i have a iphone 5 with bad ESN can i just buy a non working sim card and just to bypass the activation screen and use the iphone as an ipod?

No.

Actually, you can in fact restore it or re-activate it using iTunes. A bad ESN just means it can't ne activated for phone service, but it can still be used as a touch. Phones with bad ESN's are not necessarily stolen, if the owner/account holder fails to pay their bill, the carrier will list with a bad ESN. Many folks purchase these phones in order to get a more powerful iPod Touch.

Hi,

I'm having a similar problem. All I want is to use my iPhone as an iPod touch but I can't get past the activation screen (SIM NOT VALID). Can you explain to me what to do with it so I can use it as an iTouch? Every website just says "You can't use it with another carrier unless you flash it" but what if I just want to use it without service? How do I get through?

If your iPhone is locked to a wireless provider, you need a sim from that provider

to activate the iPhone. The sim does not need to be associated with an active

account, but it does have to be from that provider.

Ask the provider for an inactive sim, or borrow an active sim for that carrier from

a friend, relative or co-worker. You only need it for a few minutes for the activation,

and then you can return the borrowed sim to the owner.

Be advised you will need to go through this again everytime you update the iOS version.

Thank you so much. Hours of research on cleaning the ESN wasted XD