Apple Vision Pro password reset process?? How !! Apple is undoubtedly thrilled with news that its Apple Vision Pro headset sold out over its pre-order weekend despite costing around $3,500, but users of the expensive new headset may be less pleased to learn that they must return it to Apple if they forget their password.
According to Bloomberg Apple expert Mark Gurman, users of the Apple Vision Pro must either send it back to Apple or physically return the headset to an Apple shop to change the device’s password. According to alleged instructions issued to Apple employees, the Vision Pro must be reset by an Apple professional, and the reset procedure erases all data from the device.
It sounds ridiculous enough that by the time you read this, Apple may have released a software update that addresses the obvious flaw in this process: having to physically return the headset and lose all data on the device because you forgot your password is an unreasonable hassle—especially for a headset that costs nearly $4,000.
According to Bloomberg, there have already been multiple stories of people being locked out of their headsets after mistyping passwords several times. One user reports that after calling Apple’s official support number, they had to wait approximately 90 minutes to speak with a “senior level” support staffer, who then stated that Apple Vision Pro owners would have to physically return units for password resets unless and until Apple is able to issue a fix via software update.
“I was told by the support member that internally they expressed significant concern regarding this return-to-store ‘support’ procedure and were told there was nothing else they could do until a software update was released,” according to an extract from the user’s complaint. “Luckily, I live close to an Apple Store, many others are not so fortunate.”
Elsewhere in the same thread, Apple Vision Pro owners express their dismay at discovering that Apple employees are resetting Vision Pro units using the Developer Strap, a $300 accessory only available to official Apple developers that allows you to connect the headset to a Mac or iPad and transmit data.
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As stupid as it seems, the comment above gets to the core of why Apple’s seemingly trivial error is a potentially massive accessibility hurdle that must be remedied as soon as possible: Physically returning a gadget to an Apple shop is inconvenient for any user, especially those who struggle to move about.
Even packing up and mailing a headset back to Apple can be difficult for people who live in remote areas or have mobility issues, which is why we’ve come to expect devices we own to have simple, easy-to-use reset systems in place: so we can fix them ourselves if something goes wrong, rather than relying on manufacturers. We’ve also learned to anticipate password reset methods on our gadgets that do not wipe all of our data.
Given how harsh many of the online comments are from dissatisfied owners of Apple’s most costly device to date, it’s probable that the firm will address this issue and other Apple Vision issues soon. We’ve reached out to Apple directly to learn more, and we’ll update this article as soon as we hear back!
