check for activation lock

Get the previous owner to do the things in this article. What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support When you turn on the device it should start up to a welcome screen asking you to set it up.

Set up your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

There’s no way to check without having the phone in your hands. NEVER buy any used Apple product until you have had a chance to inspect it and return it if needed→The All Too Common SAD Reality of Buying a Used iPad/iPhone

Hi there,

if you’re purchasing an iPhone from someone, you wouldn’t be able to check if Activation Lock is enabled ahead of time without asking the seller to remove Activation Lock.

You can share this with them and ask them to ensure they remove Activation Lock before you purchase it What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

To ensure you’re purchasing an iPhone without Activation Lock, your best bet would to purchase it from an apple authorized reseller or via Apple directly.

Take care!

3 Important Rules

Rule #1......Do NOT buy a used phone.

Rule #2......If you break rule #1, make sure that you check the phone yourself and the phone turns on to the "hello" screen. Understand and expect that the phone will likely need a new battery soon at $50-70.

Rule #3......Refer to Rule #1

dvonries wrote:

buying a used iphone and checking for activation lock

There’s more to check for than Activation Lock. One common scam is to sell an iPhone, then report it as stolen to get a replacement. Once reported as stolen it’s IMEI will be blacklisted, meaning you can no longer use the phone. So even if the phone checks out and is clear of activation lock and it actually works when you activate it and turn it on, it can be blocked a day or two later.

So see Bob Timmon’s Rule #1.