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Parkison

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 7, 2012
2
0
So guys I'm having some trouble here. I just bought an Apple Watch open box from a local Best Buy. The Apple Watch is basically saying whenever I'm trying to set it up that I need to type in the password for the old apple id user. Obviously I don't know what the password is and Bestbuy even disclaimed this to me. They gave me a better price because I bought one that is currently paired. They told me if I took it to a Apple Store that they would unpair it for me if I showed them the receipt. Normally this wouldn't be a problem but the Apple Store is really Far away from where I live. It's really hard for me to believe that there isn't a third-party application or someway to connect the Apple Watch to a computer and completely remove the old users apple id information. I would greatly appreciate it if anyone could help me out with this issue that I'm having .
 
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205009

Previous owner gonna have to remove it. Apple Store ain't gonna be able to do $#!@. I'd return it to Best Buy and throw it in their face (and by this I mean get the receipt and return it ;)), 'cause that's B.S. I mean, Activation Lock on the Watch has only existed since Watch OS 2, but still. They should know better.
 
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You may also be able to send to Apple, you'd probably have to call them and tell them the same story. Like reverting a watch from beta software, it can only be done by shipping to Apple, either from the store or on your own.
 
You may also be able to send to Apple, you'd probably have to call them and tell them the same story. Like reverting a watch from beta software, it can only be done by shipping to Apple, either from the store or on your own.

i believe others have had this problem and apple can't do anything - https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/cant-set-up-used-apple-watch.1927584/page-5#post-22175119

can only return it to best buy:

I had purchased apple care with the locked watch. I called Apple and they tried to help me. Finally telling me to take it back. Best Buy was great and gave me a brand new Apple Watch for no additional cost once I explained the issue with the open box watch. The Apple tech even offered to talk to Best Buy on the phone if I had a problem with the exchange. Apple basically said there was nothing they could do with the locked watch.
 
@Parkison youve been given the solution which is to take the device plus your receipt to the Apple Store. They can and do help. It's as simple as putting the sn into there system and flicking a switch.
 
Apple will not do it for their phones without original receipt, I would think the AW would be the same.

that's a misleading thing to say. apple will not do it full stop. there is no way around an icloud activation lock, without the previous owner's apple id and password.

@Parkison youve been given the solution which is to take the device plus your receipt to the Apple Store. They can and do help. It's as simple as putting the sn into there system and flicking a switch.

have you done this? because as helpful as they can try to be... i'm pretty sure it's the one thing they can't do. there's numerous threads all over the internet about this.

for example see: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/express-replacement-re-pairing.1950397/#post-22465215 (why would OP need to deactivate activation lock if they could do it themselves?)

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/cant-set-up-used-apple-watch.1927584/page-5#post-22174889 - a lengthy thread on the matter. upshot is, can't be removed without original owner's apple id and password...

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7356880?start=0&tstart=0

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7330059?start=0&tstart=0


@Parkison basically, the only thing that can be done is returning to best buy. without the original owners apple id and password, it's bricked. a paperweight and nothing more.

if apple could build a workaround, so could someone else. that's not secure. there is no workaround.
 
that's a misleading thing to say. apple will not do it full stop. there is no way around an icloud activation lock, without the previous owner's apple id and password.



have you done this? because as helpful as they can try to be... i'm pretty sure it's the one thing they can't do. there's numerous threads all over the internet about this.

for example see: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/express-replacement-re-pairing.1950397/#post-22465215 (why would OP need to deactivate activation lock if they could do it themselves?)

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/cant-set-up-used-apple-watch.1927584/page-5#post-22174889 - a lengthy thread on the matter. upshot is, can't be removed without original owner's apple id and password...

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7356880?start=0&tstart=0

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7330059?start=0&tstart=0


@Parkison basically, the only thing that can be done is returning to best buy. without the original owners apple id and password, it's bricked. a paperweight and nothing more.

if apple could build a workaround, so could someone else. that's not secure. there is no workaround.
Any Apple Store manager (they only person in store) can unlock any iCloud locked device. Its most certainly not bricked.
 
Any Apple Store manager (they only person in store) can unlock any iCloud locked device. Its most certainly not bricked.

any proof? you're the only person in the world i've seen make that claim. a good many say the opposite; apple can and will not assist.
 
any proof? you're the only person in the world i've seen make that claim. a good many say the opposite; apple can and will not assist.
Any proof? What is this kindergarten?

You'll have to trust me having had to do this on a corporate level. Providing you have PROOF of purchase you can get it done. Do NOT bother trying over the phone as the original receipt would be needed to match the original activation date.
 
Any proof? What is this kindergarten?

You'll have to trust me having had to do this on a corporate level. Providing you have PROOF of purchase you can get it done. Do NOT bother trying over the phone as the original receipt would be needed to match the original activation date.

Corporate level... With personal Apple ids on individually purchased devices?

Also they won't have the original receipt. The person who returned it to Best Buy for it to go open box has that. So you don't have much of a point here even if what you say is true on a more general level.
 
This exact thing happened to me when I purchased an open box apple watch from Best Buy. There is nothing apple can do for you because you are not the original purchaser on record. Best Buy will have to fix it. If your best buy store told you that they intended to sell it to you this way, they are misguided because it's a brick. Call Best Buy corporate or call another Best Buy store.
 
You would not have a problem. The OP does not have the original receipt. That IS the problem.

that was kind of my point.

but you couldn't have this problem with the original receipt. because it wouldn't be someone else's apple id locking it...
 
Any proof? What is this kindergarten?

You'll have to trust me having had to do this on a corporate level. Providing you have PROOF of purchase you can get it done. Do NOT bother trying over the phone as the original receipt would be needed to match the original activation date.
Apple will only unlock an iPhone that is tied to a corporate account, you are the original owner and you have the original receipt. Apple will not unlock an iCloud locked device for a regular consumer. Even if you have the original receipt.
 
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Return it, use the money to buy the Watch from Apple. You may end up paying a bit more, but It will be worth it the end.
 
Best Buy does some crazy stuff, but this just goes to show you that the geek squad failed to do there job. I returned a watch and the person doing the return said before she could refund it I would need to get with one of the geek squad to make sure it wasn't locked to my account. When the guy came out he asked me if I had done a reset from my phone and I said YES. He then started the watch and when it came up and asks if I wanted to pair it, he knew it had been reset because he said if it had not been reset it would have just gone to the watch face screen and asked for a passcode. I remember when I did the reset I was also sent an immediate email from Apple saying my activation lock and been disabled on Apple Watch.

Bottom line is they failed to do this at the store that yours was returned to and then turned around stuck it in the box and sold it as open-box. All though the idiot that took it back without resetting was a moron. I would certainly return it for a refund. Apple will not resolve this issue for you.
 
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