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iCloud (activation) lock: what it is and how to check it before buying

Advice on buying a used iPhone · 3-minute read

The activation lock (commonly called the "iCloud lock") is the most common trap when buying a used iPhone. If you're not careful, you can pay for a phone you'll never turn on. Here's everything you need to know.

What the activation lock is

It's an Apple security feature tied to Find My. As soon as someone signs into their Apple account on an iPhone and turns on Find My, the phone is "paired" with that account. After being erased to factory settings, the iPhone then requires the original owner's password at activation. It protects against theft — but it can be an unpleasant surprise for a second-hand buyer.

Why a locked phone is a problem

If the seller doesn't sign out of their Apple account before selling (and doesn't remove the phone from Find My), it stays locked. Without their password you can't activate it and you're left with an expensive paperweight. Neither a reset nor a repair shop can help — there's no legal way around it without the original account.

Never buy an iPhone locked to someone else's iCloud, not even on a promise of "I'll sign out at home". Signing out must happen before handover and payment.

How to check it before buying

• Remotely by IMEI: the activation lock (Find My) status can be checked from the IMEI before you meet — so you know in advance whether the phone is signed out.
• At handover: have the seller reset the phone to factory settings right in front of you. If, after the reset, the setup screen appears without asking for someone else's Apple ID, it's clean. If it asks you to sign into another account, it's locked.

What to do if the phone is locked

Ask the seller to sign out (Settings → their name at the top → Sign Out) and remove the phone from their account at icloud.com/find. Only then does it make sense to continue. If they refuse or "don't have the password", walk away from the deal.