How to log in and use an old iPad with forgotten password and inactive phone number?

Your iPad1 is fully obsolete and now totally unsupported by Apple.

Multiple recent posts suggest that Apple has removed all server-side and re-activation support for obsolete 32-bit devices:

• iPad1
• iPad2
• iPad3
• iPad4
• iPad mini1

As such restoring and re-activation of your iPad1 may now be impossible, rendering the iPad unusable.

App Developers have also dropped all support for 32-bit devices - and have withdrawn older versions of their Apps from the Apple App Store. Withdrawal of Apps supporting older models of iPad is making their utility and usefulness significantly of these older models even more limited. Even if you are able to restore the iPad1, you’ll not be able (re)download or (re)install any Apps from the App Store. Most online services also require capabilities and crypto suites that are fundamentally not supported by your iPad.

Sorry, while perhaps unwelcome news, your iPad1 has reached the end of the road and is essentially unusable.

If you have the original receipt from Apple or Apple authorized iPad retailer showing

the serial number of the iPad, Apple might assist.

Otherwise, the information provided by Lawrence Finch governs.

You are out of luck if the iPad was activation locked, Apple’s theft deterrent feature, unless you can reset the password for that Apple ID. An Apple ID lasts forever, unless you intentionally delete it.

I cannot get a return for an model "BCGA1475." and model is critcal to your issue. Flip it over and try to find its "A" number, Example from our iPad 2:

Depending on model and iPadOS version, it may never be activated again. This may be the issue:

System requirements for iCloud - Apple Support

In late 2025, Apple dropped iCloud services support for any iPads that cannot run iPadOS 11 or higher. The following models are affected, both wifi and wifi+cellular models:

iPad 1st Gen

iPad 2nd Gen

iPad 3rd Gen

iPad 4th Gen

iPad Min 1st Gen

No iPad Airs or iPad Pros are affected by that.

Based on many reports here similar to yours since the change took effect, it appears that the lack of access to iCloud services has made it impossible to activate old iPads.

If you get as far as the iPad asking for a 6-digit authentication code sent to another device, there may be hope. This MacWorld article shows how to enter a 6-digit code to an iPad that only allowed 4-digit codes:

https://www.macworld.com/article/233097/how-to-use-2fa-on-older-apple-devices-that-wont-let-you-enter-a-verification-code.html