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I have forgotten my appleid email and password and my device is in activation lock. What do I do?

My father got this iPad 2 as a gift from a friend and he set it up. But this was more than 4 years ago. I started using it for a while and then I left it for about 7 months before trying to use it again. When I switched it on it went into activation lock. I've tried searching for the apple id however my father does not remember it at all because he got another apple device and set up that one with another appleid. I don't have proof of purchase as it was a gift from a friend and so I'm stuck. What do I do in such a situation?

iPad 2

Posted on Jun 19, 2020 2:40 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 19, 2020 3:44 AM

Here are the Apple support pages that outline the Activation Lock - and the only mechanisms by which it can be turned off:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201365

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201441


As you will discover, unless you are the owner of the AppleID that was last used to activate the device, or unless you can secure the cooperation of the previous owner, you’ll not be able to defeat or bypass the Activation Lock. Without documentary evidence that you are the original owner (such as sales receipt showing the serial number), Apple won’t assist - and nobody here will be able to help you.


If you are the owner of the AppleID that previously activated the device - and you have forgotten your AppleID or associated password, these can be recovered here:

https://iforgot.apple.com


Similarly, if you can contact the “friend” whose AppleID secures the Activation Lock, they can follow the same procedure - or can simply remove the lock from within their own account.


To recover your credentials, you’ll need access to one of the following:

  • Your primary email address mailbox that corresponds with your AppleID
  • Any of the secondary/recovery email addresses that should be configured for your AppleID account
  • Any of the trusted telephone numbers (fixed line or Cellular/Mobile) that are associated with your AppleID


Unless you AppleID account has not been fully/correctly configured, or has been seriously neglected, recovery of the AppleID and password should not be difficult.


More information about recovery of your AppleID:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201354


More information about recovery of your AppleID password:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201487


When you recover access to your credentials, you would be well advised to log-in to your AppleID account from a web browser - and verify/update any email addresses and trusted telephone numbers:

https://appleid.apple.com


3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 19, 2020 3:44 AM in response to chido162

Here are the Apple support pages that outline the Activation Lock - and the only mechanisms by which it can be turned off:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201365

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201441


As you will discover, unless you are the owner of the AppleID that was last used to activate the device, or unless you can secure the cooperation of the previous owner, you’ll not be able to defeat or bypass the Activation Lock. Without documentary evidence that you are the original owner (such as sales receipt showing the serial number), Apple won’t assist - and nobody here will be able to help you.


If you are the owner of the AppleID that previously activated the device - and you have forgotten your AppleID or associated password, these can be recovered here:

https://iforgot.apple.com


Similarly, if you can contact the “friend” whose AppleID secures the Activation Lock, they can follow the same procedure - or can simply remove the lock from within their own account.


To recover your credentials, you’ll need access to one of the following:

  • Your primary email address mailbox that corresponds with your AppleID
  • Any of the secondary/recovery email addresses that should be configured for your AppleID account
  • Any of the trusted telephone numbers (fixed line or Cellular/Mobile) that are associated with your AppleID


Unless you AppleID account has not been fully/correctly configured, or has been seriously neglected, recovery of the AppleID and password should not be difficult.


More information about recovery of your AppleID:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201354


More information about recovery of your AppleID password:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201487


When you recover access to your credentials, you would be well advised to log-in to your AppleID account from a web browser - and verify/update any email addresses and trusted telephone numbers:

https://appleid.apple.com


Jun 19, 2020 2:49 AM in response to chido162

You can do nothing, sorry.

Neither we (just users like you) nor Apple can help you, unless you are the original owner and you still have the proof of purchase (receipt/invoice).

Shouldn’t be this case, activation lock can be removed only by the previous owner, with the credentials that were used to activate that iPhone. Without those credentials, that device is useless to you.

Regards

Giulio

I have forgotten my appleid email and password and my device is in activation lock. What do I do?

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