I recently got my dad's old iPhone 5S, but it's locked due to his Apple ID, which was created with an inactive Yahoo account. Since the Yahoo account has been inactive for too long, it's deactivated, and my dad can't remember the password either. He had the phone about 10 years ago, and I know that Apple usually requires proof of purchase to unlock devices. Unfortunately, I can't provide that proof. I'm looking for help to figure out a way to access the phone for a fun tech project, but I'm stuck at this issue. Any suggestions?
5 Answers
If the Yahoo account was deleted, you can just create a new one with the same name. The recovery email might reach there if it’s linked correctly.
If your dad bought the phone directly from Apple, they might still have the records. But if you can't find proof of purchase, the phone might not be usable. Honestly, a 5S is quite outdated, and with the factory reset already done, there's not much remaining data to recover. You might want to consider recycling it.
Finding proof of purchase could be your best bet since Apple may unlock it for you. Otherwise, consider visiting a phone unlocking shop that might be able to help. Just keep in mind that the phone is quite old.
You could try jailbreaking the iPhone, but that can be tricky. I recommend checking out some info from other tech communities that focus on older devices, as we can't assist with those methods here.
Unfortunately, if the phone is locked with an Apple ID, only Apple can unlock it. You'll need the proof of purchase to get their help. If there’s a screen lock, you’ll have to reset the phone to its factory settings, but that won’t help with the Apple ID issue.
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