I work at a charity shop and recently got an iPad mini 2 from 2013 that's been donated. When I powered it on, it was still linked to the original owner's Apple ID and had no PIN set. Every time I try to reset it, it asks for the Apple ID password, which I don't have. I've tried connecting it to my PC to reset through the Apple devices app on Windows 11, but it requires 'Find My iPad' to be turned off, which also needs the password. I'm unsure what to do next. It would be a shame to have to discard it since it's worth more than the usual donations, and I don't feel right selling it with someone else's data on it.
3 Answers
Have you considered emailing the Apple ID owner? Sometimes they are more willing to help than you might think. Fingers crossed they haven't moved away and can pop by to reset it for you.
If the iPad is iCloud locked, unfortunately, there’s really nothing you can do. It’s essentially rendered useless unless the original owner removes it from their account. Even Apple won’t be able to bypass that lock.
Yep, it's just a fancy paperweight until the previous owner unlinks it from their Apple account. It’s frustrating that Apple devices have such strict security compared to their computers, but that’s how it is. Your best bet might be to reach out to the owner if you can find any contact info on it.
That's true! I have their email linked to the account, so I might try to contact them and see if they'd be willing to come into the shop and sort it out.