With the possible loss or theft of Apple devices, Apple introduced the activation lock feature to help increase the chances of recovery in the event it is lost. This means that if another person has your device without your authorization, the activation lock ensures that the device is virtually useless as one cannot access it without your Apple ID and password.
On the positive side, the activation lock has seen a huge decrease in the theft of IOS and iPadOS devices. In fact, the iPad activation lock has proven to be a very useful tool considering that now, more and more people are using their iPads as computers.
This means that there is a lot of important data that is housed in iCloud. On the downside, there is always the possibility that you might need to bypass the activation lock for example when the screen is not responsive or you have forgotten your Apple ID or password.
You often find that a person might gift someone the phone or sell it but fail to disassociate it from the original iCloud account. Whatever the case is, it becomes necessary therefore to bypass the activation lock using the methods available.
What is iCloud Activation?
Activation Lock is a feature introduced by Apple to lock your device in the event that it gets lost or stolen. The activation lock, therefore, allows you to lock your iPad remotely via iCloud. Assuming that someone has your iPad or iPhone, the activation lock is one of the tools that will help increase the chances of recovering the device.
Once the person is on a registered Wi-Fi network, Apple is able to track the whereabouts of the device easily. Another function of the activation lock is that it allows you to erase data from your device remotely ensuring that whoever has it does not have access to your messages, pictures, or any other data saved on iCloud.
Some of the other Apple devices with activation lock are Apple Watch and Mac where only Mac devices operating on T2 security chip devices have an activation lock. Apple device users hardly notice the presence of an activation lock until they decide to reset their iPad or iPhone.
Alternatively, you may realize the presence of the activation lock once you make a major iOS upgrade. It is at this point that you are required to enter your Apple ID in order to verify your identity for the device to be activated.
How to Avoid Activation Lock Befor You Reset Your iPad
Always make sure that the ‘Find my (Device)’ option is turned off on your device before reseting it to give it away or send it for repairs. This ensures that your device is not locked otherwise if the ‘Find my (Device)’ option is turned on, then anyone with the device cannot use it since it will be locked by the Activation Lock.
Even Apple technicians will not be able to perform any service repairs on the device. All you need to do is to sign out of iCloud followed by erasing all the content and settings. This will automatically erase your device and remove it from your Apple ID and even turn off ‘Find My (Device)’.
In iOS 10.3 or later:
- Tap ‘Settings’> ‘Your Name’
- Scroll down and ‘Sign Out’
- Enter your original Apple ID and ‘Turn Off’
- Go back to ‘Settings’
- Click on ‘General’, then ‘Reset’ then ‘Erase All Content and Settings’
In iOS 10.2 or earlier
- Click on ‘Settings’ then tap on ‘iCloud’
- Scroll down and sign out by tapping on ‘Sign Out’
- Tap ‘Delete from My iPhone’ the enter your password
- Go back to ‘Settings’
- Click on ‘General’ then tap ‘Reset’ and ‘Erase All Contents and Settings’
How to Reset iPad Without Activation Lock
UnlockGo is a useful iPhone lock removal tool that you can use to delete the Apple ID on your device without password and unlock the iCloud activation lock on your iPad easily. You need to first download the app on your computer. Once downloaded, ensure that your iPad is connected to the computer.
Delete the Apple ID without password, if you can get into your iPad
UnlockGo’s “Unlock Apple ID” feature is designed to delete the Apple ID on an activated device without a password easily. After you remove the Apple ID, your device won’t be stuck at Activation Lock after you reset it.
The following are the easy steps to unlock the Apple ID using UnlockGo.
Step 1. Launch UnlockGo on your computer. On the main interface of the app, click ‘Unlock Apple ID’ to proceed.
A firmware package is very large in size and it might take some time before it can download. You need to have a stable internet connection to download the program successfully.
Remove the Activation Lock, if your iPad is already stuck at “Activation Lock”
Step 1: Open the program and select “Remove iCloud Activation Lock” from the main window. Connect the iPad to the computer and click “Start.”
Wrap Up
The reason why many users encounter issues with activation lock is that this feature will only require you to verify your credentials during the device recovery process.
The fact that you are not required to enter these credentials every time you are using your iPad or iPhone is the reason it is easy to forget your Apple ID and password.
However, a basic understanding of the recovery processes available can save you time and give you access to the device once you forget the credentials. However, the activation lock is of great benefit to you as it makes Apple devices more secure in case you lose the device or it is stolen.
The device is literally useless to unauthorized users unless they have your original Apple ID and password. If you want to give your device away or send it for repairs, however, ensure that the phone is not locked.
