with Find My enabled, you’ll get the iPhone Unavailable screen with the Erase option in the lower right corner. However, on the tenth incorrect passcode entry, the Erase option will no longer appear. So, if there is no Erase option on your iPhone Unavailable screen, there could be one of the following explanations.

Find My iPhone is turned off.
The iPhone is not connected to the internet.
The threshold at which the Erase option appears is not met or has been exceeded.
There is an iOS glitch that makes the Erase option not appear.
Your iPhone is running iOS 17 or above, and the Erase option is replaced by the Forgot Passcode option.

When your iPhone is unavailable and you have to erase it, but there is no Erase option on the screen, how do you go about it? Here are three methods to fix this problem.

Method 1: Fix iPhone Unavailable with iSumsoft iPhone Passcode Refixer

iSumsoft iPhone Passcode Refixer offers a convenient solution to quickly and safely fix and unlock an iPhone that says iPhone Unavailable in just a few clicks. It’s a specialized iPhone unlocking tool that is capable of unlocking various aspects including iPhone screen, Screen Time Passcode, Apple ID, MDM, iTunes backup, and more. Simply download and install the program on your computer, then proceed with the following steps.

Step 1: Run iSumsoft iPhone Passcode Refixer on your computer and select the Unlock Lock Screen option.

Step 2: On the next page, simply click Start to confirm that you want to use this option to fix the iPhone Unavailable issue.

Step 3: Once your iPhone is plugged into your computer using a USB cable, click Next to allow the software to identify your device.

Step 4: Click Download to let the software automatically download the firmware package required to unlock your iPhone that’s currently unavailable. Then, allow a few minutes for the download process to finish.

Step 5: Once the firmware is ready, click Unlock and the software will start unlocking your iPhone. The unlocking process will erase all user dada and settings on the iPhone, including the unavailable mode.

Step 6: When the software displays “Unlocked Screen Successfully”, your iPhone is now accessible and no longer hindered by the iPhone Unavailable screen.

Method 2: Fix iPhone Unavailable with iTunes

When there is no Erase option on the iPhone Unavailable screen, another common solution is to fix the issue by connecting your iPhone to a computer. You need a computer with iTunes installed, and then proceed with the following steps.

Step 1: Connect your unavailable iPhone to your computer via USB cable, then boot it into recovery mode.

Step 2: Open iTunes on your computer, and once your iPhone is detected, select the Restore option in the pop-up dialog box.

Step 3: Choose Restore and Update and confirm that you want to proceed. iTunes will restore your iPhone to factory settings.

Step 4: When the restore is successful, your iPhone is unlocked and ready to be set up for use again.

Method 3: Erase unavailable iPhone remotely using Find My

If your iPhone says iPhone Unavailable with no Erase option, you can remotely erase it using the Find My app on another available device. This method works if your unavailable iPhone is connected to the internet and has Find My turned on. Here is how it works.

Step 1: On another available device, sign in to icloud.com/find with the Apple ID that is used to set up iCloud on your unavailable iPhone.

Step 2: Select the unavailable iPhone and click Erase This Device, then follow the on-screen instructions to confirm that you want to start the erase.

Step 3: Your unavailable iPhone will receive the erase command and begin erasing.

Method 4: How to fix iPhone Unavailable without erasing data

Even with a backup, erasing data may not be the result you want. So, are you looking to fix iPhone Unavailable without erasing data? Unfortunately, this is only possible under certain conditions.

You can fix iPhone Unavailable without erasing your data only if you still know your passcode and see a timer on the screen indicating that you can enter it again in a while. In this case, you just need to wait for the timer to run out and then enter the passcode correctly to unlock the iPhone. However, if you’ve forgotten your passcode, encounter the iPhone Unavailable screen without a timer, or the countdown is too long for you to wait, your only option is to erase the device.

Conclusion:

When an iPhone is unavailable, typically the Erase option is visible, allowing you to easily erase the device and regain access for normal use. This straightforward method is usually sufficient to fix the iPhone Unavailable issue without needing a computer. However, in some cases, there is no Erase option on the iPhone Unavailable screen, making fixing the problem more challenging. Fortunately, solutions like iSumsoft iPhone Passcode Refixer, iTunes, or the Find My app on a computer offer alternative ways to fix the iPhone Unavailable issue.