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Lost passcode and Apple ID info- phone is useless

My brother has brain cancer and has started to lose his memory. When I went to visit him recently his iPhone X had been locked out due to too many passcode mistakes. (His nurses were trying to help.) I restored his phone to factory because he cannot remember his iCloud passcodes, nor any of his Apple IDs. Now the phone will not let me continue to reset until I can enter his password for the Apple ID that set up the phone. My brother cannot remember this either. Is this phone just a "brick" now?


iPhone X

Posted on Mar 31, 2021 1:03 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Mar 31, 2021 1:11 PM

It isn't a brick completely but these are all normal security features intended to prevent somebody other than your brother from forcing their way in. There are ways to restore the phone to working order but it will depend upon the ability of your brother to perform features such as trying to reset his password.


Click on this link to read what to do "If you forgot your Apple ID password" --> https://support.apple.com/HT201487


or go directly to this link --> http://iforgot.apple.com/


Also read about "What to do after [or before] you change your Apple ID email address or password" - https://support.apple.com/HT204071


If you still need help:

Contact Apple for help with Apple ID account security "This article provides country-specific Apple Support contact information for customers seeking help with their Apple ID password or other security-related issues." --> https://support.apple.com/HT204169


Ultimately if your brother cannot do things then Apple can erase a device to reset it -->Activation Lock support request - https://al-support.apple.com/#/additional-support Apple says, "Proof of ownership documentation is required," but does not state what constitutes proof. Prior to this new online service Apple typically required the original receipt issued by an Apple Authorized dealer and documented provenance (so typically it would be the original owner who does this, or a descendant with legal proof of ownership).


I know all of this is an inconvenience but the reason for all this is protection of the owner from people hacking into their accounts and data.

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Mar 31, 2021 1:11 PM in response to Opsdirector

It isn't a brick completely but these are all normal security features intended to prevent somebody other than your brother from forcing their way in. There are ways to restore the phone to working order but it will depend upon the ability of your brother to perform features such as trying to reset his password.


Click on this link to read what to do "If you forgot your Apple ID password" --> https://support.apple.com/HT201487


or go directly to this link --> http://iforgot.apple.com/


Also read about "What to do after [or before] you change your Apple ID email address or password" - https://support.apple.com/HT204071


If you still need help:

Contact Apple for help with Apple ID account security "This article provides country-specific Apple Support contact information for customers seeking help with their Apple ID password or other security-related issues." --> https://support.apple.com/HT204169


Ultimately if your brother cannot do things then Apple can erase a device to reset it -->Activation Lock support request - https://al-support.apple.com/#/additional-support Apple says, "Proof of ownership documentation is required," but does not state what constitutes proof. Prior to this new online service Apple typically required the original receipt issued by an Apple Authorized dealer and documented provenance (so typically it would be the original owner who does this, or a descendant with legal proof of ownership).


I know all of this is an inconvenience but the reason for all this is protection of the owner from people hacking into their accounts and data.

Lost passcode and Apple ID info- phone is useless

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