“I purchased a second-hand iPhone X and it’s asking me to enter the Apple ID and Password, even though I haven’t created one yet. What does this mean and how to get the iPhone to work normally?”
If you’ve purchased a second-hand iPhone, you might be able to relate to the above situation. Mostly when users purchase a second-hand iPhone for an extremely low price, it’s iCloud locked. It means that if you want to use the device, you’ll have to first unlock iCloud locked iPhone. The official way of unlocking the iCloud lock is to enter the iCloud credentials of the original owner.
But since you are less likely to have to contact details of the owner, let’s take you through some of the alternatives to unlock an iCloud locked iPhone.
- Part 1: What Does iCloud Locked iPhone Mean?
- Part 2: How to Unlock iCloud Locked iPhone
- Extra Tips: FAQs about Unlocking iCloud Locked iPhone
Part 1: What Does iCloud Locked iPhone Mean?
iCloud lock is Apple’s extremely effective Anti-theft tool to keep the user’s iDevices protected. Basically, iCloud locking automatically gets enabled when the “Find My Feature” is turned on by the user.
Apple designed the iCloud lock feature to help iPhone users protect their personal information, even if their device gets stolen. Since the thief won’t have access to the user’s Apple ID and Password, he won’t be able to use the device for anything.
However, this doesn’t mean that every iCloud locked iPhone is stolen. There are several situations when the feature might get enabled accidentally. Some of these situations include
- You’ve forgotten to turn off “Find My iPhone” before erasing the phone.
- You’ve forgotten to sign out of iCloud before erasing the phone.
- The Apple ID is disabled.
Unless you’re dealing with a stolen iPhone, you can easily unlock iCloud locked iPhone using a couple of easy methods. So, let’s quickly dive into the unlocking methods that’ll help you get past the iCloud lock activation and use your iPhone again.
Part 2: How to Unlock iCloud Locked iPhone
Way 1: Reset Apple ID password
If you’ve accidentally activated the iCloud lock and have forgotten the password to your Apple ID, you can simply reset it and change the password.
Here’s how to unlock iCloud locked iPhone X by resetting the Apple ID password.
Step 1: Go to the Apple ID account page and click “Forgot Apple ID or Password”.
- Step 2: Enter your Apple ID and click “Continue”. Now, select “I Need to Reset My Password”.
Step 3: In the next window, you’ll be asked to choose the method you want to use to reset the password. There are two different ways you can reset the password of an Apple ID.
Select “Answer Security Questions” if you have set up security questions while creating your iCloud account. However, this method will only work if you remember the answers to every question.
Select “Get an E-mail” if you have provided a recovery e-mail while creating your Apple ID. In this case, you’ll receive a password recovery link.
- Step 4: Based on the method you select, follow the on-screen instructions to reset your password. Once the password is reset, simply use it to unlock iCloud locked iPhone free.
Way 2: Use Two-Factor Authentication (for iOS11 or later users)
If you’re running iOS 11 or above and have enabled two-way verification while creating your iCloud account, you can also use it to unlock the iCloud locked iPhone.
- Step 1: Go to the Apple ID account page and select the “Reset Password” option.
Step 2: If two-way verification is enabled, you’ll be asked to enter the “Recovery Key”. This is an exclusive key which is provided while creating your iCloud account. Enter the right “Recovery Key” and tap “Continue”.
- Step 3: Select a trusted device to receive the verification code. Simply, enter this code when asked and tap “Continue”. In the next window, create a new password for your iCloud account.
Way 3: Use a reliable Third-Party Tool (PassFab Activation Unlocker, for iOS 12.3 to iOS 13.5.1)
The above two methods will only work if you’re stuck in a situation where you’ve accidentally activated the iCloud lock and forgotten the Apple ID password. However, if you purchased the iPhone from someone else and don’t know the iCloud credentials, we recommend using a dedicated third-party iPhone activation tool like PassFab Activation Unlocker.
The tool will help you bypass the iCloud activation screen and unlock the iPhone, even if you don’t remember the iCloud password.
Here’s the step-by-step process you should follow to unlock an iCloud locked iPhone using PassFab Activation Unlocker.
- Step 1: Install & launch Activation Unlocker on your computer and tap “Start”.
- Step 2: Connect your iPhone via a USB cable and let the software download the right jailbreak package.
- Step 3: Once the process completes, click “Start Jailbreak”. Now, follow the on-screen instructions to put your iPhone into DFU mode. Wait till the software jailbreaks your iPhone and tap “Next”.
- Step 4: In the next window, confirm your device information and select “Start Remove” to initiate the iCloud activation bypass process.
- Step 5: Be patient as this process can take a couple of minutes to complete.
Conclusion
Now that you know the methods to unlock iCloud locked iPhone, follow the right procedure, and quickly unlock your device with minimal efforts.
Extra Tips: FAQs about Unlocking iCloud Locked iPhone
Q1: How to open activation lock iphone 6s?
To open an activation lock on iPhone 6s, you’ll have to follow a dedicated method to unlock the iCloud lock.
Q2: iPhone iCloud unlock software Recommends
Even though there are different unlock tools, we recommend using PassFab Activation Unlocker to unlock an iCloud locked iPhone.