When purchasing used Apple hardware , verify that it ’s unlocked before you hand over funds . Otherwise , you ’ve grease one’s palms something akin to a fancy brick . A telephone number of people have written Mac 911 , and you find the problem always on on-line buying and Apple forums .
After thieving of iPhones and other fluid ironware skyrocketed in the early 2010s , regulators and legislators made noises about forcing Apple and other company to provide extra anti - theft protection . Apple released Activation Lock in 2013 for the iPhone , quickly extending it to the iPads , Mac , and Apple Watch . ( Macs have to be running Catalina or later and be either an Intel model with the T2 Security Chip or any Apple atomic number 14 M - series mannequin . ) A interchangeable locking mechanism , call Find My Lock , apply to AirTags and third - party Find My electronic internet pass over items .
With Activation Lock enable on devices or come up My Lock enable on a Find My item , other parties ca n’t practice the hardware . Erasing , resetting , or otherwise trying to zap the gimmick or detail does n’t disable Activation Lock or bump My Lock . Only the steps below do .
Erasing an iPhone, iPad, or Mac viaSettings/System Settings > General > Transfer or Reset (Device)also disables Find My.
How to disable an Apple lock
Here ’s how Activation Lock can be disabled before it ’s pass over :
Erasing an iPhone , iPad , or Mac viaSettings / System preferences > General > Transfer or Reset ( machine)also disables Find My .
Foundry
Erasing an iPhone, iPad, or Mac viaSettings/System Settings > General > Transfer or Reset (Device)also disables Find My.
With find out My Lock for an AirTag or third - political party point , the tracking item has to be unpaired from an iPhone or iPad associated with the iCloud bill used to make the initial association via the regain My app ’s Items pill :
How to check if a lock was disabled
When purchase Apple computer hardware , you should require cogent evidence that the twist or item has been removed from the proprietor ’s account . Otherwise , you are likely purchasing equipment that the seller does n’t own or to which they have fall back access through losing an iCloud account login . The computer hardware may or may not be steal : many MacBook models have turned up for sales event in a locked province after being purchase from governance or companies that did n’t follow procedures for deaccessioning .
Here ’s how to debar being scammed by an Activation Lock - enable iPhone , iPad , Mac , or Apple Watch :
Do n’t buy this iPhone ! It can not be used by you in this state .
Don’t buy this iPhone! It cannot be used by you in this state.
It ’s authoritative to think , too , that any gadget with Activation Lock enable also has line up My enabled . That means a seller can name your location .
With a Find My Lock :
An AirTag should bring up a dialog no matter what app you ’re in that tell AirTag and offer a three-D - rotating preview and a Connect button . A third - party point will similarly manoeuvre you through the pairing process in the detect My app .
An unpaired AirTag should prompt this dialog on an iPhone or iPad that it’s brought near.
An odd AirTag should prompt this dialogue on an iPhone or iPad that it ’s bring about .
If the two bullet detail above do n’t work , using the Find My app ’s Identify Found Item connectedness in the Items view . This should get you know if it ’s still register . If it does n’t appear , essay resetting it and trying the two bullet points above again . If that fails , the item can not be paired .
Ask Mac 911
We ’ve hoard a list of the questions we get asked most ofttimes , along with answers and links to chromatography column : read our super FAQto see if your interrogative sentence is covered . If not , we ’re always looking for new problem to solve ! Email yours tomac911@macworld.com , admit screen seizure as appropriate and whether you want your full name used . Not every question will be resolve ; we do n’t answer to emails , and we can not provide unmediated troubleshooting advice .
