How to bypass Activation Lock on a second-hand iPad 3rd gen?

I have an ipad 3rd gen i bought at a car boot sale turns out its activation locked it was lost and reset idk what to do with it



[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Help


iPad mini, iOS 9

Posted on Mar 2, 2026 2:25 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Mar 2, 2026 4:00 PM

If you see a "Locked To Owner" message, one referring to iCloud locked, or activation locked:


Read this article about removing Activation Lock --> https://support.apple.com/HT201441 To remove the lock you will need either:

-The account information that set the lock (if the previous owner is deceased, read —> https://support.apple.com/HT208510 )

OR

-The original sales receipt from Apple itself or an Apple approved vendor. Other ways you may think might be “proof” of ownership or purchase, such as having the box, or a receipt from a third party vendor such as Ebay, will likely not be acceptable by Apple. Apple may have no way of verifying the authenticity of other methods. If you have an acceptable receipt, ask Apple to unlock the device —> https://al-support.apple.com/#/additional-support


If it is asking for an account that is not yours, take it back to the person from whom you received it. Get them to do the things in this support article or ask for a refund --> https://support.apple.com/HT201351 There is no way to discover the owner of a device unless they left a message to display on the device when it is turned on, or the person who gave you the device knows them. Note that the device cannot have Lost Mode set on it. If your device has been taken over as a result of you having entered a scammer’s Account then the scammer may have set Lost Mode too and the device is lost to you.


Return or recycle the device if you cannot unlock it; it is useless to you. From the very bottom of https://www.apple.com/shop/trade-in :

"Does Apple offer recycling?

Yes. Apple Trade In lets you recycle any Apple device (including devices from Apple-owned brands) at any Apple Store and on https://www.apple.com/ for free. That includes your batteries and old electronic products as well as free, on-demand packaging recycling for our commercial, education, and institutional customers. When we receive your device, it will be thoroughly inspected to determine if components can be recycled or reused. Whether recycled or reused, all activities relating to the processing of your device will be managed in an environmentally responsible way."

When considering future purchases read these:

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-250001038

https://support.apple.com/104999

2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Mar 2, 2026 4:00 PM in response to Jacobjjcc

If you see a "Locked To Owner" message, one referring to iCloud locked, or activation locked:


Read this article about removing Activation Lock --> https://support.apple.com/HT201441 To remove the lock you will need either:

-The account information that set the lock (if the previous owner is deceased, read —> https://support.apple.com/HT208510 )

OR

-The original sales receipt from Apple itself or an Apple approved vendor. Other ways you may think might be “proof” of ownership or purchase, such as having the box, or a receipt from a third party vendor such as Ebay, will likely not be acceptable by Apple. Apple may have no way of verifying the authenticity of other methods. If you have an acceptable receipt, ask Apple to unlock the device —> https://al-support.apple.com/#/additional-support


If it is asking for an account that is not yours, take it back to the person from whom you received it. Get them to do the things in this support article or ask for a refund --> https://support.apple.com/HT201351 There is no way to discover the owner of a device unless they left a message to display on the device when it is turned on, or the person who gave you the device knows them. Note that the device cannot have Lost Mode set on it. If your device has been taken over as a result of you having entered a scammer’s Account then the scammer may have set Lost Mode too and the device is lost to you.


Return or recycle the device if you cannot unlock it; it is useless to you. From the very bottom of https://www.apple.com/shop/trade-in :

"Does Apple offer recycling?

Yes. Apple Trade In lets you recycle any Apple device (including devices from Apple-owned brands) at any Apple Store and on https://www.apple.com/ for free. That includes your batteries and old electronic products as well as free, on-demand packaging recycling for our commercial, education, and institutional customers. When we receive your device, it will be thoroughly inspected to determine if components can be recycled or reused. Whether recycled or reused, all activities relating to the processing of your device will be managed in an environmentally responsible way."

When considering future purchases read these:

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-250001038

https://support.apple.com/104999

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

How to bypass Activation Lock on a second-hand iPad 3rd gen?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.