Add an Apple Account recovery contact before a lockout

An account recovery contact can help you regain access to an Apple Account when you cannot complete ordinary recovery. They do not receive routine access to the account's content. The setup is most useful before a lost device or changed phone number cuts off other recovery routes.

Before you start​

Choose a person you can reach independently and who understands the responsibility. Confirm your Apple Account's current trusted phone number and two-factor setup.

Do it step by step​

1. On iPhone open Settings → [your name] → Sign-In & Security → Recovery Contacts. Read the requirements shown on the device.
2. Tap Add Recovery Contact and choose a trusted person. If they are outside your Family Sharing group, they may need to accept an invitation in Messages.
3. Explain how you would verify a genuine request if either of you is contacted unexpectedly. A scammer can impersonate a distressed friend; agree on another known channel.
4. Wait for acceptance and confirm the contact appears in your recovery list. Do not treat a sent invitation as an active recovery route.
5. Keep another independent sign-in or recovery method. Review the contact if the relationship or their phone access changes, and remove an outdated contact through account settings.

Check the result​

The recovery contact should appear as active, and both people should understand the verification process. You can test that you can reach them without triggering an actual account-recovery flow.

If something goes wrong​

If an invitation is declined, select a different person. Do not send your Apple Account password, verification code or recovery key as a shortcut.

Know the limit​

A recovery contact helps with a recovery process; they are not a shared account owner. Apple's support guide explains acceptance and how the method also supports Advanced Data Protection. Apple's recovery-contact setup