AirPods Pro linked to previous owner

Question

Level 1

9 points

AirPods Pro linked to previous owner

I have legitimately purchased a pair of AirPods Pro Gen2 and the previous owner has unpaired them and removed them from his Find My. The problem is that although I can pair them to my devices and they show at my location and the previous owner can longer see them, they will not add to my Apple ID as it states they are still registered to the previous owner D*******@gmail.com . Why are they still doing this when the previous owner has followed the correct procedure to remove them?

Posted on Oct 8, 2023 12:37 PM

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Answer 1

sberman

Level 10

264,321 points

Oct 9, 2023 3:09 PM in response to wjkerfoot

Maybe this would work …

Ask the original owner to perform the steps shown in “Remove Activation Lock on the web if a device is offline” here.

How to remove Activation Lock - Apple Support

If his response is that the AirPods do not appear at all, then your assertion the AirPods were correctly removed from his Apple ID seems correct, and perhaps Apple Support can assist you further. If the AirPods do appear, there’s hope …

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Answer 2

sberman

Level 10

264,321 points

Oct 8, 2023 4:13 PM in response to wjkerfoot

Apparently the previous owner encountered some error when attempting to follow the procedure. Here is what was required.

Before you sell, give away, return, or recycle your AirPods - Apple Support

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Answer 3

sberman

Level 10

264,321 points

Oct 9, 2023 2:01 PM in response to wjkerfoot

If this happened to me, since it sounds like you know the previous owner, I would contact that person and ask her/him to kindly repeat the unpairing process.

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Answer 4

sberman

Level 10

264,321 points

Oct 9, 2023 1:51 PM in response to wjkerfoot

From the article I supplied above:

”Your AirPods don't have to be connected via Bluetooth to your device — but the process might happen more quickly if your AirPods are Bluetooth-connected and within Bluetooth range of your device.”

So perhaps the previous owner removed the AirPods while they were not Bluetooth-connected.

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Answer 5

wjkerfoot Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 9, 2023 1:58 PM in response to sberman

OK, I understand, he tells me they were but I wasn't there.

If he didn't do so, is there anything else I can do or will it never happen?

I have disconnected and re-paired several times over 3 days but no luck.

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Answer 6

sberman

Level 10

264,321 points

Oct 9, 2023 2:30 PM in response to wjkerfoot

Ah, I assumed (apparently incorrectly) that you and he were acquainted and in close proximity. Or that it would not be difficult to return the AirPods to him briefly for this exercise.

Sorry, since my assumption was obviously wrong, I’m at a loss what to suggest. I’ll keep thinking about it …

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Answer 7

wjkerfoot Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 10, 2023 12:33 AM in response to sberman

Thanks again, he has already tried this and the Airpods do not appear. Apple support have been contacted and he has been told there is nothing they can do, which is most disappointing.

We live about 1 hour apart and in a few weeks time after my holiday, we are meeting up and he will try and add the Airpods to his Apple ID again and with them connected via Bluetooth unpair and remove them again. Hopefully when that happens and I reset them it will work.

I will be sure to report back after our meeting.

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Answer 8

wjkerfoot Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 9, 2023 1:20 AM in response to sberman

I guess you didn’t read my post fully, as I stated the previous owner followed the correct procedure to the letter and they no longer appear in his Apple ID or Find me but I cannot link them to mine

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Answer 9

sberman

Level 10

264,321 points

Oct 9, 2023 11:53 AM in response to wjkerfoot

I did read your post fully. I dispute what you state as fact.

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Answer 10

wjkerfoot Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 9, 2023 11:58 AM in response to sberman

Dispute as much as you like, but it is true. Lots of posts on the web about the same thing.

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Answer 11

wjkerfoot Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 9, 2023 2:22 PM in response to sberman

I don't know him but can contact him. Not wishing to sound stupid but if the buds don't appear on his Apple ID or Find My and I have the buds in my possession how on earth can he do anything?

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