Every once in awhile today, my iphone keeps going to an Activation Lock. I'd had the phone for years, hasn't had service in two years (really only been using it's wifi for internet, checking youtube, or listening to my music in itunes), and no one else has my ID, but it keeps getting prompted, supposedly due to someone using 'Find my iPhone'. Why is this, and how do I stop it?
iPhone 5, iOS 10.3.3
Two separate subjects. If Apple says you own them something just CALL THEM and ask about it. Or use the Contact Support link at the top of every page. Why have you put up with this and not taken basic steps that you would use to resolve any billing dispute with any vendor?
Or perhaps it isn't Apple that says you have a payment issue, it is some scammer. Which is more likely, because Apple doesn't tell you you have a payment dispute. They just lock your iTunes Store account until you contact them about it.
What the original problem sounds like to me is someone has hacked your Apple ID and is locking your phone using Find my iPhone. Try changing your Apple ID password.
Hello SharkOmega,
Thanks for reaching out to the Apple Support Community. I understand you've had some trouble with an Activation Lock on your iPhone, and I have some information that may help.
Have a look at the article below for some helpful troubleshooting steps.
Turn off Find My iPhone Activation Lock - Apple Support
If you run into any trouble, please reach out again.
Best Regards.
That both does and does not sound like activation lock.
Have you reset the phone using iTunes? Since you know your password, it won't cost anything but time.
This gets you a new copy of the OS. Setup as new for a day to see if the behaviour goes away.
Back up your phone first of course, as the reset will erase it completely.
If you’re sure the new password was secure and not guessable by anyone you probably have a hardware issue. Use the Contact Support link at the top of this page to set up a Genius Bar appointment or have your phone tested remotely.
my iphone keeps going to an Activation Lock.
Are you saying the phone restarts and you have to run the set assistant again?
You can get to the screen for choosing a wifi network, and then the phone locks, showing you a partial Apple ID and asking for its password?
I guess whenever it goes to sleep or something. Just randomly when I check my phone, it'll say hello in different languages, tell me to press home, and when I do, I have to put in my Apple username and password, and it lets me in to do whatever I want. Then when I check my phone again later, it's doing it all over again.
Well that would suck. Just finished getting my playlist on my iTunes exactly how I wanted last week, now it sounds like I'll have to spend two days doing that all over again... Stupid phone... Although doing this means I may as well throw the phone away. For the past year, Apple lies and tells me I have a payment issue I have to resolve, and it won't let me download or update anything anymore until I do, which I can't became I owe them nothing. So if I have to erase everything, I won't be able to get any of it back, making the phone only useful as a clock at that point.
It's Apple, but I didn't care enough since it's only less than a dollar I think they say I owe. Not worth the hassle. No way of paying it, since my phone hasn't been in service for more than 2 years, but wasn't the biggest of deals since I managed to keep all the important apps I needed like Chrome, Youtube, and iTunes.
So if I have to erase everything, I won't be able to get any of it back, making the phone only useful as a clock at that point.
Nowhere did I say you had to do anything. I asked you a question and gave you some rationale.
I also advocated a backup first, so you don't lose anything.
This is a user-to-user forum; it isn't any Apple employees you are communicating with, except for i_rina who responded because you hadn't gotten any other responses for the better part of a day, and who won't respond again now that you are working with volunteer users. If you make the volunteers' job too difficult they just won't bother to respond.
To back up your phone, see: About backups for iOS devices - Apple Support
Thanks but that doesn't help at all. I am the original owner, and I never erased anything.
So it isn't Apple that lied, when they said that you owe something. Usually for a small amount they will just remove it if you call them.
I figured a backup would still require me to redownload all the apps. Otherwise, I have no idea how to backup a phone.
Then ask that question rather than jump to conclusions about what was said to you.
You're leaking your story out a sentence at time. Best of luck.
Well I was set on doing it, I was just complaining in general about having to do it.
And how am I 'leaking out a story one sentence at a time' when I'm just responding to what is asked or said to me?
Randomly going into Activation Lock.
