» Unlock iPhone»How to Remove Activation Lock without Previous Owner
You got a used iPhone and discovered that it has an activation lock? The Activation Lock requires you to enter the previous owner’s Apple ID and password to unlock the device, but you don’t have those details and are unable to get in touch with them? So your iPhone is stuck on Activation Lock and you can’t use it? Don’t worry, this post will show you how to remove the activation lock without the previous owner.
Activation Lock is an Apple security feature designed to prevent anyone who is not the owner of an iPhone or iPad from using it if it is lost or stolen. The feature is integrated into the device’s Find My system and is enabled automatically when Find My is turned on and disabled when Find My is turned off. So the previous owner didn’t turn off Find My before giving you their iPhone, which is why you are encountering an activation lock.
The Activation Lock appears after a device factory reset. Normally, Apple requires Find My to be turned off in order to factory reset an Apple device. If you reset your iPhone without turning off Find My, the activation lock will be triggered. Then, when you re-set up your device, the Activation Lock appears on the screen asking you to enter the Apple ID and password that were last used to set up the device. When this happens in iOS 15 and above, you will see iPhone Locked to Owner on the device screen.
Activation Lock prevents you from using your iPhone unless you enter the previous owner’s Apple ID and password. But what if you don’t have the correct login credentials and can’t reach the previous owner? Read on for how to remove the activation lock on your iPhone without the previous owner.
iSumsoft iLock Refixer is the highly recommended method to remove the Activation Lock from your iPhone without the previous owner’s login credentials. It’s a specialized Apple activation lock removal tool that allows you to bypass or remove the Activation Lock and regain access to your iPhone in just a few simply steps. The tool works for any iOS, including the latest iOS 16/17/18. Here is how it works.
iSumsoft iLock Refixer
Step 1: Download and install iSumsoft iLock Refixer on your Windows PC, and once it is installed, launch the program.
Step 2: Connect your iPhone with the activation lock to your computer via USB cable, then choose the Bypass ID option on the program screen.
Step 3: Click Start and the program will automatically detect your iPhone and prepare the required files for removing the activation lock. At the end of the preparation, your iPhone will automatically switch to recovery mode.
Step 4: Adhere to the instructions displayed on the software screen to boot your iPhone into DFU mode.
Step 5: The program will immediately jailbreak your iPhone once it is in DFU mode; you will then need to wait a few minutes for the jailbreak to finish.
Step 6: Once the jailbreak is complete, boot your iPhone into DFU mode again, and the software will jailbreak it once more to create the necessary files required to remove the activation lock.
Step 7: As soon as the jailbreak is complete, the program will start bypassing the activation lock on your iPhone.
Step 8: When the software screen shows a success message, the activation lock has been removed, and your iPhone is no longer locked to its previous owner. Your iPhone will reboot and then go straight to the home screen without you having to enter an Apple ID to set it up.
If you have an older iPhone model, it’s likely that it’s running an earlier version of iOS. If that’s the case, DNS might be able to help you remove the activation lock without a previous owner.
Step 1: Return to the initial setup screen on your iPhone that displays Hello in multiple languages, and set it up again.
Step 2: When you reach the Wi-Fi settings page, connect to a WiFi network and then tap on the i icon next to your network name.
Step 3: On the next page, tap on Configure DNS, and then select the Manual option.
Step 4: Tap Add Server below DNS SERVERS and use one of the following DNS values, depending on your region, then you can bypass the activation lock and unlock your iPhone.
Can't reach the previous owner? You can get in touch with them by phone calls, text messages, emails, social platform, etc. If you bought the device on an online platform like Amazon or eBay, then you can also contact the seller online. Anyway, try your best to get in touch with them.
What if you can reach the previous owner but they are unable or unwilling to provide you with their Apple ID login information. So how do you remove the activation lock without the previous owner? Another method is to use a device passcode.
If the Activation Lock screen shows the Unlock with Passcode option, you just need to ask the previous owner for the passcode that was last used to unlock the iPhone. With this passcode, you can follow the steps below to easily remove the activation lock without inputting the previous owner’s Apple ID.
Tap on the Unlock with Passcode option and select Use Device Passcode from the pop-up menu, then enter the correct passcode. The Activation Lock is immediately removed and you can then complete your iPhone setup without an Apple ID or with a new Apple ID.
You can also ask the previous owner to remotely remove the activation lock on your iPhone from their device. This doesn't require them to reveal any of their information. And it's a simple process that only takes two or three minutes. They shouldn't say no.
Step 1: Sign in to icloud.com using the Apple ID that locks your iPhone. Then, click the Find My app on the iCloud homepage.
Step 2: After logging in to Find Devices, select the iPhone stuck on Activation Lock and click Remove This Device, then follow the on-screen prompts to confirm the removal.
That’s it! Your iPhone is removed from the previous owner’s Apple ID account. Now restart your iPhone and set it up again. During this setup, you will not see the activation lock and can complete the setup using your own Apple ID or without an Apple ID.
Find out the receipt for your legal purchase of the device or the proof that the previous owner has transferred the device to you, including emails and other transaction records.
Contact Apple support and explain the situation. After Apple checks the device and your documentation, they may remove the Activation Lock for you.
If you have lost the evidence of legal possession of this device, or the evidence is insufficient, then Apple will likely not help. In this case, please move on to another option.
Buying an iPhone/iPad with an Activation Lock can be very frustrating, especially if the previous owner can't help remove the Activation Lock. So, how to avoid Activation Lock when buying a second-hand iPhone/iPad?
Likewise, if you, as a seller, intend to sell your used iPhone or iPad, you should disable the Activation Lock before selling to avoid inconvenience to buyers or cause transaction disputes. To disable Activation Lock, just turn off Find My iPhone with these steps.
