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

Those suggestions don’t work in this situation.

The accounts are locked (for whatever reason) and support seems to have lost the ability to reset accounts to allow password change and user re-access.

With the account my family member lost due to this reason was just simply logged into two iOS devices and two macOS devices as a mail only extra iCloud account (used for receiving academic journals, nothing dubious) and the accounts simply started asking for passwords a few weeks ago - but they can’t be reset because they are locked and support can’t help either. As the OP states it needs an Apple fix, nothing users can do atm.

luckily my relative had a mail forward set up for their lost iCloud account - so they can luckily still receive their emails - that still seems to work, for now.

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

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.

Good luck 👍

Excellent response Jeff, with a nice reference. 👍

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.

yes, I followed the steps of my employer and the Apple ID I created for that iPhone. Thanks for the tip to contact Apple Business Manager Support, hopefully that worked out. But the Apple ID is not related to the employer cause they have as policy to create a new email and Apple ID. So i created an new Gmail and Apple ID. En with those a get the error desribed below. The Apple Support wasnt very helpfull and made accusations, like did you use your email with activity that arent allowed. Very odd. cause is sad i created the Gmail and Apple ID for business use. To have my private an business account seperated. I did read on reddit that a lot of people have this issue the last months and days. So i guess it is an bug by apple they have to fix. Otherwise I read that it happen to peoples private Apple ID and they have issues with purchases and subscriptions. So that will be a bigger deal. The IT is informed of my employer but cant help either. I did nothing wrong or could have change something. It is on the side of Apple were the problem was created. Cause the iPhone still worked, but the apple ID is still locked.

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.

Luqman-S-Mussa wrote:

Have there been any solution to this problem yet

Contact with Apple Support directly, and try to sort out whatever specific issue exists for this specific Apple ID.

This to try to resolve whatever has caused that Apple ID to be locked.

If Apple is willing to unlock it too, as they may have reasons not to.

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.

-> Apple locked my account

-> Asked me to request for account's review, denied and proceeded to lock my account

-> Tried changing password, not allowed

-> Apple account tied to iphone can't sign out, can't sign in either

Well done Apple!

Contact Apple by call or chat from Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support for further assistance.

You have a whole thread of solutions here, and you can refer to this article ->

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

You are using a free service provided by Apple. You may have created the Apple ID, but you agreed to abide by terms and conditions.

You need to contact Apple directly. See If your Apple ID is locked, not active, or disabled - Apple Support

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

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