This account is locked and can't be used (AppleID is not active)

Managed to get this fixed - the only solution is abandoning the locked/disabled account and re-registering the device with new/different apple id.

This required resetting the device by making a request to have the activation lock removed with apple. The request required the original receipt including the device serial number. I initially asked apple for this but they were unable to provide it as the order was too old and it was archived. Thankfully I managed to find the receipt in my email. If you dont have a receipt I'd say you are stuck. I also had to raise the activation lock removal request twice as the first one was erronously rejected as they thought it was a business device (it wasnt).

All in all this has been a terrible customer experience for a legitimate customer. Locking these devices this way with no route to resolve other than clearing activation locks is terrible. They may be trying to lock security down but its gone too far and is short sighted in terms of legitimate customers when its so difficult to get access to device again. A lot of people will have bricked/lost access to devices they legitmately own through no fault of their own.

For me I suspect this was caused by creating a new apple id on an old device, on the latest version of ios available for that device which doesnt support the latest security required by apple - they ought to prevent these types of accounts being created in the first instance rather than allow it and subsequently lock/bricking the devices.

I’m a former Apple Retail Store Manager. Please let me explain. The issue is when an Apple ID becomes so compromised that some Apple service cannot be used in the future. An example would be Apple Pay. Apple Pay is tied to the Apple ID. At some point the Payment Network Operators will not approve any iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch with that Apple ID. Apple Cash will not work either. There are other Apple services that Apple won’t permit either.

The solution? Move on and the next time Apple tells the owner to change the password or requests other participation, follow the instructions. Another suggestion, use a long password that is easy to remember. My passwords are easy to remember. An example is pick a favorite author/poet and make the password the first sentence or two of a favorite book. For example,

>>It was the best of times it was the worst of times it was the age of wisdom it was the age of foolishness<<

Charles Dickens — A Tale of Two Cities

Capitalize a few letters here and there, leave out a word or two, add a few special characters and it’ll take an algorithm around a billion years to figure it out.

This will go a long way to securing your future and not having to face an issue like this again.

Doc Crumble wrote:

FYI the issue is happening for me (the OP) regardless of which apple or windows device we use to try to access the account.

Yes, and if Apple Support has indicated that nothing can be done, then that Apple ID is not going to be reinstated. Not around here, that is.

Why any of this has happened for your particular case, nobody here knows. (I’ve encountered threads with folks discussing locked Apple IDs that were trying operate in two or more countries contemporaneously, others with poor security or probably account takeovers, others undoubtedly trying to socially engineer access into somebody else’s Apple ID, and other issues.) We don’t have access to why any particular Apple ID was locked.

You can try asking Apple corporate. There’s a corporate area 408 telephone number and a USPS mailing address here: Contact - How to Contact Us - Apple

I've just talked to them through a phone call and chat support. They said I can't recover my Apple ID because they don't have the information and they simply told me to forget about it and create a new one instead.

Solved for me at least!

As of a few hours ago.

Tried on a whim (expecting the same “locked and can’t be used”) via the Apple Support app on iOS (reset password for someone else option) and all of a sudden: wow!

If you have a recovery phone set as a minimum - other folk on this thread might be worth trying again and see if it works for you too.

Hoping for all of you! 🤞

Zachyy wrote:

If it needs an Apple fix, then Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support, Apple will be able to resolve this issue at their level.

I already have, as seemingly many others in this thread, have. Tier1 and Tier2 support apparently no longer have the ability to reset passwords and the most common Apple Support advice for this issue, it would thus seem, is “create a new account”

It’s probably all on the back end of a lot of recent tightening of iCloud account security - but over the last few weeks a fair few number of people have lost access to their accounts and content as a result.

I have asked a support engineer, I am in email contact with - pointed them to this thread and asked them to send it up the chain.

Jeff Donald wrote:

I’m a former Apple Retail Store Manager. Please let me explain. The issue is when an Apple ID becomes so compromised that some Apple service cannot be used in the future. An example would be Apple Pay. Apple Pay is tied to the Apple ID. At some point the Payment Network Operators will not approve any iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch with that Apple ID. Apple Cash will not work either. There are other Apple services that Apple won’t permit either.

The solution? Move on and the next time Apple tells the owner to change the password or requests other participation, follow the instructions. Another suggestion, use a long password that is easy to remember. My passwords are easy to remember. An example is pick a favorite author/poet and make the password the first sentence or two of a favorite book. For example,

>>It was the best of times it was the worst of times it was the age of wisdom it was the age of foolishness<<

Charles Dickens — A Tale of Two Cities

Capitalize a few letters here and there, leave out a word or two, add a few special characters and it’ll take an algorithm around a billion years to figure it out.

This will go a long way to securing your future and not having to face an issue like this again.

Good advice with the passwords - I also use an algorithm and Shakespeare quote - always help others to do the same (or get 1Password to create one)

Not sure though, that the sudden locking of accounts can be explained like you say though.

Ours was simply used on 4 devices as an email only account (so not set as a root iCloud account on any device, always a subsidiary account) and was happily logged in on 4 devices (mixture of 10.13, macOS12, iOS12, iOS17) and then suddenly got locked for no reason. Phone and recovery email in place. All devices started showing “enter password” and that led to this discovery.

Looking through Reddit - where there are similar threads - a lot of folk claim

to have lost access to media and apps.

This seems to be an issue from about 3-4 weeks ago. So very recent and new.

If recovery options exist, then Apple should let accounts be regained, imho.

No solution. Apple told me to just create a new Apple ID and forget about this one.

Apple can completely reset a device if a person can provide sufficient evidence of valid ownership. Check the requirements and steps at: Activation Lock support request - https://al-support.apple.com/#/additional-support Apple says, "Proof of ownership documentation is required," but does not detail what currently constitutes proof other than it “must include the product serial number, IMEI or MEID.” Apple may typically require the original receipt* issued by Apple or an Apple Authorized Reseller. If Apple resets the device this will give you access to the device but won't restore access to the account used to lock it. There is nothing that can be done to expedite an Activation Lock request.

*Apple recommends you "Keep your receipt after you buy an Apple device" --> Keep your receipt after you buy an Apple device - Apple Support

Jscar1 wrote:

You’re not understanding the situation. Let’s say I got a phone off of eBay. That was an old iPhone 7. I then create a brand new Apple ID log into that phone and within hours it gets disabled. It is now in the loop where you can’t sign in and you can’t sign out because the account is disabled. You request a reset but it gets denied. We would not have proof of purchase and it really wouldn’t matter because the hardware is not involved it all revolves around the account. The issue is the account getting disabled for what is apparently no reason. Thus the loop is created.

Buying used equipment unfortunately ends badly for a number of buyers, when they acquire gear that is indistinguishable from lost or stolen gear, if not actually lost or stolen.

The All Too Common SAD Reality of Buying a used iPad/iPhone - Apple Community

This whether the buyer meets Activation Lock, or carrier lock, blacklisted, or jailbroken or otherwise hacked, or lost or stolen, or whatever other issue might have arisen here.

This matter is also not going to get addressed around here either, as nobody here is privy to the details of the device or of any associated or correlated IDs.

jojisensei wrote:

…Especially, given that in our situation recovery email and phone are still available and previously security questions were created….

If an Apple ID is still using security questions and not two-factor authentication, then the account security is lacking.

Which might also mean re-used passwords, or some other form of account take-over has happened here.

Getting locked out of an account after a successful take-over is expected, too.

You’ll need to submit proof of purchase to Apple by starting a support request following How to remove Activation Lock - Apple Support

Let’s get this clear. Your Apple ID is locked most likely because your Apple ID automatically locked to protect your security, in the case that you or someone else might have entered your password or other account information incorrectly too many times. You will have to regain access and you need to reset your password.

If you don’t know your password, you can request access to your account.

Apple ID is locked ⇢ If your Apple ID is locked, not active, or disabled - Apple Support

Contact Apple Support ⇢ Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support

Exact same situation and got the same advice to create an new account but hope that Apple fix it. Cause I really dont want to make an new account.

This is a user forum. Do not post personal info like your account username or emails publicly.

Refer to this article ->

If your Apple ID is locked, not active, or disabled - Apple Support