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Can I use the iPhone as just an iPod, without activating the phone?

I lost my iPhone about a year ago, and bought another one. I just recently found the old phone and erased all the content from it. I want to give it to my son to use as an iPod, without activating the phone. I can't get this to work. Can this be done?

iPhone, iOS 4

Posted on Jun 21, 2010 10:06 PM

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6 replies

Jun 21, 2010 10:34 PM in response to Debra90068

Welcome to the discussions,
see this article: "Using an iPhone without a wireless service plan" http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3406
iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS
You can use any SIM card associated with the carrier that your device supports to activate the phone. Simply place a SIM card from the last carrier with which you used your iPhone into the device, and activate it. Then remove the SIM card. You can now use the iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS as you would an iPod touch (Wi-Fi only, no cellular service).
Note: You can use the activated SIM card from your new iPhone to do this.
To re-activate an iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS that displays the "Connect to iTunes" screen:
Insert a SIM card from the carrier with which you used your phone. Note: If you are using the same carrier, you can use the activated SIM card from your new device to do this. If your device is unlocked by your carrier, you can use any SIM card.
Connect the iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS to iTunes on a computer connected to the Internet.
iTunes will then activate the device. You can remove the SIM card at this point and use the iPhone as if it were an iPod touch.


Original iPhone
To continue using your original iPhone without active cellular service, leave the inactive SIM card in place. You will be able to use the iPhone as you would an iPod touch (Wi-Fi only, no cellular service) as long as you keep the SIM with which it was last used, even if you update or restore the operating system of the original iPhone.
Activation for an original iPhone requires that its SIM card stays with that iPhone. If the original iPhone displays the "Connect to iTunes" screen, you can use that SIM card to re-activate the iPhone, regardless of whether that SIM has a wireless service account/tariff still associated with it.


Message was edited by: Ingo2711

Jul 8, 2010 12:41 PM in response to Ingo2711

Thanks for the article - I am having the exact same issue as the original poster. The article also says, "If you no longer have the SIM that was used with the original iPhone, and the original iPhone displays the "Connect To iTunes" screen, contact your carrier to get a replacement SIM."

So I went to the AT&T store and got a blank SIM. Now when I connect it to iTunes it wants to activate wireless service. I don't want to activate service....so now what? I called AT&T, who told me to ask Apple.

Thanks for any advice!

Sep 4, 2010 12:10 PM in response to tonyajb

So is your iphone working just like an ipod touch now? I've been holding out for the ipod touch to get a camera in it and lo n behold the latest version has a camera! BUT it is much lower res then the iphone has. What's up apple. So, do I keep waiting for a higher res camera OR do I go with the iphone and sudo activate it and us is like an itouch? I'm not a cell phone user.

Can I use the iPhone as just an iPod, without activating the phone?

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