Mother died - ipad disabled

Part #2

Activation Lock

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

Activation Lock for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

Turn off Activation Lock – Apple Support

As you will discover, unless you are the owner of the AppleID that was last used to activate the device, you’ll not be able to defeat or bypass the Activation Lock. With documentary evidence that you are the original owner (such as sales receipt showing the serial number), Apple may be prepared to assist - otherwise they and nobody here will be able to help you.

If you have the necessary documentation, Apple have introduced a portal though which you may be able to request release of an Activation Lock:

How to remove Activation Lock - Apple Support & start an Activation Lock support request.

However, this isn’t necessarily the end of the story...

A close Family member or Executor, with the required supporting paperwork, can make application to Apple to be granted access to the Apple accounts of the deceased:

How to request access to a deceased family member's Apple accounts - Apple Support

You should note that if successful, this process will grant access to some information stored in iCloud - but will not, of itself, resolve access to the iPad.

Quite often, close family have sufficient knowledge - and access to likely recovery paths - that access to the AppleID account of the deceased family member can be recovered. Having done so, it is then possible to release the Activation Lock that prevents reuse of an iPad/iPhone.

The following guidance is written from the perspective of the owner - but a family member will get the idea as they run through the process.

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If your device is Activation Locked, this help page will provide most of the information that you’ll need:

Activation Lock for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

If you have forgotten your AppleID or associated password, these can be recovered here:

https://iforgot.apple.com/

To recover your credentials, you’ll need access to any 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

More information about recovery of your AppleID and associated Password:

If you forgot your Apple ID - Apple Support

If you forgot your Apple ID password - Apple Support

Having recovered access to the AppleID account (and therefore the AppleID username and associated Password), Activation Locks can be removed. There are several routes to this, but for brevity, I’ll refer you to this support page:

Turn off Activation Lock – Apple Support

If your intent is to wipe/reset the device(s) for reuse by a new user, you would be best advised to prepare them properly:

What to do before you sell, give away or trade in your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch – Apple Support

An iPad will be disabled or indicate that it is unavailable if an incorrect Passcode is entered too many times.

A forgotten or unknown iPhone/iPad passcode cannot be recovered - and neither can it be reset or modified from another device. If you see a waiting period you can wait and try again to input the correct Passcode; otherwise, the iPad must be restored. Be aware that you are also likely to encounter an Activation Lock - for which you will require the AppleID and associated Password.

You may find this support page to be helpful:

If you see an iPhone or iPad unavailable message or Security Lockout screen - Apple Support

iPadOS 17 or later with a forgotten Passcode

If you have changed your passcode in iOS/iPadOS 17 and later - and have since forgotten the new Passcode - you may be able to recover access using your previous Passcode. Passcode Reset gives you 72 hours to use your old Passcode to access your device; when you access your device in this way, you must change your passcode again immediately:

Temporarily use your old passcode when you forget your new passcode on iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

If you cannot use the new Passcode Reset feature, you must use another method.

iOS/iPadOS 15.2 or later with a forgotten Passcode

Apple has introduced a procedure with which to reset an iPad or iPhone with a forgotten Passcode - allowing you to use your AppleID and associated Password to reset your device.

How to reset your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch when you forgot your passcode - Apple Support

You will be able to restore data from a pre-existing iCloud backup without the use of a computer, but will require a PC/Mac to restore data from an iTunes backup.

iPadOS 15.1 and earlier - and all devices that are Disabled



If your iPhone/iPad indicates that it is disabled/unavailable/locked-out, or you have forgotten your iPad passcode, you have no alternative other than to follow this process:

If you’ve forgotten the passcode on your iPad, or your iPad is disabled – Apple Support

You’ll need access to either a Windows PC (with iTunes for Windows installed -or more recent Apple Device App) or a Mac computer (with iTunes or Finder - as appropriate for the installed version of macOS).

Download and use iTunes for Windows – Apple Support

Update to the latest version of iTunes – Apple Support

Apple Devices App (Windows PC):

https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9np83lwlpz9k?hl=en-ms&gl=MS

Use of a PC or Mac is unavoidable. If you don’t have access to a suitable computer of your own, that of a helpful friend or family member will suffice. Alternatively, the technicians at the Genius Bar of your local Apple Store will be delighted to assist:

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

DaGriff9 wrote:

If i could figure out what model ipad this was I could figure out whether it was worth it to even unlock the ipad. Is there a point of unlocking an ipad from 5 years ago since apple doesn't support these older devices anymore anyway?

The iPad model is usually etched on the back in Really Fine Print.

Identify your iPad model - Apple Support