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iPhone locked

Can you unlock a phone you bought from someone else




[Re-Titled by Moderator]

iPhone 6, iOS 12

Posted on Oct 25, 2019 7:28 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 25, 2019 9:24 PM

If you are referring to activation lock, no, not unless you can get the former owner to do it.


Find My iPhone Activation Lock - This is a security feature, in part to deter re-selling of stolen devices. --> http://support.apple.com/HT201365


Turn off Activation Lock --> https://support.apple.com/HT201441 - An activation lock can only be removed using the log-in information for the account that applied the lock.


If this is a device for which you are not the original owner, get the owner of the account to remove the lock or return the device for a refund. The device is otherwise useless to you. If the owner has not provided contact information as a message showing in the login screen, there is no way to contact the owner unless the person who gave you the device knows them.


Or are you asking about a carrier lock? That too would probably have to be done by the former owner since it involves a contract set up between that person and the carrier.


Carrier lock: How to unlock your iPhone for use with a different carrier - http://support.apple.com/HT201328 -

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Oct 25, 2019 9:24 PM in response to lorri209

If you are referring to activation lock, no, not unless you can get the former owner to do it.


Find My iPhone Activation Lock - This is a security feature, in part to deter re-selling of stolen devices. --> http://support.apple.com/HT201365


Turn off Activation Lock --> https://support.apple.com/HT201441 - An activation lock can only be removed using the log-in information for the account that applied the lock.


If this is a device for which you are not the original owner, get the owner of the account to remove the lock or return the device for a refund. The device is otherwise useless to you. If the owner has not provided contact information as a message showing in the login screen, there is no way to contact the owner unless the person who gave you the device knows them.


Or are you asking about a carrier lock? That too would probably have to be done by the former owner since it involves a contract set up between that person and the carrier.


Carrier lock: How to unlock your iPhone for use with a different carrier - http://support.apple.com/HT201328 -

iPhone locked

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