Activation lock, disabled ID, ID no longer exists

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Activation lock, disabled ID, ID no longer exists

So I’m trying to help my mother figure this out. Her old iPad is stuck on Activation Lock because she forgot the password to the account it’s tied to. Now when I tried to help find her password at iforgot.apple.com it turns out her Apple ID is “not valid.” My mother assumes this is because the email she used to make it no longer exists. Seeing there was no way to retrieve the password, she then took it upon herself to start guessing which of course, after too many attempts, resulted in the disablement of the account due to security. So now we have an iPad stuck on activation lock because the ID is disabled even though the ID isn’t technically valid/existing anymore? I’m very confused and don’t know how to go about contacting support so as to resolve this predicament.

iPad 2

Posted on Nov 8, 2020 6:55 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Michael Black

Level 10

80,448 points

Nov 8, 2020 6:59 PM in response to JayOllyEast

Whether or not an email address is still an active email address has no effect at all on the validity of an AppleID once it has been verified and used.

She will likely need to go through the AppleID account recovery process -> How to use account recovery when you can’t reset your Apple ID password - Apple Support

Once she recovers her AppleID, she can change the primary email address to an active email address -> Change your Apple ID - Apple Support

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Answer 2

Niel

Level 10

733,019 points

Nov 8, 2020 6:58 PM in response to JayOllyEast

Go to a physical Apple Store, or click here and pick a method. In any case, you'll either need to prove that Apple ID is hers or supply the iPad's original purchase receipt.

(185703)

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Answer 3

Eric Root

Level 10

684,657 points

Nov 8, 2020 6:59 PM in response to JayOllyEast

If she is the original owner, have her contact Apple. Apple can remove the Activation Lock if provided the required paperwork. Either take the device, the original purchase receipt with the serial number, and a photo ID to the nearest Apple Store (if it has reopened)

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple.

or contact Apple ID Support.

Apple ID - Official Apple Support.

Contact Apple for help with Apple ID account security - Apple Support. (Link doesn’t always load)

Get Support Work through the screens to get a chat option.

Apple Support schedule phone call

https://twitter.com/AppleSupport People have posted it may take an hour or more to get a response.

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Activation lock, disabled ID, ID no longer exists

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