6 digit pass code for phone

If your mother has been using any lock screen on her phone, whether it's fingerprint, biometric, pattern, she had to also set a 6 digit passcode as a backup.

It is a required feature of every smartphone that a pin code be set as a backup for access. This is in case Biometrics change, or someone forgets their pattern.   The PIN code is required whenever the phone is restarted.

If she doesn't remember her passcode she may have to factory reset her phone and sign-in with her apple credentials again to access.

she has never had a lock screen until this update. Her phone is always unlocked.

Are you sure it's not asking her to set a passcode? 

I’m surprised that a screen passcode was never on the phone, because that’s one of the things that gets set during the initial phone setup.  I don’t think it’s even possible to not have a passcode, even if you normally use Face ID or Touch ID.  Either she set one up, or someone set one up for her.  After loading a software update, it always asks for the screen passcode it start using the phone again, so that’s normal.

In any event, if she doesn’t know the passcode, the only way out is to erase the phone and set it up as new.  Hopefully there is a backup that she can restore the phone from.  There are the official instructions, which require plugging it into a computer.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204306

This article says you can now initiate the erase from the phone itself if you have iOS 15.2 or later.

https://www.macworld.com/article/559879/how-to-reset-iphone-forgot-password-no-mac.html

A third way is to go into iCloud and remote erase the phone.

This 

We'll be happy to assist your phone unlock @bwcwmw33.

To request that you have forgotten your passcode here is where you can go to get this reset for you.

Let us know if this helps.

Heather, AT&T Community Specialist

@ATTHelp  That article is how to rest an account (iCloud) password.  The OP is talking about the screen unlock passcode on the phone itself.  Something different.

@capcutapks 

The original poster has forgotten their screen lock, not their Apple ID.

And don't think we haven't noticed that your post is suspiciously a copy of the one by a t t help