Apple launches Apple Store app in India
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The Apple Store app provides customers with the most personalized way to shop for Apple’s innovative lineup of products and services. Learn more >
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I let someone else use an iPhone on my account. It is lost, it is almost brand new, and they don’t care about it anymore. Why can I not delete this or add it to my account?
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
iPhone 16 Pro
Here is the usual sequence for relinquishing ownership of an Apple iPhone:
What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support
Use the no-longer-have sequence.
Given it’s trivial to take over an Apple Account from a trusted device, you could have lost (or did lose?) control of the Apple Account. Which is a larger problem.
If the iPhone is tied to their account, you’ll need to present proof of ownership to Apple, and request Activation Lock be removed. This if the person holding Activation Lock don’t follow the above-linked sequence to relinquish their iPhone ownership to you.
PennyJanes wrote:
Why can I not delete this or add it to my account?
Those are conflicting statements. If it is not added to your account you do not need to delete it. If it is currently on your account, do not remove it or else anybody else that has it can start using it. If it is not currently in your account, you cannot add it unless you have the iPhone itself in your hands.
Read this support article about what to do if a iPhone or iPad is lost or stolen -->
Find your lost iPhone or iPad - Apple Support
- The Find My service described in the article is the only recovery feature Apple offers. It must be set up before the device is lost.
- Note that if you remotely erase your device as instructed in this article, if you subsequently remove it from your account as in this article --> Check your Apple Account device list to find where you’re signed in - Apple Support , then according to this article --> How to remove Activation Lock - Apple Support you remove activation lock from the device. Do not remove it from your account. If you do then a finder or thief will have an unlocked device that can be used by another person.
How can I remove a lost iPhone from my account?
