We have 3 iPhones that have been donated, however they are still connected to another Apple ID. What can we do to make them useable? They have been wiped/restored/updated on iTunes. The activation lock means we can't set any of them up. Can anyone help?
Unfortunately we don't know who made the donations anymore, so we cannot get in touch with any of them.
iPhone 5
There's nothing you can do with the phones. Activation Lock cannot be bypassed by anyone other than the rightful owner of the device. They were likely donated because they were lost or stolen and whoever had them also learned they can't do anything with them. At this point, they are simply ready for the recycle bin. Apple will NOT unlock them and we can't help you at all.
There's nothing you can do with the phones. Activation Lock cannot be bypassed by anyone other than the rightful owner of the device. They were likely donated because they were lost or stolen and whoever had them also learned they can't do anything with them. At this point, they are simply ready for the recycle bin. Apple will NOT unlock them and we can't help you at all.
Apple won't help you. And there is NO service known to man out there who can bypass activation lock. Even the FBI, tried and failed. The ONLY way Apple will unlock them is with the original purchase receipt with the device serial number, which of course you don't have as you're not the original buyer.
And to your assertion these phones are from upgrades, you know this positively how?
See this user tip I wrote about used iOS devices --> The All Too Common SAD Reality of Buying … - Apple Community
Without any proof, the phones are completely useless. I'm sure your charity is a terrific charity. But Apple won't do anything for you with those phones.
Right, that makes perfect sense from anti-crime point of view but these are definitely not stolen, just old phones from upgrades. We will keep digging to see if we can unearth records of where they came from. They are perfectly good phones, would be a real shame to recycle them.
I get all you are saying and believe you.
I don't have any physical proof but I'm sure they were donated in good faith to support our charity (supporting those living with dementia). If we have to recycle them we will.
Unlocking phones donated to a charity
