"This account is locked and cannot be used" and "This Apple ID is not Active" alerts whenever my cousin tries to log into her account using her password.

Question

Level 1

4 points

"This account is locked and cannot be used" and "This Apple ID is not Active" alerts whenever my cousin tries to log into her account using her password.

Hello Everyone,

So I've recently been trying to work on fixing my cousin's Macbook Air. Whenever she tries to enter her password (which she remembers clearly), she always gets an error saying "This Apple ID is not active". Apparently she had two Apple Devices (This Macbook and her iPhone, the iPhone being stolen from her by some thugs at gun point). We contacted Apple Support once regarding this problem so that they could unlock her Apple ID and so that she could sign out from her account on her Macbook. Apparently, when we made that request, it got denied and we made a few more calls to Apple Support but they kept saying the same thing, which was to go to iforgot.apple.com but when we went there and typed in our Apple ID, it kept saying "This account is locked and cannot be used". We then talked with a few more Customer Care Representatives that stated that we needed to perform a reset and remove the Activation Lock on her device by providing a proof of purchase or and invoice to Apple. She apparently got the Macbook as a hand-me-down from her Dad who got it from his friend as a gift. This was years ago and I'm not sure if her Dad's friend would be having that receipt right now. Do you think if we reset the Macbook and type in the password for the account, it will work? She knows the password very well, but we're just afraid that if we reset the laptop, the Activation Lock will arrive and it will make her laptop Macbook completely useless. Right now, she can use her Macbook PIN to access her account and she even knows the Apple ID password for her locked account. She just doesn't have the purchase receipt.

Your cooperation with us would be very helpful to us, please respond back to us regarding this issue

MacBook Air (2018 – 2020)

Posted on Aug 1, 2024 1:44 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Limnos

Level 10

426,497 points

Aug 1, 2024 8:01 AM in response to wikiahmd

Resetting it yourself by erasing it will not remove the lock. You're running up against a security feature (some call it anti-theft, but Apple doesn't), Activation Lock. It's relatively new to see it on a Mac. The only way to remove it is to use the account information it is asking for–which won't work in your case because the account was disabled–or to present Apple with a receipt they are willing to accept as proof of ownership. That's very likely to be the original one from an official Apple retailer or Apple itself. Without either of those the Mac is useless to you. It thinks you may be a thief trying to get access to it. You may still be able to get limited use of a device with the lock, but eventually you run into the Activation Lock feature which shuts you out.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings (I am just a volunteer on this forum). Hopefully you can track down the original receipt.

Reply

Answer 2

Aug 25, 2024 6:45 AM in response to wikiahmd

If you reset the MacBook and it has Activation Lock, it will ask for the Apple ID and password. Since you don’t have the purchase receipt, it might be difficult to bypass the lock. Continue working with Apple Support to find alternative solutions or proofs of ownership. Avoid resetting until you’re sure it won't complicate the issue further.

Reply

"This account is locked and cannot be used" and "This Apple ID is not Active" alerts whenever my cousin tries to log into her account using her password.

Similar questions