Apple Vision Pro users will have to go to a store to reset forgotten passcodes
Or mail in the $3,499 device to AppleCare customer support.
Update, February 12, 2:40PM ET: Apple's latest version of visionOS, released February 12, allows headset owners who forgot their passcodes to reset their device and start over with a fresh install — no store visit required. The original story follows.
Can you imagine having to mail in a $3,499 gadget because you forgot the passcode you nominated to be able to use it? Customers who purchased the Apple Vision Pro may have to do just that if they forget their device's passcode. According to Bloomberg, the company has been telling buyers that the only way to reset their codes is to go to an Apple Store or to mail their mixed reality headset to AppleCare customer support. Apple will then reset their codes so they could use their device again.
As Bloomberg notes, if a user enters an incorrect code too many times, their device will be disabled and they'll have to sit through a waiting period to be able to try again. They'll have to get Apple to reset their code if they still can't recall it after that waiting period, and getting the company to do will erase all the content on their headset.
It's worth noting that some users on the Apple discussion forum still got locked out even though they entered the correct passcode — it's unclear if it's a bug affecting some units — so the issue could happen to anyone. Based on some other posts, Apple's Genius Bar personnel use an accessory called the Developer Strap that the company is selling to developers for $299 to connect the headset to iPads or laptops to be able to reset it. In at least one instance, Apple Geniuses reportedly failed to reset the user's headset and had to replace it altogether.
The process to change the headset's passcode could still change in the future — the recently released Vision Pro, after all, is the first iteration of a brand new product category. For the sake of those who've already purchased one, we hope it's introduced through a software update instead of as an improvement in the next version.
