How to Remove Activation Lock without Previous Owner? 4 Ways!

Q:"Can anyone help me bypass the activation lock on my iPhone without the previous owner's details?" - From Quora

Bought a second-hand iPhone or got a used iPad from someone else, only to be locked out by an activated lock screen? This can cause you a lot of inconvenience because the device is linked to a previous owner. For security reasons, you have to provide correct credential information to gain access. But the problem comes. It's not easy to get into contact with the former owner in the first instance of an device activation issue. Don't worry about it. This post will walk you through the details of how to remove activation lock without previous owner. You can see what solutions are and which one is right for you.

how to remove activation lock without previous owner

Part 1. How to Remove Activation Lock without Previous Owner

There are different solutions for you to remove or bypass activation lock without previous owner, including using a dedicated iCloud unlocker, contacting Apple support, trying DNS bypass, and unlocking with online remover.

Way 1: Remove Activation Lock with Joyoshare Activation Unlocker

Can you remove activation lock without previous owner, even lacking credential information like Apple ID and password? Here Joyoshare Activation Unlocker is ready to assist you. As a professional iCloud activation lock removal, this program can help you remove activation lock without Apple ID under diverse possible device activation cases. Besides, this software come with the assurance of a high success rate and high compatibility. With it, your activation lock and Apple ID can be bypassed without reaching the previous owner.

Key Features of Joyoshare Activation Unlocker
joyoshare activation unlocker
  • Remove activation lock without Apple ID and password
  • Compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch
  • Unlock Apple ID from the device with the highest success rate
  • Turn off camera shutter sound without muting
  • Technical-free steps and a user-friendly interface
  • Step 1 Connect Device to Joyoshare Activation Unlocker

    Install and launch Joyoshare Activation Unlocker on your computer. Use a USB cable to connect your iOS device to PC and click the Start button when it is detected by this program.

    connect device to computer
  • Step 2 Manually Jailbreak Your Device

    Joyoshare Activation Unlocker will download the jailbreak tool and requires you to jailbreak your device on your computer. Simply click the "Jailbreak Tutorial" button to see how to operate.

    jailbreak device
  • Step 3 Remove Activation Lock without Previous Owner

    With the completion of the device jailbreak, you need to confirm your device information displayed on the screen. If there is no mistake, click the "Start to Remove" button to start bypassing activation lock without previous owner.

    remove activation lock without previous owner

Way 2: Remove Activation Lock by Using DNS

How to remove activation lock without previous owner free? DNS, aka Domain Name System, can provide you with a positive answer. By changing the Wi-Fi DNS settings, users who are running the old iOS versions have a chance to bypass iCloud activation lock for free.

remove activation lock by using dns
  • Step 1: Head to network settings during device setup and find Wi-Fi (WLAN).
  • Step 2: Hit the blue "i" icon next to the network you connect to.
  • Step 3: Scroll down to the Configure DNS option.
  • Step 4: Tick Manually and tap Add Server to type in the following DNS values.
    • USA: 104.154.51.7
    • South America: 35.199.88.219
    • Europe: 104.155.28.90
    • Asia: 104.155.220.58
    • Australia and Oceania: 35.189.47.23
    • Other: 78.100.17.60

Way 3: Remove Activation Lock by Contacting Apple

Another method to remove activation lock without previous owner is to ask Apple Support for help. If you can provide the proof of ownership documentation, including device serial number, IMEI or MEID, the Apple servicer will help you bypass the activation lock.

request activation lock support from apple

Way 4: Remove Activation Lock with Online Remover

There are various online tools you can choose to remove iCloud activation lock. Here recommend Apple iPhone Unlock and IMEIdoctor for you. They could help you bypass the activation lock without previous owner with only the requirement of your device information. Before you take action, one thing that should be told is that the iCloud activation lock will be removed after around 5-10 days.

remove activation lock with online removeral
  • Step 1: Enter the Apple iPhone Unlock webpage or the IMEIdoctor webpage.
  • Step 2: Type in the IMEI or serial number of your device and select the matching device model.

Part 2. How to Remove Activation Lock with Previous Owner

The activation lock removal can be done easily if your device is linked to a previous owner who you can get in touch with. Here are the solutions available to remove it using valid credential information.

Way 1: Remove Activation Lock through iCloud.com

When you see the activation lock on your refurbished iPhone/iPad/iPod touch, the first thing you need to do is to contact the previous owner asking for the iCloud account and password. Once you get them, you can directly enter your device. For further solution, you can ask the previous owner to remove activation lock remotely through iCloud.com.

remove activation lock via icloud
  • Step 1: Visit iCloud.com and sign in with the previous owner's Apple ID and password.
  • Step 2: Click the Apple ID and locate the Find Devices link.
  • Step 3: Now you can see All Devices at the top bar. Select your second-hand device from the drop-down list.
  • Step 4: Choose Remove This Device and confirm your action. Your device can be unassociated with previous owner's account, hence the activation lock can be bypassed.

Way 2: Remove Activation Lock with Screen Passcode

You can bypass the activation lock on a used device as long as you know the screen passcode. The solution requires that the device is already signed into the iCloud account with two-factor authentication enabled.

bypass activation lock via icloud
  • Step 1: Tap on "Unlock with Passcode" on the activation lock screen.
  • Step 2: Simply enter the screen passcode of the previous owner.
  • Step 3: Wait until you can access the device and then proceed to disable Find My feature with Apple ID password you got from the previous owner.

Part 3. Which Solution for Activation Lock Removal?

If you can't decide which method to pick up for further removing activation lock without previous owner, here is a comparison table for you as a reference. You could find the most suitable one based on your own situation.

Advantages Disadvantages
Joyoshare Activation Unlocker High rate of success, high compatibility and 100% safe. Not completely free
Wi-Fi DNS Free and not require computer. Low success rate.
Contact Apple Efficient and safe. It might not support your situation if necessary documentation cannot be provided.
Online Remover Do not need to download software on computer. It takes a long period of time; comes with potential security risk.
iCloud Easy and effective. It needs previous owner's iCloud account and password.
Screen Passcode Simple to operate; require no computer You need to know the screen passcode

Part 4. FAQs about Activation Lock

Q1: What is activation lock?

A: It is used to prevent your iPhone/iPad/iPod touch from being hacked if it is lost or stolen. This lock is initiatively enabled when the Find My feature is turned on. If someone else wants to activate your device, he/she must be authorized with your Apple ID and password.

Q2: When does activation lock occur?

A: An activation lock appears when a device is factory reset or restored to its default state but the Find My feature is enabled or the Apple ID is not logged out.

Q3: Can I disable activation lock by turning off Find My?

A: Yes. As the enabled Find My is the trigger of activation lock, it could be disabled when this feature is turned off.

Conclusion

Look no further about how to remove activation lock without previous owner, this article can get you into details. Here are up to 4 ways recommended to help you get rid of the activation lock from your device without contacting previous owner. You can find free ways and professional iCloud removers, such as Joyoshare Activation Unlocker. Hope your problem can be resolved with the assistance of this post.

Comments

Leave a comment

  Home >  Resource >  Unlock iCloud >  How to Remove Activation Lock without Previous Owner? 4 Ways!