Unlock iPod Screen Lock If You Forget The 4 Digit Combination

I’ve have several a lot of people post questions on other posts here at MDV asking how to unlock the iPod Screen Lock function if you forget the 4 digit combination/pass code, so I figured I would write up a short tutorial here to direct people to.

There are basically three ways to unlock the Screen Lock on your iPod:

  1. The most obvious and will not work for most people (or else you wouldn’t be visiting this web site). Simply enter the 4 digit combination/pass code at Extras > Screen Lock.
  2. Connect your iPod to the first computer it was synced with or the computer set as the primary one in iTunes. Open the iTunes application, then disconnect your iPod from the computer, and it should no longer be locked.
  3. Use this final way only if the first two options do not work for you because it is a destructive process.

    Everything on your iPod will be erased.

    This should not be a problem if you have all of your songs, videos, and other media stored in iTunes and you can synchronize once again after getting the iPod unlocked. Besides, if you don’t unlock your iPod it’s useless right? Learn how to Restore your iPod using the instructions from Apple’s site.

If your iPod is simply frozen, follow my instructions for an iPod Lockup Reset.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

This entry was written by Nick, posted on June 29, 2007 at 4:56 am, filed under Entry and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post. Both comments and trackbacks are currently closed.

74 Comments

  1. gabriel
    Posted July 11, 2007 at 12:54 am | Permalink

    how can i find out my screen lock code i forgot it

  2. Nick Momrik
    Posted July 11, 2007 at 8:15 am | Permalink

    You can’t! Read the instructions posted…you will need to reset your iPod.

  3. Alicia
    Posted July 11, 2007 at 10:24 am | Permalink

    ughm i have an ipod video and when i put it into itunes and take it out it dosent work i dont get it

  4. Nick Momrik
    Posted July 11, 2007 at 10:29 am | Permalink

    Read #3 and follow the link as a last resort if option 1 or 2 do not work.

  5. Alicia
    Posted July 11, 2007 at 10:33 am | Permalink

    :S :S:S are u sure thts the only resolution….because i use my ipod on my fathers computer and my mothers i dotn know how i will be able to get back all my song….oh and when u sync u go to to file and sync”Alicia” right?

  6. Alicia
    Posted July 11, 2007 at 10:56 am | Permalink

    im just gonna write a bunch of pissibilities it might be and try them all..i guess

  7. Steve
    Posted July 13, 2007 at 7:18 pm | Permalink

    Try this little application out, no restore of iPod required.

    http://www.hiddenvision.co.uk/ipod

  8. jill
    Posted July 14, 2007 at 6:44 am | Permalink

    uh… its the way i felt the last time i thought i’ll restore my podi… about my code recovery i just found out that the podi itself stores the code deep inside its memory. its hidden so ii select to view the hidden files and folders on the control panel. there i cheked the files and foud the codes.. i just throw it to my bin… and i became normal again…

  9. naomi..x
    Posted July 14, 2007 at 4:54 pm | Permalink

    i hav a ipod nano an im away frm home 4 ages an at my house is wer i 1st gt my ipod synced so wat can i do wil im away is der any other way?…….

    plus i havnt my wire fingy wif ma……

    so wat can i do???

    naomi..x

  10. naomi..x
    Posted July 14, 2007 at 4:57 pm | Permalink

    plus alicia is gay lol!!!

    lul jk jk !!!

    lol

    naomi..x

    ps. steve sounds fit!!!

    lol

    tk bk!!

    naomi..x

  11. Dominic
    Posted July 14, 2007 at 11:07 pm | Permalink

    http://www.hiddenvision.co.uk/ipod/ COuldnt get anything to work, used this website all problems solved, took me less than one minute after using program off website, amazing. http://www.hiddenvision.co.uk/ipod/

  12. John
    Posted July 16, 2007 at 10:00 pm | Permalink

    Here’s my solution, which will allow you to unlock your screen and put in a new code without restoring your iPod.

    1.Connect iPod to computer and enable disk use.

    2. Show hidden files and folders by going to my computer then to tools>folder options, click the view tab and under hidden files and folders click show hidden files and folders.

    3. under my computer click your ipod drive, then click i folder that says iPod_Control, then a folder called device.

    4. here there will be a folder either called _locked(if your iPod is currently locked or_unlocked (if your iPod is currently unlocked), open this folder with notepad or something equivalent to it.

    5. here you will see a bunch of gibberish, this is an encrypted version of your pass code delete this and save the file, disconnect your iPod, reset it by pressing menu and select at the same time and holding it for 6 seconds, then reconnect your ipod and let it sync.

    6. if you no longer want disk use then disable that, if you keep it in disk mode then remember you need to eject it manually.

    Congratulations, you can change your pass code with out the old one and you don’t need to restore your iPod.

  13. Rayken
    Posted July 23, 2007 at 7:24 am | Permalink

    John is correct just delete or cut that file name _locked its a hidden file. Thats what i did to my sisters ipod video no need for restore. its very easy

  14. jill
    Posted July 24, 2007 at 1:30 am | Permalink

    hiyeah baby you got what i mean mr john!

  15. miles
    Posted August 20, 2007 at 9:37 pm | Permalink

    hi john! been trying to follow your instruction to unlock the screen lock from of my ipod. but its not working. :(

    pls help me. thanks.

  16. Naveen
    Posted August 30, 2007 at 4:02 pm | Permalink

    As per John, I went into iPod_Control\Device folder and identified ‘_unlocked’ file. I opened it in notepad. It didn’t show me any gibberish characters rather it showed me the actual old 4 digit lock code. I don’t know why the code was not in ecrypted form. In iPod’s screenlock change menu, I supplied this old code and changed the screenlock code to new one. Again I opened the file and verified the lock code, now its in encrypted form. I think it was my good luck!!!

  17. samantha
    Posted September 2, 2007 at 1:52 pm | Permalink

    THANKYOU!!!

    i ha been trying forever to unlock this.

  18. Wookie
    Posted September 3, 2007 at 9:07 am | Permalink

    John is awsome, that’s alot

  19. rita warda
    Posted September 13, 2007 at 4:57 pm | Permalink

    plzzzzzzzzzzz i want the code of my ipod i forget it !!!plz send it o my e mail plzzzz i getting crazyyyyyyyyyyy:@:@:@:@

  20. aaron
    Posted September 23, 2007 at 7:33 pm | Permalink

    i forget my code.

  21. aaron
    Posted September 23, 2007 at 7:34 pm | Permalink

    w

  22. Cindy
    Posted September 26, 2007 at 4:22 pm | Permalink

    um.

    i reset my ipod.

    and it still wont come off lock :|

  23. scott
    Posted October 6, 2007 at 1:34 am | Permalink

    okay i entered a code to lock my ipod and when i went to unlock it i entered the code… and needles to say it didnt work for some reason. did i do something wrong? and i noticed the little ticks, was i suppose to remember those too? please help email me at motoxrider9@hotmail.com

  24. pawar
    Posted October 19, 2007 at 11:37 am | Permalink

    plz tell me how can i unlock my ipod screen lock? i forgot the 4 digit code?????plzzzzz help meeeeeee

  25. Brie-Brie
    Posted October 28, 2007 at 10:25 am | Permalink

    THANK YOU SOOOOOOO MUCH OH MY GOSH!!!!!!! you are a god.

  26. Brie-Brie
    Posted October 28, 2007 at 10:26 am | Permalink

    I NEVER wouldve gotten my pod unlocked without you. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  27. Brie-Brie
    Posted October 28, 2007 at 10:27 am | Permalink

    hey Cindy, when you just reset it doesnt affect settings. thats why it wont unlock.

  28. Leslie
    Posted October 31, 2007 at 11:41 pm | Permalink

    I can’t get this to work. I found a file that says iPod. But when I click on it, inside is a folder called bin, nothing saying “Control or device”.

    What’s wrong. Can anyone help me?

  29. Janet
    Posted November 1, 2007 at 12:41 pm | Permalink

    I need to unlock my iPod(its new with one of those metal backs) and the code I thought I set doesn’t work. I’m using a Mac OS 10.4 I think. Instrucions for dummies would be helpful. Thanks

  30. Mohindra
    Posted November 10, 2007 at 4:19 pm | Permalink

    As per previous insctructions, I simply navigated to the iPod_Control\Device\ folder, then deleted the “_locked” file. Hold Menu + Select to reset and Ipod!

  31. Mark
    Posted November 10, 2007 at 11:20 pm | Permalink

    heyy guys alrite this thing really does work….do the ipodcontrol/device/locked_ thing…

    but to actually make it work…delete the gibberish…save it

    and actually delete the file from the folder…

    as in pressing the red x button at the top and sending it to the recycling bin…and then u can just eject ur ipod from itunes…

    and itll go rite to ur main menu

    thank god for this dude josh though

  32. Tommy49er
    Posted November 25, 2007 at 2:09 am | Permalink

    THanx John

    all i did was lock my ipop plug it into my computer

    open the _locked file in notepad then backspaced the jibberish that was there it said something like “ZÑäbjåÖ\féÚPbíÞT~ñÂHzõÆLvùÊ@rýÎD”

    then saved (Ctrl + s) then renamed the file to _unlocked then deleted the file

    when i diconnected my ipod it was at the main menu so just to sure i soft restarted my ipod (MENU + middle button) and the 4 digit pin was gone now i can set a new one

    lol to think it was that easy cause i was gonna pay a friend of mine to hack it and unlock it 4 me

  33. joeyllll
    Posted December 4, 2007 at 7:42 pm | Permalink

    how do you open the locked file in notepad??

  34. joeylllll
    Posted December 4, 2007 at 7:51 pm | Permalink

    okay i have an iMac and my ipod is locked and i forgot the code…. i dont have any of my songs on this mac and i dont have accesss to my library is there anyway someone can help me

  35. toya
    Posted December 9, 2007 at 9:38 pm | Permalink

    hey i have a MAC OS 10.4 n i can’t figure out how to get to any of the things i need to, to reset my lock screen can someone give me step by step directions

  36. Logan
    Posted December 10, 2007 at 2:20 pm | Permalink

    The first computer I synced it too the harddrive crashed and now I have a new computer.What should I do?

  37. tyreoun
    Posted December 27, 2007 at 12:00 pm | Permalink

    i have the one with the metal backs will it still work

  38. Danielle
    Posted December 27, 2007 at 5:14 pm | Permalink

    hi,

    i locked my ipod and i forgot the screan lock.what do i do??

    HELP

  39. Frankee
    Posted January 4, 2008 at 12:30 pm | Permalink

    I locked my ipod what do i do???…….

  40. emily
    Posted January 7, 2008 at 5:31 pm | Permalink

    Thank you so much!

    Someone else locked my ipod and they did not know what code they set.

    Without this i dont know what i would have done.

    Thank goodness you knew what to do.

    All i had to do was open itunes when my ipod was connected to my computer.

    Wow! I feel stupid now!

  41. anjali
    Posted January 15, 2008 at 5:31 pm | Permalink

    hi

    can you help. i need help unlocking my ipod

    HELP

  42. anjali
    Posted January 15, 2008 at 5:35 pm | Permalink

    hi

    i need help

  43. anjali
    Posted January 15, 2008 at 5:36 pm | Permalink

    hi

    i need help unlocking my ipod

    HELP

  44. anjali
    Posted January 15, 2008 at 5:37 pm | Permalink

    hi

    help

  45. rebecca
    Posted January 19, 2008 at 7:03 am | Permalink

    i acidently locked my brothers ipod the ipod was givin to him for free from his friend who passed away and we dont know code and we are going away over seas tomorro and he needs it for the plane trip how do i unlock it??? HELP!!!!

  46. jordan
    Posted January 19, 2008 at 9:14 am | Permalink

    help me i got this ipod with almost 2000 songs on it for my birthday i love every song on it and my asshole of a friend locked my screen and aperently the i pod was stolen i didnt know until i asked the guy who sold it to me so i dont know the code or what the primary computer was? what do i do?

  47. CJizzle
    Posted January 21, 2008 at 12:13 am | Permalink

    All you have to do is connect your Ipod, download itunes, dump your music, restore and re install everything

  48. lincoln
    Posted January 26, 2008 at 6:35 pm | Permalink

    i set my ipod on lock screan and didnt know what that did now it will be locked help me i got the new nano

  49. Christian
    Posted January 27, 2008 at 11:49 am | Permalink

    That sucks, I got a new harddrive and all of my other songs are on my old one, so I’m only going to have like 44 songs on it unyil i gradually get more. if the restore process doesn’t work then i am going to be so mad.

  50. kamal
    Posted February 3, 2008 at 4:31 am | Permalink

    how do i unlocked my ipod

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