If you‘re an iPhone or iPad user, there may come a time when you‘re locked out of your device. Maybe you forgot your passcode, your device became disabled after entering the wrong code too many times, or you bought a used phone that‘s still tied to the previous owner‘s Apple ID. In these frustrating situations, you need a way to regain access to your iOS device.
This is where iPhone unlocking software like Tenorshare 4uKey comes in. 4uKey claims to be able to remove all types of screen locks on iPhones and iPads, including 4-6 digit passcodes, Touch ID, Face ID, and even Apple ID account locks. Sounds almost too good to be true, right? I put 4uKey to the test to see if it lives up to its promises.
In this detailed Tenorshare 4uKey review, I‘ll cover:
- What Tenorshare 4uKey is and what it claims to do
- A hands-on look at 4uKey‘s key features and user interface
- My experience testing 4uKey on my own iPhone and iPad
- Whether 4uKey is worth buying or if it‘s just hype
I‘ll also explain some important background on iPhone security so you understand the technical challenges a tool like 4uKey is up against. No hype or magic solutions here – just an honest, in-depth review from a fellow Apple user. Let‘s dive in!
What Is Tenorshare 4uKey?
Tenorshare 4uKey is downloadable Windows and Mac software that‘s designed to unlock iPhones and iPads by removing or bypassing various types of passcode locks and account restrictions. It‘s made by Tenorshare, a Hong Kong-based software company that creates a range of utility apps for smartphones, tablets and computers.
The main selling point of 4uKey is that it can allegedly remove every type of iOS screen lock, including:
- 4-digit and 6-digit passcodes
- Touch ID and Face ID locks
- Screen Time passcodes
- Apple ID activation locks
- MDM (Mobile Device Management) restrictions
Tenorshare claims 4uKey can unlock any iPhone or iPad in "a few clicks" without needing any tech skills or passcodes. This would undoubtedly be useful in a number of scenarios:
- You forgot your iPhone passcode and are locked out
- Your iPhone is disabled due to entering the wrong passcode too many times
- You bought or inherited a used iPhone that‘s still linked to the previous owner‘s Apple ID
- Your company enrolled a device in MDM but you no longer have access to remove it
- You want to completely erase and reset a device but don‘t know the Apple ID
Tenorshare also emphasizes that 4uKey can remove locks without causing data loss on your device. If 4uKey works as advertised, it would be incredibly helpful for many iOS users dealing with forgotten passcodes or activation locks. However, there are some important caveats to consider here.
Important Background: iPhone Security and Encryption
Before we dive into hands-on testing of 4uKey, it‘s crucial to understand some key points about how iPhone and iPad security works. All modern iOS devices are protected by encryption tied to your device passcode and Apple ID. This encryption can‘t be removed without completely erasing the device.
Additionally, critical hardware like the Secure Enclave coprocessor and Face ID/Touch ID sensors won‘t work with a different Apple ID or passcode than the original. Accessing the original Apple ID is the only way to fully remove Activation Lock. Any software that claims to "bypass" this is likely just mocking the iOS activation screen but not truly unlocking the device.
In other words, if you forget your Apple ID and passcode, your iPhone or iPad is essentially a paperweight. No software can magically defeat the core security and encryption that Apple builds into every iOS device. Even Apple themselves can‘t unlock a device for you if you lose the associated Apple ID access.
I point all this out not to say Tenorshare 4uKey is bogus, but rather to temper expectations. It‘s very unlikely any third-party software can completely remove Apple‘s security on modern iPhones without the passcode/Apple ID. But 4uKey may be able to help in specific scenarios on certain iOS versions. Let‘s see how it fared in my testing.
Hands-On With Tenorshare 4uKey
I tested the Mac version of Tenorshare 4uKey on my iPhone 14 Pro Max and 2021 iPad Pro, both running iOS 16. I also tried it on an older iPhone 7 running iOS 14. Here‘s a look at the main features and my experience with each:
User Interface and Ease of Use
One thing I can definitely praise about Tenorshare 4uKey is its clean, user-friendly interface. When you launch the program, you‘re presented with four clear options:
- Unlock iOS Screen
- Bypass MDM
- Remove Apple ID and iCloud Account
- Remove Screen Time Passcode
Clicking any option brings up simple on-screen instructions to walk you through the unlock process. Even if you‘re not particularly tech-savvy, you shouldn‘t have any trouble figuring out how to use 4uKey. The UI is very intuitive.
Unlock iOS Screen and Passcode Removal
The headline feature of 4uKey is the ability to unlock an iPhone or iPad if you‘re locked out due to a forgotten passcode, disabled device, broken screen, etc. After connecting your device, you simply click "Start" and 4uKey will begin downloading a firmware package to unlock it.
Unfortunately, this did not work on either my iPhone 14 Pro Max or iPad Pro. After starting the unlock process, I got an error message stating my passcode was still required to proceed. This didn‘t really surprise me. As I mentioned earlier, the Secure Enclave makes it virtually impossible for any software to bypass the passcode on modern iOS hardware.
Just to be thorough, I also tried 4uKey on my old iPhone 7. Again, no luck. The passcode and encryption remained intact. Your mileage may vary on much older devices and iOS versions. But on anything remotely recent, don‘t expect miracles.
Remove Apple ID and Bypass MDM
The other flagship features of 4uKey are the ability to remove an Apple ID activation lock and bypass MDM (mobile device management) enrollment. Both of these restrictions normally require you to authenticate with the original Apple ID credentials to remove.
Once again, I had no success unlocking my devices with either of these tools. When attempting to remove the Apple ID, 4uKey got stuck on the "Unlocking" step and eventually threw an error. For MDM, there was no way to actually test this since none of my devices are enrolled in an MDM server.
Ultimately, I suspect these features rely on some form of iOS exploit or activation bypass that may only work on specific older devices and software versions. For MDM in particular, there are legitimate uses for bypassing it on a company-owned device that‘s no longer managed. But the chances of permanently removing an Activation Lock without the Apple ID password are slim to none.
Remove Screen Time Passcode
The one area where I did have some success with 4uKey was removing the Screen Time passcode on my son‘s iPad. If you‘re not familiar, Screen Time is Apple‘s built-in parental control feature that lets you set content restrictions and time limits.
After connecting the iPad and clicking Remove Screen Time Passcode, 4uKey was able to reset the restrictions passcode so I could set a new one. This appears to work via an alternate password reset process, not by actually "hacking" anything. But it could still be useful if you forgot your Screen Time password.
Performance and Support
Despite my lack of success unlocking my iPhones and iPads, I will say Tenorshare 4uKey is a generally well-made Windows and Mac app. It installed and ran without any glitches on my MacBook Pro. The software automatically detected my connected devices. And the download speeds for the various "unlocker packages" were pretty quick on my broadband connection.
Tenorshare‘s website also has a well-written user guide and knowledge base with FAQs and tutorial videos for 4uKey. So while phone support might be difficult due to the language barrier, there are helpful resources available if you get stuck.
4uKey Pricing
As of 2023, Tenorshare charges $35.95 for a one-month license, $39.95 for a one-year license, or $49.95 for lifetime usage of 4uKey. Honestly though, I can‘t recommend spending the money unless you have a very old iPhone or iPad you‘re trying to unlock. Even then, there‘s no guarantee it will work.
The reality is, due to the robust security and encryption Apple uses in iOS, no commercial software is going to be able to bypass Activation Lock or remove an MDM profile without access to the original Apple ID credentials. Any app that claims otherwise is likely stretching the truth or relying on very specific bugs and exploits that may not apply to your device.
If you‘re locked out of an iPhone, your options are:
- Try to recover your Apple ID access at iforgot.apple.com
- Visit an Apple Store and verify your identity/purchases to remove Activation Lock
- If all else fails, accept the loss and get a new device.
The Bottom Line
I know this Tenorshare 4uKey review probably wasn‘t the most uplifting, but I believe in telling it like it is. iOS is an incredibly secure operating system by design. That‘s a good thing for user privacy and device security. But it also means if you forget your passcode or get locked out, recovery options are limited.
I‘m sure 4uKey and similar "iCloud bypass" tools have helped some users regain access to devices in very specific circumstances. But they‘re not magic keys to instantly hack any iPhone or iPad. The restrictions and security are there for important reasons.
My honest advice? Do everything you can to always remember your Apple ID password and device passcode. Write them down in a safe place. Enable Touch ID or Face ID for easier unlocking. And be cautious about buying used iCloud-locked devices, even if you think software can remove the lock.
Tenorshare 4uKey is an impressive bit of software engineering and I commend them for that. But no app is more powerful than the core security technologies Apple builds into every iPhone and iPad. Keep that in mind and make sure to lock down your Apple ID with a strong password and two-factor authentication. Stay safe out there!
