Apple Launches Self-Serve Portal for Initiating Activation Lock Removal Requests

[MacRumors]

Apple today added a new "Turn off Activation Lock" page to its website that provides steps users can take to turn off the security feature on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

As noted on Reddit, the page includes a link to start an Activation Lock support request in the United States, meaning that customers no longer have to contact an Apple support representative by phone, email, or online chat to initiate this process. To submit a request for Activation Lock support, you must be the owner of the device, and the device must not be in Lost Mode or managed by a business or educational institution.

After entering a valid email address and the device's serial number, customers are instructed to fill out a form to prove ownership of the device, providing details such as the device's original purchase date, purchase location, and a photo or screenshot of the original sales receipt if available. Any information provided will be used by Apple or an Apple-affiliated company to process the Activation Lock request.

Upon submitting this information, Apple will review the request and provide updates by email. A support case number is generated for reference.

In the event that Apple unlocks Activation Lock on your device, all data stored on your device will be permanently erased. Apple says it is the customer's responsibility to back up their device prior to submitting an Activation Lock request.

Activation Lock is designed to prevent anyone else from using your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch if it's ever lost or stolen. When you mark the device as lost on the iCloud website, this locks the device's screen with a passcode and lets you display a custom message with your phone number to help you get it back. And if the device is erased, Activation Lock requires the original owner's Apple ID and password to be entered.

Article Link: Apple Launches Self-Serve Portal for Initiating Activation Lock Removal Requests

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

This is great. Activation lock is amazing, but it’s also made purchasing used Apple devices an absolute nightmare.
Bought an Apple Watch a couple years ago, got it, and while setting up, I had to contact the original owner and have them give me their Apple ID and password. That was quite a unique conversation to say the least, but it was the only way I was able to use the watch.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Another great feature for locking, privacy and security.

 

[PieTunes]

Another great feature for locking, privacy and security.

And to add to that, I feel anything that Apple can do to give customers more self service capabilities for account or device management is a win-win for everyone.

 

[aesc80]

About friggin time! Having to go through the whole process solely on the device (especially if the device is acting up) can be such a pain. At least if you're doing an "As is" sale, you don't have to be worried about the buyer being completely locked out.

 

[Rochy Bay]

Apple today added a new "Turn off Activation Lock" page to its website that provides steps users can take to turn off the security feature on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

As noted on Reddit, the page includes a link to start an Activation Lock support request in the United States, meaning that customers no longer have to contact an Apple support representative by phone, email, or online chat to initiate this process. To submit a request for Activation Lock support, you must be the owner of the device, and the device must not be in Lost Mode or managed by a business or educational institution.

After entering a valid email address and the device's serial number, customers are instructed to fill out a form to prove ownership of the device, providing details such as the device's original purchase date, purchase location, and a photo or screenshot of the original sales receipt if available. Any information provided will be used by Apple or an Apple-affiliated company to process the Activation Lock request.

Upon submitting this information, Apple will review the request and provide updates by email. A support case number is generated for reference.

In the event that Apple unlocks Activation Lock on your device, all data stored on your device will be permanently erased. Apple says it is the customer's responsibility to back up their device prior to submitting an Activation Lock request.

Activation Lock is designed to prevent anyone else from using your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch if it's ever lost or stolen. When you mark the device as lost on the iCloud website, this locks the device's screen with a passcode and lets you display a custom message with your phone number to help you get it back. And if the device is erased, Activation Lock requires the original owner's Apple ID and password to be entered.

Article Link: Apple Launches Self-Serve Portal for Initiating Activation Lock Removal Requests

These automated portals with no human interaction are the new communication style Apple offers to customers.

 

[Rochy Bay]

This is great. Activation lock is amazing, but it’s also made purchasing used Apple devices an absolute nightmare.
Bought an Apple Watch a couple years ago, got it, and while setting up, I had to contact the original owner and have them give me their Apple ID and password. That was quite a unique conversation to say the least, but it was the only way I was able to use the watch.

Wow, hopefully they did not share that personal information with you. You should have returned that watch to Apple. It just show how poor the quality control is.

 

[jml12286]

Why would he re

Wow, hopefully they did not share that personal information with you. You should have returned that watch to Apple. It just show how poor the quality control is.

Why would they return a used watch to Apple because the previous owner didn't unpair their device? Or have anything to do with quality control?

 

[az431]

These automated portals with no human interaction are the new communication style Apple offers to customers.

If you're lonely, a cat is always a good option.

 

[az431]

Wow, hopefully they did not share that personal information with you. You should have returned that watch to Apple. It just show how poor the quality control is.

Your suggestion is that a buyer of a used and locked device return it to Apple? What would Apple do, and how would Apple know that it wasn't stolen? And what does the former owner forgetting to unlock the device have to do with quality control? Are you starting to think that maybe you didn't think this all the way through?

 

[Apple_Robert]

I like that Apple is finally making this available. Hopefully, I won't have to make use of this feature.

 

[iceknyght]

Why would he re

Why would they return a used watch to Apple because the previous owner didn't unpair their device? Or have anything to do with quality control?

I bought a refurbished Apple Watch from Apple last year and when I got it, it was still paired to someone else! And since the AW needs the email/password of the person it's paired to, I couldn't get in and Apple couldn't get me in, so I had to return the watch (plus they ran out of replacements, so I was SOL)... I did get a free watch band out of it, but it was a waste of time overall because someone didn't unpair it and Apple didn't catch it during their refurb process!

 

[NMBob]

These automated portals with no human interaction are the new communication style Apple offers to customers.

It improves your user experience.

 

[Coleman2010]

I just tied submitting one and I keep getting an error "Form submit failed, please retry."

The site isn't working properly.

 

[Solomani]

This is great. Activation lock is amazing, but it’s also made purchasing used Apple devices an absolute nightmare.
Bought an Apple Watch a couple years ago, got it, and while setting up, I had to contact the original owner and have them give me their Apple ID and password. That was quite a unique conversation to say the least, but it was the only way I was able to use the watch.

Apple has long advised that, before anyone sells their Apple products, they should dis-associate (sign off, etc) the product with the (previously used) Apple accounts like iTunes, iCloud etc.

In iTunes, for example, this has been known as "Deauthorize This Computer" .... and it has been a known available feature for ages.





Likewise, I would never want to buy any second-hard Apple product from a private seller unless I was certain that the seller dis-associated his own Apple (iTunes, App Store, iCloud) accounts from said device.

 

[Solomani]

I like that Apple is finally making this available. Hopefully, I won't have to make use of this feature.

When we reach over 82 years old and get dementia this feature will become a godsend.

 

[Apple_Robert]

When we reach over 82 years old and get dementia this feature will become a godsend.

My luck will have me being taken care of my an Android lover. The horror.

If this forum is still around then, I will try and pot that you were right. lol

 

[Yumbo]

The original owner removes it from their ID remotely.
There is no need to ask for their details.

 

[OriginalMacRat]

This is great. Activation lock is amazing, but it’s also made purchasing used Apple devices an absolute nightmare.
Bought an Apple Watch a couple years ago, got it, and while setting up, I had to contact the original owner and have them give me their Apple ID and password. That was quite a unique conversation to say the least, but it was the only way I was able to use the watch.

You should have insisted that the owner erase it in your presence before handing over any money.

And this program wouldn't have helped you as you were not the original owner and Apple would not have unlocked it for you.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Wow, hopefully they did not share that personal information with you. You should have returned that watch to Apple. It just show how poor the quality control is.

What?
It was an old AW series 1 I bought in 2018 on eBay for super cheap. The previous owner had used it for two years, probably upgraded, and just forgot to remove it from their devices. I told them to remove it from their account, and they did, and I was still required to put in an email and password.
I got them to give me their email and password so I could unlock the device, made sure to let them know to change their password now that they have given it out, which they hopefully did, and then I went on using my Apple Watch with my credentials.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Apple has long advised that, before anyone sells their Apple products, they should dis-associate (sign off, etc) the product with the (previously used) Apple accounts like iTunes, iCloud etc.

In iTunes, for example, this has been known as "Deauthorize This Computer" .... and it has been a known available feature for ages.

View attachment 1729210



Likewise, I would never want to buy any second-hard Apple product from a private seller unless I was certain that the seller dis-associated his own Apple (iTunes, App Store, iCloud) accounts from said device.

I’m not entirely sure what your point is. I know how to sell an Apple device, but the majority of consumers do not. This particular consumer did not, and sold an Apple Watch while it was still locked to his or her Apple account. A new Watch is $200+, so when you see a good deal for a perfectly fine product, why wouldn’t you take it if you wanted it?
So just because “you” don’t by used does it mean that other people don’t buy used Apple products.
In fact, I’m pretty sure that the majority of people who buy iPhones either buy them older, used, or refurbished in someway. I don’t know many people who buy brand new iPhones at the original price.

 

[grjj]

This "new process" is only bypassing the need to call AppleCare, you're just taking the initial contact out of the process. You still upload the original receipt and the same evaluation happens to unlock as has been in place for years.
Before this you called Apple, were sent a link to upload documents. Now you use the web page to start hte process and upload the documents .

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

You should have insisted that the owner erase it in your presence before handing over any money.

And this program wouldn't have helped you as you were not the original owner and Apple would not have unlocked it for you.

The original owner would’ve had the serial number, so they would’ve been able to unlock it.
Also, I bought it on eBay for a super low price, so having the person erase it in my presence wasn’t exactly a possibility.
Plus, I’m pretty sure that the person who I bought it from knew nothing about technology, or how to remove things from their account.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

I swear, some of you people think that you are the majority, when you’re really not. Tech nerds who know how to format hard drives and erase Apple Watch’s and remove them from accounts are not the majority.
I Can’t tell you how many used MacBooks and iPads I see, where the seller just sticks a sticky note on it that says what the login username and password is, because they don’t know how to erase it, or they don’t know that they’re supposed to erase it, or some of them that don’t even know erasing it is possible.
It’s rare, that you buy something from Apple used and from a random seller online, and you receive it completely wiped and ready to go. It’s never that simple.
Now back in the day, computers and phones were way less secure, but way easier to purchase used.
before iOS 7, if you bought an iPhone that someone forgot to erase, you could just erase it yourself. If you bought a Mac that someone didn’t erase, you could easily format it and reinstall, and everything will be fine for you. Now obviously for the original owner, this was bad because it was very easy to have there data stolen by the new owner, so I completely support things like activation lock.
However, my point still stands. It makes selling, or more accurately, receiving, used Apple products an absolute nightmare if the previous owner didn’t know anything about technology.

 

[bobscliff]

Oh man as a former Genius Bar employee, this is a great tool. People would wait for hours to get a phone unlocked and we'd have to turn them away because they didn't have a receipt with the right info.