How many times can you enter your iPhone passcode wrong before your account is disabled?

An iPhone employs a progressive delay mechanism for incorrect passcode entries. While temporary lockouts begin after the sixth failed attempt, the device is not permanently disabled until after the tenth consecutive incorrect entry. Upon the tenth failure, the iPhone enters a "Security Lockout" or "iPhone is disabled" state, which requires the device to be erased and restored using a computer with Finder or iTunes, or via the "Erase iPhone" option on the device itself if available. This security feature is designed to protect user data from brute-force attacks.

A. Five: After five incorrect attempts, there is no time delay or lockout; the user can immediately try again.
C. Three: After three incorrect attempts, there is no time delay or lockout.
D. Six: The sixth incorrect attempt triggers the first temporary lockout, disabling the iPhone for one minute, but it is not the final, permanent disablement.

1. Apple Support. "If you forgot your iPhone passcode." Apple Inc., Last Modified October 27, 2023. In the section "Your iPhone is disabled," the document implicitly details the process leading to a permanent lockout, which occurs after ten failed attempts. The escalating time delays are described as: 6 attempts (1 minute), 7 attempts (5 minutes), 8 attempts (15 minutes), 9 attempts (1 hour), and the 10th attempt results in the permanent disabled state.

Source: https://support.apple.com/en-us/102430

2. Apple Platform Security. "Passcode security." Apple Inc., May 2024. Under the "Controlling passcode attempts" subsection, it states, "To discourage brute-force passcode attacks, the time delays for entering a passcode increase with each failed attempt... After 10 failed attempts, the device is wiped if 'Erase Data' is turned on; otherwise, the device must be restored using Finder or iTunes." This confirms the 10-attempt limit.

Source: https://support.apple.com/guide/security/passcode-security-sec2011b9453/web (Refer to the table detailing escalating time delays).