Stuck in an iCloud nightmare, anyway round it?

[L T]

I'm with a friend who is in a bit of bother with her iCloud account. Basically she can't remember her iCloud password, so we go into try and reset it and the options are to answer security questions or get email instructions to reset it. The email option isn't possible because its an @me.com account so you are back to square one. Then we go down the security question route and although she believes they are right they aren't working. We rang Apple support and they've basically told us that as we can't get into the email account or use the security questions.

I was told to wipe the phone and set it up using a new apple ID, when I questioned this saying surely I wouldn't be able to do that as the phone would be iCloud locked to the original account he said that wouldn't happen and would be fine. Was surprised at that, thought that the phone would be locked unless you signed out of the account before resetting it?

Anyway, that isn't the route we want to go because we need the data thats inside the iCloud account, contacts and photos etc.

If we go to an Apple store appointment and we take both of her phones which have the account signed in, along with ID and proof of purchase for both devices, will they be able to reset the password for us?

Thanks

 

[QzzB]

I don't believe any Apple Store employee has any access to anything that support on the web don't - it would be a massive security hole to have a back end system accessible in a physical store.

If Apple can't assist by confirming details, credit card, past purchases or anything else over the phone, I don't see how anyone else can get in unfortunately.

I seriously doubt Apple have a way of bypassing the account security even if they were sure it was you, as it would mean it is possible for Apple to get into peoples accounts (someone will have to manually override at some point, and I can't see why Apple would build this in).

I think you might be stuck to be honest. Might be wrong, but Apple Store generally support with Usability of Apps, technical troubleshooting but anything else more technical, such as Activation Lock or similar, I have always seen them use the public tools, such as the Activation Lock Check website - not anything more advanced.

 

[Rigby]

I was told to wipe the phone and set it up using a new apple ID, when I questioned this saying surely I wouldn't be able to do that as the phone would be iCloud locked to the original account he said that wouldn't happen and would be fine. Was surprised at that, thought that the phone would be locked unless you signed out of the account before resetting it?

So have you signed out? If the phone is still logged into the iCloud account, wouldn't you be able to enable iCloud email in the iCloud settings, and then use that to reset the password?

 

[L T]

So have you signed out? If the phone is still logged into the iCloud account, wouldn't you be able to enable iCloud email in the iCloud settings, and then use that to reset the password?

Nope, because whenever we try to get into that email it asks for the password. The account is in the phone, but needs the password

 

[steve62388]

How can somebody forget the answers to their security questions? They are the type of questions that are personal and almost impossible to forget, like 'what was the name of your first pet'? Has your friend had an accident?

 

[C DM]

How can somebody forget the answers to their security questions? They are the type of questions that are personal and almost impossible to forget, like 'what was the name of your first pet'? Has your friend had an accident?

Plenty of times those questions are also something like "What is your favorite movie?" or "What was your favorite car?" or "Who was your favorite teacher?". While it sounds like those questions should have sort of set answers for people, but short of a movie or a teacher truly standing out and making some sort of a huge impact in someone's life--which certainly happens, but not necessarily for most people, let alone everyone--that's not necessarily the case as years go by and someone might like different movies at different times or recall different teachers for different reasons.

 

[steve62388]

Plenty of times those questions are also something like "What is your favorite movie?" or "What was your favorite car?" or "Who was your favorite teacher?". While it sounds like those questions should have sort of set answers for people, but short of a movie or a teacher truly standing out and making some sort of a huge impact in someone's life--which certainly happens, but not necessarily for most people, let alone everyone--that's not necessarily the case as years go by and someone might like different movies at different times or recall different teachers for different reasons.

Well the objective data is that somebody didn't intelligently set their recovery email address, forgot their account password, didn't pick security questions that were memorable and then forgot the answers to the ones they did choose. My sympathy is not a bottomless well and does begin to wane.

 

[C DM]

Well the objective data is that somebody didn't intelligently set their recovery email address, forgot their account password, didn't pick security questions that were memorable and then forgot the answers to the ones they did choose. My sympathy is not a bottomless well and does begin to wane.

Well, I get all that, but it also doesn't change the poor implementations of these security questions in enough cases.

 

[rugmankc]

People need to use Password Programs or keep a spreadsheet on their computer. I do both.