HT201407: If you can't activate your iPhone

Learn about If you can't activate your iPhone
folsom5
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Second Hand Phone Purchase

I purchased an iphone second hand and was using the phone just fine until I reset the phone one day and now its asking for the previous owners iCloud password.  I am no longer able to get ahold of the seller to get their password again.  I was using the phone with my iCloud username until I did the phone reset due to it freezing up on me several times.  Is there any way to do a master reset to get it back to my username and password?

iPhone 4S, iOS 7.0.4

Posted on Dec 5, 2013 1:14 PM

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folsom5

Q: Second Hand Phone Purchase

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  • by imobl,

    imobl imobl Dec 5, 2013 1:18 PM in response to folsom5
    Level 5 (7,186 points)
    iPhone
    Dec 5, 2013 1:18 PM in response to folsom5

    You have run into a new security feature in iOs 7 called Activation

    Lock. Without the previous owner's information or getting him to

    remove the lock, there is nothing you can do nor is there a workaround.

     

    Find the seller is your only path.

  • by KiltedTim,

    KiltedTim KiltedTim Dec 5, 2013 1:18 PM in response to folsom5
    Level 9 (56,544 points)
    iPhone
    Dec 5, 2013 1:18 PM in response to folsom5

    You're hosed. You can not get past this if you don't know the Apple ID and password that the phone is locked with. Apparently the seller was not smart enough to remove their account from the phone prior to handing it over to you. Activation lock is intended to make stolen phones unusable, thus, reducing the demand for them...

     

    There is no way to bypass the activation lock.