Lost Mode but not in iCloud

I can tell you that my answer is not a theory, but a tested piece of information. I have tested this multiple times in various configurations. Primarily to test an Apple Support article that is confusing at best, possibly just not correct.

The device will reappear on the Find My iPhone app if it is still Activation Locked (i.e., still signed into Find My iPhone), as soon as the device connects to Wifi again.

Simply removing it from the Find My iPhone app without erasing the device first does not disengage the Activation Lock. The only way to remove the Activation Lock from an iPhone remotely is to erase it first (which, when you do that, asks for your Apple/iCloud ID and password). If you do not erase the device first, then simply removing it from your iCloud account does not remove the account from the device.

Cheers,

GB

gail from maine wrote:

Sorry, but I have tested this multiple times. If the Find My iPhone is still signed into the device, it will reappear in the Find My iPhone app once it is connected to Wifi.

I would not have posted this information had I not tested it numerous times.

GB

Not when it was removed from correct account.

I'm not sure if you are misunderstanding my response to the OP as to what likely happened, but, again, my response was not regarding Lost Mode. It was regarding the Activation Lock. If the device is still signed in to the iCloud account with Find My iPhone turned on, then removing the device from the iCloud account will only result in in being removed until the device comes back online again.

I have an iCloud account with several devices signed into that account and that also have Find My iPhone turned on. For this explanation, I will be using my iPhone 5s as the "demonstration" device:

1. I go to iCloud.com and sign into my iCloud account (or I go to the Find My iPhone app on any other iOS device and sign into my iCloud account)

2. Listed under Devices on that account, I see my iPhone 5s

3. I click on the device, and put it into Lost Mode

4. I look at my iPhone 5s and see the message I sent to it (if I didn't have a passcode, I would also be required to enter that "Lost Mode passcode" to open the device. As it is, I already have a passcode, so the same thing would have to happen in order for me to access the device - I would have to supply the passcode. The message appears on the Lock Screen.

5. I turn the iPhone 5s off so that it will go Offline (until the device is Offline, I cannot remove it from iCloud.com or from the Devices list on an iOS Find My iPhone app)

6. Once it is Offline, I see an "x"in the upper right-hand corner of the device name, and I click that "x" to remove it from my iCloud account

7. I now no longer see the iPhone 5s on my iCloud.com account (or on the Find My iPhone app on an iOS device)

8. I turn on the iPhone 5s and the Lost Mode messages is gone. If I didn't already have a Lock Screen passcode, the one that I added as a part of setting up Lost Mode would no longer be required to Slide to Unlock the device

9. Once I turn it back on, if I look at my iCloud.com account (or at the Find My iPhone app on an iOS device, I see my iPhone 5s again)

The OP indicated that the device was asking for the iCloud ID and password. These are asked for when you are setting up a new phone and attempting to Activate it. Since the device is still signed into iCloud with Find My iPhone turned on, it is still Activation Locked, and until I erase it, the device cannot be set up or restored.

Since the OP indicated that the person who sold them the device was able to rectify the situation without having to provide the OP with his (the seller's) Apple/iCloud ID and password, and the OP indicated that they signed into iCloud and was able to do "something", that means that the device was showing on the seller's iCloud account again.

I tested this again before i posted back last night. Again, if the device is signed into iCloud with Find My iPhone turned on, then removing the device from the iCloud account does not turn off the Activation Lock. The only way for that to happen is for someone to go into Settings>iCloud, and manually turn off Find My iPhone, or to erase the device. Both actions require the Apple/iCloud ID and the Password. As long as Find My iPhone and the Activation Lock are engaged, the device will show up on the iCloud account it is linked to as soon as that device comes back online, even if it was deleted while it was offline.

GB

gail from maine wrote: then removing the device from the iCloud account does not turn off the Activation Lock.

That is soo wrong, the whole premise of Apple providing repairs for broken or unable to connect devices is based on ability to deactivate icloud activation lock from icloud.com.

I apologize, I am just too tired to continue - last attempt to explain. Possible you are dealing with wonderful experiment when you go back to your own device and click OK to activate find my iphone, just like when you sign in or disable lost mode on device itself it activates again.

We are in our scenario just remove and verify if icloud lock is off. Just do that - remove from the account and then check activation lock on the website I provided above. Then restore phone, just like everyone else does when phone is found and locked with passcode and found on the street and done. Your phone can be used.

Obviously when you disable lost mode on your own phone using your own passcode and sign in to your own icloud lock reactivates.

eldavies wrote:

I purchased a broken phone on ebay, when repaired I found it was icloud locked and in lost mode.

gail from maine wrote

"The OP was not dealing with the Lost Mode when they posted. "

Clearly I do not understand the problem.

After you contacted the previous owner, he disabled the Activation Lock by logging into his iCloud account, and disabled "Find my iPhone" for the device that you had in front of you.

After that you could set it up again with your personal details.

The lost mode was only a "beacon" for the person that would find the phone by accident, to make clear, that this phone can't be used before the Actuation Lock has been removed. This is how it is supposed to work, the Activation Lock can only be disabled by the previous owner, if you don't have the correct AppleID and/or password.

Glad that you managed to get the phone back together again, after putting together the different pieces and it started working again.

eldavies wrote:

7) While we were chatting on facebook about temporarily giving me his ID & pw he logged into icloud again, did something (we don't know what), and it started to work for me.

So, maybe we'll never understand....

So he finally removed it from his account (which as I told you before he didn't do) and something that Gail said will never happen(removing icloud activation lock from icloud.com) did happen and lock was deactivated.

Unless I am mistaken, the only way to "Turn off Find My iPhone" from iCloud.com (or from the Find My iPhone app on another iOS device) is to erase it. If you are aware of another method, can you share it?

Cheers,

GB

I never stated that the Activation Lock could not be removed from iCloud.com. What I said was that clicking on the "x" next to an offline device to remove that device from the iCloud account will not remove the Activation Lock.

Please refer to the Apple article I provided. The person who owns the device must erase it if they want to turn off the Activation Lock (and Find My iPhone) from iCloud.com.

Deleting the device from the iCloud account on iCloud.com by clicking on the "x" next to an Offline device will, as you stated, turn off the Lost Mode. It will not, however, turn off the Activation Lock, despite a different article which I already indicated I have reported to Apple as being incorrect. They contradict themselves between this article and the article that explains how to turn off Activation Lock remotely (i.e. via iCloud.com or via the Find My iPhone app on another iOS device). It is this kind of misinformation that causes a lot of confusion for people. Hopefully they will clarify this article soon....

GB

gail from maine wrote:

I never stated that the Activation Lock could not be removed from iCloud.com. What I said was that clicking on the "x" next to an offline device to remove that device from the iCloud account will not remove the Activation Lock.

Please refer to the Apple article I provided. The person who owns the device must erase it if they want to turn off the Activation Lock (and Find My iPhone) from iCloud.com.

Deleting the device from the iCloud account on iCloud.com by clicking on the "x" next to an Offline device will, as you stated, turn off the Lost Mode. It will not, however, turn off the Activation Lock, despite a different article which I already indicated I have reported to Apple as being incorrect. They contradict themselves between this article and the article that explains how to turn off Activation Lock remotely (i.e. via iCloud.com or via the Find My iPhone app on another iOS device). It is this kind of misinformation that causes a lot of confusion for people. Hopefully they will clarify this article soon....

GB

all wrong but as I said tired to explain.

gail from maine wrote:

Believe what you wish. I'm done.

GB

With deepest respect and after sincere attempt to help you, cause you helped multiple people before, I believe you are really done.

You could not understand me.

You could not understand OP when his first post says "lost mode".

You could not understand Ingo

"After you contacted the previous owner, he disabled the Activation Lock by logging into his iCloud account, and disabled "Find my iPhone" for the device that you had in front of you."

You could not understand Apple article that you quoted.

I apologize, but I gave up when I told you i am tired.

Then please tell me, in the simplest words possible, what exact steps does one take to make this happen:

"After you contacted the previous owner, he disabled the Activation Lock by logging into his iCloud account, and disabled "Find my iPhone" for the device that you had in front of you."

How did the previous owner disable the Activation Lock, exactly? How did the previous owner disable "Find My iPhone" exactly, from an iCloud.com account?

GB

YAY!!! When you said it was asking for the seller's ID and password, it seemed like the only thing that could have been happening was that it was still Activation Locked. Thanks for hangin' in there, and glad that seems to provide an explanation that makes sense! The best part is that you are good to go now, so Yippee Skippee!!!

GB