We believe that you are not able to control your excitement after buying an iPhone. Even if it is a second device; but the curiosity to acknowledge an iOS system is a bit high for you. No matter even if you have purchased from an old owner or other than Apple. You are always fascinated by the appearance and the quality features of the iPhone.
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However, things are still uncleared whenever you buy a used iOS device. You must need to unlink the previous owner’s authority from the phone. You need to make sure that the current iPhone is not synced with the previous owner’s account. For that, you need to remove the Apple ID associated with the owner from whom you bought the iPhone. Therefore, you have to delete if there is an association with the previous party before getting started with the iPhone.
The prime reason behind disconnecting the previously linked account is that only after that you will be able to set up and activate your iPhone. Here have prepared a guide on how you can unlock the device from a previous owner’s Apple ID.
The reason your iPhone has Activation Lock
This is a prime security feature introduced back in the time when Apple launched iOS 7. That implies if you have purchased a device with iOS 7 or later version, then you must need to pass this authentication test. Whenever you try to set up your second-hand iPhone, it shows up a message asking you to enter Apple ID and Password.
In addition to that, you cannot bypass this activation process as there is no other way. Only after you enter the correct ID and Password, you will be able to set up the device. Thus, once you see the message above showed in the image, you need to contact the former owner of the phone. This is the only way since calling to Apple would not help you as well to crack the activation lock.
How do I reset my Apple ID activation lock password?
Such properties of this feature suggest that it will be difficult for anyone to sell or buy a stolen iOS device. It is also acknowledged as one of the best security features of Apple’s product. The previous user can easily remove the lock. One needs to sign in to iCloud account with the Apple ID. The article also covers how it can be done.
Note: Even resetting your device is entirely valueless, because it will not bypass the same procedure of entering Apple ID and Password. It asks you every time you try to set up the device. Therefore, it is advised to check some specific factors before buying a second-hand user.
Things to keep in mind before buying a used device
The following are some of the factors that you need to consider/apply whenever you buy a second-hand iPhone.
- When you enable Find My iPhone, it also activates the Activation Lock, so that you need to navigate to iCloud.com/activationlock and check if Activation is disabled or not. Provide an IMEI number or serial number. If you don’t know the IMEI number you can follow this.
Go to Settings 🡪 General 🡪 About or you can find these numbers on the back of your iPhone.
- If Find My iPhone is enabled, then you need to ask the previous owner to eliminate all the content from the device. To do this, follow Settings 🡪General 🡪Reset 🡪Erase All Content and Settings.
- During the iPhone setup, you will be asked to enter Apple ID and Password. It is better you have the previous owner with you in order to complete the procedure quickly.
- There are some fraudsters who actually want to scam you by selling the stolen iPhone. You might find the iPhone status Off while purchasing, but it is not confirmed that the device is authorized to sell or not. The current owner might have kept it off and it is possible he or she would turn the Find My iPhone on after losing the phone. Therefore, always check all the rights before purchasing used iPhone.
- Finally, if you do not have to counter such obstacles, then you are a lucky buyer and can continue with the setup process of your iPhone.
Unlock from the previous owner with Find My iPhone
Whenever you happen to see a pop-up on your iPhone about the Activation Lock, then you need to contact the previous owner and inform them to erase the activation lock. Follow the mentioned steps below to do this.
- Firstly, you need to contact the previous owner, you can check the messages in which you have to deal with the iPhone. Another way is that you can visit the platform from where you have found the seller. This is a very essential step because if you could contact the owner, then there is no other way to remove the activation lock on your iPhone.
- Once you find the previous owner, tell them to sign in to iCloud.com where the owner needs to enter Apple ID and Password.
- Thereafter, Click on the Find My iPhone.
- Next, click on Find iPhone
- Next up, you need to select the device name which is sold to you
- That’s all, click on the Remove from Account.
Once the owner completes the aforementioned steps, your device will be unlocked and now, you can start the setup process without worrying about Activation Lock.
Unlock the iPhone if you forgot Apple ID & Password
This is a more interesting factor that what if you don’t know the Apple ID and Password. If you are the one who owns the iPhone. However, you still need to crack the Activation Lock.
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These are some tips that you can apply to unlock the device if you forgot Apple ID & Password after being an owner itself.
- Firstly, you can try resetting your Apple ID. Whenever you try to reset your Apple ID. You need to use the alternative email which you had provided while creating the current Apple ID. If you have chosen the option of providing security questions while setting up the Apple ID, then you need to correctly answer that question.
- If you are unable to reset the Apple ID, we suggest you reach out to Apple. You can call Apple and convince them that you are the real owner by giving them proof of your ownership. This method will surely work if you are the authenticated person who owns the iPhone.
Final words
We hope this article will help you unlock the device from a previous owner. If you have any queries regarding Apple and Android, you can reach out to us. Mention your issue in the comment section below.
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Having read this I thought it was really informative. I appreciate you finding the time and energy to put
this informative article together.