iPhone 5s Activation Lock Loop (endless)

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Level 1

16 points

iPhone 5s Activation Lock Loop (endless)

Hi, I bought a iPhone 5s from another user - he deactivated it - and I was allowed to activate it with my userID and password that I set up on the iCloud. I thought. It appeared in my Devices. I also downloaded iTunes and followed the instructions for factory reset. I could see that it worked - the home page showed icon's, etc - but it was immediately swept away with a message stating I needed to Activate the iPhone. The message states the phone belongs to me w********@gmail.com (so I know that part worked ok - that's my email I used) (before it said t********@yahoo.com - the previous owner - I had to contact him to get it deactivated). When I put in my email and password - a period of time passes and I get a message stating it "could not activate the phone because the activation server is temporarily unavailable. Try connecting your iPhone to iTunes to activate it, or try again in a couple of minutes." So I try in iTunes - if I am successful (seems like half the time I must be putting in my password wrong) my screen on the iPhone shows the icons, etc - and before I can click on even on app, then the Activation Required /Dismiss dreaded screen covers it up again. (Unless it's already locked then iTunes just tells me the phone is locked and to unlock it.)

What in the Sam Hill kinda loop have I got my self into here? So I start over on the phone, try to activate it, I get told the servers are unavailable - try on iTunes - phone responds for a second and then nanny nanny boo boo! Activation Required/Dismiss!!! All these people talking about iThis and iThat being so easy to use. Hah. I'm ready to give up on this little project I'm trying to work on and go back to android.

Oh, I should also add - I hunted around for a solution - and thought I read that it might have something to do with being logged in iCloud while activating the phone. So I deactivated the phone. Logged out of iCloud and started completely over - and I'm in the same endless loop. Two attempts - 8 hours - my life...can I get it back? :-)

iPhone 5s, Activation Lock

Posted on Nov 5, 2017 7:00 PM

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Answer 1

Nov 6, 2017 2:33 PM in response to WynneL

You are funny! What a refreshing change 🙂

Here is a support article that has some troubleshooting steps. If they do not work, then you need to contact Apple Support. There is a link at the end of the article:

If you can't activate your iPhone - Apple Support

Best of luck,

GB

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Answer 2

WynneL Author

Level 1

16 points

Nov 6, 2017 2:44 PM in response to gail from maine

Thanks, that link has some helpful tips - I had not tried. Oddly enough I have been on that page, once before, but don't remember the first paragraph about the phone activation - could it really be that simple? There was no sim card in it when I got it - but it was still working on the other guy's account. Which made me happy (so I knew I would not have to have an active phone line to use it.)

I really didn't want this iPhone to use for a phone - I am willing to invest in a sim card with a month by month plan to get it up and running. But originally I bought a simple sim card from AT&T - with no minutes, etc. And that sim card is in the phone now. I sincerely hope the card doesn't have to be activated first??? Yi!

It's amazing how we often have to pay coming and going - even when it's already been done. I bought an old beater truck for my daughter in WI. Paid the taxes, etc on it - and put it in her name. Later on, she needed a nicer car for her job and I didn't really need a car at all for my job. I travel for my job. So we traded and I moved to another state. The plates came up for renewal. I gathered all the paperwork only to find out that my daughter cannot just sign the title over to me. I still have to pay taxes on the sale. I said to the DMV - there was no sale. This was my truck in the first place. I gave it to her and put it in her name so it wouldn't be hassle when she got pulled over 50 times for speeding. She signed it back over to me - so I can drive it. She has my car - and it's in her name now, in WI. I'm in KY. KY - says doesn't matter - if I'm out of state, they are not going to let me pull a fast one on them, I still have to pay taxes and if I don't put a value down they will put the estimated value down and charge me taxes. I emphasize again - NO SALE - it was a gift. So again, KY says, well, if it was a gift between 2 KY residents we have exceptions for that - but since it was out of state - we can't prove it - so you have to pay taxes. WOW.

In retrospect - I probably should have hunted for an iPod or the like. I just wanted a product that was really good with video - and I know the whole Apple line is what artist use - because of the quality.

But thanks for that tip.

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Answer 3

Nov 6, 2017 2:48 PM in response to WynneL

You need a SIM in the phone to activate it, but once activated you can remove the SIM. So you can just borrow a SIM for 5 minutes, until the phone is activated. The SIM must have been activated, but it does not have to be activated currently. That is, a SIM that has been used and then deactivated is good enough.

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