Q: How can I bypass the previous owners password on my iPad?

I'm pretty sure that's called simply:  "Keeping the Primary Email Address for your Apple ID up to date"

You can update the Primary Email address at any time, and retina the same Apple Id with all your purchases and content. You just change the Email address.  Its not a new Apple ID, its the same one, it simply has a new Email address.. 

I think semantics are getting in the way here. The actual Apple ID is  changed - the Apple Account is the same. The fact that it is a different email address is not the point.

If you go to Manage Your Apple ID, you will see that what is being edited to a different email address is the "Apple ID and Primary email Address". So it is both the Apple ID itself, and the primary email address for that Apple account.

Cheers,

GB

Phil0124 wrote:

 

I'm pretty sure that's called simply:  "Keeping the Primary Email Address for your Apple ID up to date"

 

You can update the Primary Email address at any time, and retina the same Apple Id with all your purchases and content. You just change the Email address.  Its not a new Apple ID, its the same one, it simply has a new Email address..

This is turning out to hinge on a very fine point here. But, since I figure it's critical to understand what is going on here, I'll refer back to what "mr-internet" was talking to "Chris CA" about.

"Chris CA" said ...  "They have to go back and change the AppleID to the old AppleID, then turn off FindMyiPhone/delete the account in Settings > iCloud, then change the AppleID back and then re-add it in Settings > iCloud."

Then "mr-internet" said ... "YES YES YES That is correct .. and better articulated than I have done thus far .. THIS IS SOOOO BIG A DEAL .."

But, I wasn't aware that Apple allowed someone to actually change the "Apple ID" itself (I'm not talking about the notification e-mail, but the actual Apple ID label itself). But, I guess Apple allows that now ... because "Chris CA" gave me the following answer ...

Change your Apple ID - Apple Support

SO ... you see ... I was not talking about just keeping the primary e-mail notification address updated in one's Apple ID account, but about the PROBLEM that would come about if one chooses to actually change the Apple ID label itself (namely changing the Apple ID) and then trying to deactivate the "Activation Lock" afterwards -- which seems to be the proble, that was being discussed.

AND ... I do realize that it's the "same account" ... but here we're talking about the same account which now has a DIFFERENT APPLE ID .... and not just a different "notification e-mail" in that account. So, "that" is the "old Apple ID" and the "new Apple ID" ... in other words ... when you fill out the "Apple ID" and "Password" .... the first line (Apple ID line for input) is DIFFERENT now, because even though you have the SAME ACCOUNT you have change the Apple ID to a new name.

It's this change in the Apple ID name (from what I see described before) that is causing some people to have a problem with turning off the "Activation Lock".

gail from maine wrote:

 

I think semantics are getting in the way here. The actual Apple ID is  changed - the Apple Account is the same. The fact that it is a different email address is not the point.

 

 

Yeah, what I was talking about is the problem that apparently happens with not being able to turn off the "Activation Lock" when the name for the Apple ID has been changed, as "Chris CA" was describing.

Not quite.

Its more like a license plate on a car.  You can change the license plate on car to something else entirely, like if you move to another state, and need a license plate from that state. But the license plate is not the car, its simply an easier identifier for the car in the DMV.   It can change. Changing the license plate does not mean you have a new car (it would be awesome if that were the case).

An Apple ID may have had 4 different email addresses assigned to it over time, but its not the email addresses.  Those are simply identifiers that can change.

The text at appleid.apple.com is slightly misleading in that regard, at least to my view. Because in the end its not really a new apple id. Its the same one, only with a different identifier for it.

This link:

Change your Apple ID - Apple Support

Simply details the steps necessary to update the primary email address to a new one.

If you do this, then your Apple Id will now use that email address for those services.  iCloud should be updated automatically to expect that email then, since that's what is registered in Apple's servers. you may however need to sign out of iCloud before updating the email address so avoid any mixups.

The issue may come, if you change it, and the device has not had a chance to connect to the internet to update the Apple Id information it has.  You may run into issues then.

Phil0124 wrote:

 

Its more like a license plate on a car.  You can change the license plate on car to something else entirely, like if you move to another state, and need a license plate from that state. But the license plate is not the car, its simply an easier identifier for the car in the DMV.   It can change. Changing the license plate does not mean you have a new car (it would be awesome if that were the case).

 

That's a good way of differentiating between the different aspects of your account. The license plate is like your Apple ID. The key to open the door and start the car is like your password. The e-mail address in your account is like the mailing address the state has for mailing your renewal forms (official business).

You can get a new license plate (your Apple ID) ... whIle the car remains the same (your account).

NOW the problem that has come up with some people, is that they could not turn off the "Activation Lock" after getting a new "license plate" (which is your Apple ID). SO ... in order for them to turn off the "Activation Lock" in that instance, they had to put the old license plate back on (temporarily, which is the "old Apple ID") and then turn off the Activation Lock.

You go to Settings > iTunes and App Store then tap the apple id and tap "Sign Out". Then you sign into your Apple ID. Hope this helps.

TheOrzage wrote:

 

You go to Settings > iTunes and App Store then tap the apple id and tap "Sign Out". Then you sign into your Apple ID. Hope this helps.

The problem ... apparently with some users ... is that they couldn't deactivate the "Activation Lock" when they had changed the Apple ID "handle" (or "name" if you will).

Thanks Chris,

This has to be the issue. Apple support did not mention that it was a different Apple ID when i talked to them and to a Senior Level agent at that. They said it was an initial password issue which led me down the wrong path.  I believe my friend must have used a different Apple ID at some point.  I will get to the bottom of which Apple ID was used to lock it. Knowing that the current password is the 1 and only password that counts helps as well.

Also the Apple Activation Tool is helpful.

You are to be commended for your help and patience.

Thank You

Jacob

Using your analogy, the Apple Account is the car, the Apple ID is the license plate. This is not my opinion, it is how Apple describes the field that contains the identifier for your Apple Account. They call it the Apple ID. You can change the Apple ID as many times as you wish - it is the same Apple Account.....

GB

Star Traveler wrote:

The problem ... apparently with some users ... is that they couldn't deactivate the "Activation Lock" when they had changed the Apple ID "handle" (or "name" if you will).

If you have Find My iPhone turned on under the "old" Apple ID, and you change your Apple ID on Manage your Apple ID before you sign out of iCloud on your iOS device, you will have this issue. It is not something that occurs with just some users. Here's why:

By turning on Find My iPhone, you are initiating the Activation Lock system. That Activation Lock is then tied to that Apple ID that was used to initiate it. You turn off the Activation Lock by turning off Find My iPhone. But, if you change your Apple ID without turning off Find My iPhone first, then you cannot delete the iCloud account signed onto the iOS device under the old ID because you can't turn off Find My iPhone. And you can't turn off Find My iPhone because when the system checks the Apple ID/Password against your Apple account, they don't match.

That is the reason that you have to go back into your Apple account and temporarily change your Apple ID back to the old ID. You don't verify it and you don't change the password. You just Edit the Apple ID back to the old ID. Then when you go to delete the iCloud account that is still signed on with your old Apple ID on your iOS device, you are able to use your current password to turn off Find My iPhone and complete the deletion of the iCloud account. That is because, at that point, when it checks the ID and password against your account - they now match.

I have provided these instructions to, literally, hundreds of posters who have changed the Apple ID on their Apple account but have failed to delete their iCloud account on their iOS device prior to doing so.

I have also provided instructions to posters who have created a new Apple Account altogether and who then cannot delete the iCloud account for the same reason - it is signed onto a different Apple ID. For those people, they have to go to the Apple Account that the ID is linked to and change the password. It's an entirely different process, but the symptoms for the poster are the same. So, it is critical to determine whether the poster has simply changed the Apple ID on their Apple account, or if they have set up a brand new Apple account.

That is also why it is critical to use the correct terminology. If you mix up Apple ID and Apple Account, you may never get to the bottom of the poster's issue.

Cheers,

GB

It's a problem I didn't know existed before this thread (Activation Lock with changed Apple ID). There was a time when Apple didn't let people change their Apple ID, and I've never done that since the beginning of the iTunes Music Store, April 28, 2003.

gail from maine wrote:

 

That is the reason that you have to go back into your Apple account and temporarily change your Apple ID back to the old ID. You don't verify it and you don't change the password. You just Edit the Apple ID back to the old ID. Then when you go to delete the iCloud account that is still signed on with your old Apple ID on your iOS device, you are able to use your current password to turn off Find My iPhone and complete the deletion of the iCloud account. That is because, at that point, when it checks the ID and password against your account - they now match.

 

Good to know that ...

I have also provided instructions to posters who have created a new Apple Account altogether and who then cannot delete the iCloud account for the same reason - it is signed onto a different Apple ID. For those people, they have to go to the Apple Account that the ID is linked to and change the password. It's an entirely different process, but the symptoms for the poster are the same. So, it is critical to determine whether the poster has simply changed the Apple ID on their Apple account, or if they have set up a brand new Apple account.

 

That is also why it is critical to use the correct terminology. If you mix up Apple ID and Apple Account, you may never get to the bottom of the poster's issue.

 

Yep, I can see the problem with terminology and getting the other person to understand exactly what you're talking about.

Thanks for the help ... I believe I've got it all sorted out now ... :-) ...

Star Traveler wrote:

It's a problem I didn't know existed before this thread (Activation Lock with changed Apple ID). There was a time when Apple didn't let people change their Apple ID,

It has been possible to change it since at least 2008 when Apple started MobileMe.

Chris CA wrote:

 

Star Traveler wrote:

It's a problem I didn't know existed before this thread (Activation Lock with changed Apple ID). There was a time when Apple didn't let people change their Apple ID,

It has been possible to change it since at least 2008 when Apple started MobileMe.

Not exactly.  If you change either the ID or the primary email address to dot-mac/me/icloud, Apple shouts "Gotcha" and you can never change again!

You are most welcome!

GB