Activation Lock

If you don't remember your Apple ID :--> If you forgot your Apple ID - Apple Support

If you don't remember your Apple ID password:--> If you forgot your Apple ID password - Apple Support

If you are talking about "activation lock" (an anti-theft measure), neither we, just users like you, nor Apple can help you, sorry, unless you are the original owner and you still have the proof of purchase (receipt/invoice reporting your device’s IMEI or Serial Number). Should be this case, start your request using this link: https://al-support.apple.com/#/additional-support

Shouldn’t be this case, activation lock can be removed only by the previous owner, with the credentials that were used to activate that iPhone/iPad. Without those credentials, that device is useless to you.

You can also take a look at this support article:--> How to remove Activation Lock - Apple Support

Regards

Giulio

TalinMCruz wrote:

I have an IPAD 2 version 9.3.5, the cannot recall anymore the exact email address that I registered under activation lock. How do i retrieve it?

Here are the Apple support pages that outline the Activation Lock - and the only mechanisms by which it can be turned off:

Activation Lock for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

Turn off Activation Lock – Apple Support

As you will discover, unless you are the owner of the AppleID that was last used to activate the device, you’ll not be able to defeat or bypass the Activation Lock. With documentary evidence that you are the original owner (such as sales receipt showing the serial number), Apple may be prepared to assist - otherwise they and nobody here will be able to help you.

If you have the necessary documentation, Apple have recently introduced a new portal though which you may be able to request release of an Activation Lock:

How to remove Activation Lock - Apple Support & start an Activation Lock support request.

However, recovery of the AppleID credentials should be possible…

If you have forgotten your AppleID or associated password, these can be recovered here:

https://iforgot.apple.com/

To recover your credentials, you’ll need access to any one of the following:

• Your primary email address mailbox that corresponds with your AppleID
• Any of the secondary/recovery email addresses that should be configured for your AppleID account
• Any of the trusted telephone numbers (fixed line or Cellular/Mobile) that are associated with your AppleID

Unless you AppleID account has not been fully/correctly configured, or has been seriously neglected, recovery of the AppleID and password should not be difficult.

More information about recovery of your AppleID:

If you forgot your Apple ID - Apple Support

More information about recovery of your AppleID password:

If you forgot your Apple ID password - Apple Support

When you recover access to your credentials, you would be well advised to log-in to your AppleID account from a web browser - and verify/update any email addresses and trusted telephone numbers:

https://appleid.apple.com/

I wouldn’t even bother with this old, over 10-1/2-year old, 2011 iPad 2, now, unless, you are planning to just recycle this old iPad

The act of totally resetting this device will wipe the device completely clean.

If you never made ANY backups of this device, all the data that was stored on this device will be permanently gone.

Also, it is HIGHLY UNLIKEY, in 2021, that you will be able to retrieve ANY third party apps that may have been downloaded/installed to this device.

Apple ended support for all 8-10-year old iOS devices nearly 5 years, ago, in 2016.

Third party app developers abandoned and stopped supporting these 8-10-year old iOS devices nearly 3 years, ago, in 2018.

There are, virtually, NO MORE third party apps available from the iOS App Store, any longer!

Third party compatible apps for such old devices are few and far between, now, in 2021.

This includes apps for both iOS 9 AND iOS 10 devices!

AND, NO WAY to initially install any older, compatible, third party apps into this old iPad.

NO MORE SUPPORT! NO MORE APPS!

AND, that 5-year old default iOS Safari Web browser is too old, not secure and not safe to use to access the Internet, any longer.

There are virtually NO MORE third party Web browsers left for 8-10 year old iPads!

Available and more popular third party Web browser choices are GONE, now!

If you must use these old iPad models, here is what is left for still updated Web browsers.

Pickins’ are slim, now!

ALook Web browser ( A fairly new Web browser primarily designed for old iOS device versions, but is still available to newer iOS/iPadOS devices, as well ) The ONLY “new-ish” Web browser I recommend for any old/er iPad models at this late timeframe!

Dolphin Web browser

Maxthon Web browser

TOR private browser

TOR + VPN private browser

Turbo VPN private browser

This is pretty much it for iOS 9/10 compatible device, up to date, third party Web browsers today, in 2021.

All 2011-2012 iPad 2, 3, 4 and 1st gen iPad Mini models are fully and completely unsupported AND obsolete!

Sorry, but this is the reality for ALL 8-10-year old AND OLDER iOS devices now. Especially now in 2021!

In addition, the internal, rechargeable batteries in these old iPads are, also, running on borrowed time.

Not worth the costs to replace these old internal, rechargeable batteries in these old iPads, any longer, either.

There is one last thing you can try/attempt, if you need to recover older versions of apps, for old/er or aging iOS devices.

If you own much newer iOS device that can run either iOS 12 and.or iOS/iPadOS 13 and later, you can install the most recent app/s onto that more recent iOS device.

Then go back to your older iPad, open the iOS App Store, go to the Purchases section of the store app, search for the app/s you wish to try and download to that older iPad and see if an older version of the app is allowed to be downloaded/installed to that older iPad.

These newer iOS/iPadOS devices must use your same Apple ID user account and password as the older device you ard trying to get an older app for.

This does NOT mean that every app in the iOS App Store still has an older version of an app that is still compatible with iOS 9 OR 10 to be able to download/install, per my previous comments on this.

So, Failing that OR IF NO joy, then there is nothing more to be done.

It's late in 2021 now!

You really need to seriously consider a purchase of a new iPad model OR a much, MUCH “newer” and less expensive, refurbished or used iPad models, from better known, trusted Apple product/device retailers/resellers, some locally or from online, on the Web/Internet, capable of running the latest iPadOS versions.

There are PLENTY of less expensive, newer, older iPad models that can run the latest, current versions of iPadOS.

If you need OR ONLY able to purchase older, less expensive iPad models, look at older IPads from 2014 and later.

All of these older model iPads, below, CAN run the latest releases of iPadOS 15.

2014, 9,7 inch screen iPad Air 2 models

2015, 7.9 inch screen iPad Mini 4 models

2015-2017, 12.9 inch screen iPad Pro models. ( 1st gen Pencil support )

2016, 9.7 inch screen iPad Pro models ( 1st gen Pencil support )

2017,10.5 inch screen iPad Pro models ( 1st gen Pencil support )

2017, 9.7 inch screen iPad 5th gen models

2018, 9.7 inch screen iPad 6th gen models ( 1st gen Pencil support )

2019, 10.2 inch screen iPad 7th gen models ( 1st gen Pencil support )

2020, 10.2 inch screen iPad 8th gen models. ( 1st gen Pencil support )

Get the largest internal data storage model you can afford as NO Apple iOS device has ANY expandable storage.

I am sorry that you had to learn all of this, but this does not change any of the facts regarding these very old iOS devices.

Sorry & Best of Luck to You!

If you decide to go down the path of purchasing used, secondhand Apple devices, here is how to avoid purchasing an Apple iOS/iPadOS device with user activation lock, in the future.

If you purchase any iPad, or any Apple iOS device, for that matter, used/second hand, online, or even in-person, make sure this iPad does NOT have user activation lock and has been properly reset for sale.

A properly reset for sale iPad should initially power up to an animated, multi-language “Welcome” screen.

DO NOT take the iPad seller's word that this iPad is user activation lock free!

We have seen plenty of used iOS device purchasers get scammed.

User Activation Lock can never be bypasss, circumvented or worked around IF there is no correct previous/original user information to be able to do so.

Apple doesn't get involved with ANY user activation locked, used/second-hand sold devices, either.

So, buyer beware!

If purchasing a used device in-person, power the iPad ON

If the iPad DOES NOT display the initial animated, multi-language “Welcome” screen, then pass on purchasing this iPad.

If the iPad powers up to any other screen, then forget purchasing this iPad.

You cannot trust that the seller actually has the correct needed info to properly reset the iPad back to factory settings right then and there before the actual purchase and exchange of money for the iPad, in question.

Pass on the device!

If you are purchasing this used iPad online ask the seller to provide multiple images, either online or be sent to you via email, showing this animated, multi-language “Welcome” screen of the interested in purchasing iPad model.

Even better, ask for a short video be sent to you showing this animated, multi-language “Welcome” screen, in action and in its entirety, posted to the online ad or emailed to you.

If the online iPad seller refuses any of these requests, pass on the iPad. DO NOT buy!

Good Luck to You!

Like I already stated, unless you want to make sure the device has been fully reset and empty before recycling this device, all of these procedures, time and efforts, outlined by others here, are just not worth it, in the end, for such an old iOS device.

These devices are too old, unsupported and obsolete and really NOT very secure to use online, any longer.

Sorry.