Swimrx wrote:
If I can get this to an Apple Store ( It looks like the closest is several hours away) will they be able to unlock it?
Unfortunately, Apple will not be able to recover direct access to the locked iPad.
A forgotten or unknown iPhone/iPad passcode cannot be recovered - and neither can it be reset or modified from another device. If you see a waiting period you can wait and try again to input the correct Passcode if known. Be aware that an iPad will be disabled or indicate that it is unavailable if an incorrect Passcode is entered too many times - at which point the iPad must be restored:
If you see an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Vision Pro unavailable message or Security Lockout screen - Apple Support
A close Family member or Executor, with the required supporting paperwork, can make application to Apple to be granted access to the Apple accounts of the deceased - using the link already kindly provided by Katana-San:
How to request access to a deceased family member's Apple accounts - Apple Support
You should note that if successful, this process will grant access to some information stored in iCloud - but will not, of itself, resolve access to the iPad.
However, all is not necessarily lost. Quite often, close family also have sufficient knowledge - and access to likely recovery paths - that access to the Apple Account (formerly known as the AppleID) of the deceased family member can be recovered..
The following guidance is written from the perspective of the owner - but a family member will get the idea as they run through the process.
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If your device is Activation Locked, this help page will provide most of the information that you’ll need:
Activation Lock for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support
If you have forgotten your AppleID or associated password, these can be recovered here:
https://iforgot.apple.com/
To recover your credentials, you’ll need access to any one of the following:
- Your primary email address mailbox that corresponds with your AppleID
- Any of the secondary/recovery email addresses that should be configured for your AppleID account
- Any of the trusted telephone numbers (fixed line or Cellular/Mobile) that are associated with your AppleID
Unless you AppleID account has not been fully/correctly configured, or has been seriously neglected, recovery of the AppleID and password should not be difficult.
More information about recovery of your AppleID:
If you forgot your Apple ID - Apple Support
More information about recovery of your AppleID password:
If you forgot your Apple ID password - Apple Support
When you recover access to your credentials, you would be well advised to log-in to your AppleID account from a web browser - and verify/update any email addresses and trusted telephone numbers:
https://appleid.apple.com/
Having recovered access to the AppleID account (and therefore the AppleID username and associated Password), Activation Locks can be removed. There are several routes to this, but for brevity, I’ll refer you to this support page:
Turn off Activation Lock – Apple Support
If the passcodes of any devices are unknown, the data stored on the device itself is now gone - but from your question I surmise that data recovery is not you immediate aim. That said, if the device(s) have an associated iCloud backup, you can restore the backup data to the device. To do so, you would need to follow this procedure:
If you’ve forgotten the passcode on your iPad, or your iPad is disabled – Apple Support
You’ll need access to either a Windows PC (with iTunes installed, or more recent Apple Devices App) or a Mac computer (with iTunes or Finder - as appropriate for the installed version of MacOS). At the end of the process, you’ll have the option to restore data from the backup - if it exists.
If your intent is to wipe/reset the device(s) for reuse by a new user, you would be best advised to prepare them properly:
What to do before you sell, give away or trade in your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch – Apple Support
