Want to highlight a helpful answer? Upvote!

Did someone help you, or did an answer or User Tip resolve your issue? Upvote by selecting the upvote arrow. Your feedback helps others! Learn more about when to upvote >

Newsroom Update

Apple and Google deliver support for unwanted tracking alerts in iOS and Android. Learn more >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Activation lock - prompted for Apple ID, X....@gmail.com but get error ID cannot be used

Trying to activate a family members old iPhone 6s after a restore.


Phone prompts me to enter the AppleID used to set up the phone and shows the correct email prompt: X.....@gmail.com.


I enter the correct info and get the message that email can not reused to activate the phone.


I followed the suggestion under Activation Lock Help and removed the phone from the family member's Apple ID account but no luck still doesn't work and now the device has been deleted from the account.


It is a 6s so the receipt is looooong gone. Is there any work around or is this phone effectively bricked?

iPhone 6s

Posted on Sep 13, 2021 8:30 AM

Reply
3 replies

Sep 13, 2021 10:55 AM in response to Joshua Mortensen

Then try restoring iOS using your computer, then re-activate it.


If you still get that, then the device you removed from the account you logged into was not that one...


Talk to the "family member" who was using it. Sounds like they may have had multiple Apple IDs with similar email addresses and different devices.


If all else fails, the original purchaser of the phone can contact Apple's account security team and provide them with the original proof of purchase for the device to have the activation lock removed.

Activation lock - prompted for Apple ID, X....@gmail.com but get error ID cannot be used

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.