Most people ask this question of what is an iCloud locked iPhone? And if there’s any solution available to unlock it? Before jumping towards the solution, you need to be familiar with what actually the iCloud lock is. The iCloud lock is multi layered protection offered by Apple to its users. This lock allows you to remove all your data from your iPhone if it gets misplaced.
It could be the worst nightmare to lose your iPhone with all the essential and personal data inside. That is why Apple has come up with a solution, which is the iCloud lock. After the 7.0 update on iPhone, Apple introduced a ‘reactivation lock’ commonly called an iCloud lock. And this lock is almost impossible to break because it’s highly protected.
What happens when the iPhone has an iCloud lock?
Mostly when you buy an iPhone online or a used iPhone, the chances are you will get an iCloud locked iPhone. This means you cannot operate this phone until the owner of the phone puts his iPhone credentials and unlock it. If your phone is iCloud locked, you can do nothing with it.
- You cannot erase data
- You cannot turn off ‘Find my iPhone’ feature
- You cannot log in with a new Apple ID
- You cannot update your phone with a new software
- You can use it for nothing actually
Why do you need ‘iCloud lock’?
In most cases, when your phone is stolen, this lock protects your data. It works as a perfect anti-theft for iPhone. This way, if someone steals your phone, it will be of no use for them. That is why you find tons of iPhones on online stores at cheap rates. However, not all of the online sell iPhones are stolen. Sometimes it happens that the person who sold the iPhone forgot to turn off the ‘Find my Phone’ feature. And someone else buys it; it shows an activation lock sign.
How to set up iCloud lock?
It is highly advisable to turn on the activation lock on your iPhone in case if it’s stolen. There’s no rocket science behind setting up the iCloud lock on your device. Just a few simple steps and you’re good to go.
- Go to settings
- iCloud
- Find my iPhone/iPad
- Turn it ON
That’s it! But before turning on this feature, make sure you remember your Apple ID & Password to avoid any inconvenience.
Can an iCloud lock phone be activated?
Apple has put a huge effort into the iCloud lock, and it’s almost impossible to breach through it. You can’t unlock the iCloud locked iPhone by yourself. For this purpose, you need to put the original Apple ID & password used on the phone at the time of iCloud activation. And in most cases, when you don’t have that Apple ID & Password, your phone is useless.
However, in some cases, the iCloud lock can be unlocked if you have the original receipt of your phone, go to any Apple store and ask for iCloud activation lock removal. They will unlock it for you after checking your credentials. Moreover, you can contact the person from whom you bought the phone. He can unlock the device by putting his ID and turning off the ‘Find my phone’ feature.
Apart from these two options, there are some people who offer iCloud lock removal. You can check them out too. But most of them are fake and charge you for nothing. So always make sure to go for a reliable source; otherwise, you can never revive your iPhone.
How to turn off ‘Find My Phone’?
If you’re lucky enough to find the person who sold you the iPhone, then you better turn off the ‘Find my iPhone’ feature immediately. For turning it off
- Add their ID & Password on your phone.
- Go to settings
- ICloud/Your name
- Sign Out of iCloud
- Again enter the ID & Password.
- Tap Sign Out and Delete from my iPhone.
- Turn Off
And then Reset your phone from settings.
And this way, your iPhone will be unlocked. After that, you need to make a new Apple ID with your name and credentials. For that sign-up on iCloud.com and create your ID. With this ID, now you can set up your iCloud lock to protect your device.