I found an iPhone 5s that my parents bought several years ago, and I'd like to use it. The phone is in good physical condition and the battery still seems decent, but it's protected by Activation Lock under a previous owner's Apple account. Nobody in my family knows the account details, and I haven't been able to get a response from the previous owner. Is there any legitimate way to unlock and use the phone?
3 Answers
The legitimate options are to have the previous owner remove the phone from their Apple account, or submit an Activation Lock support request to Apple with valid proof of purchase. Without one of those, the phone is effectively unusable as a normal device. Avoid unofficial bypass tools, since they may be temporary or unsafe.
If the phone originally belonged to your family, look for the original receipt or purchase records and contact Apple Support. If it was simply found and the previous owner cannot be reached, there generally isn’t a legitimate way to remove their Activation Lock. Replacing the logic board would be costly and usually not worthwhile.
Even if you got it unlocked, the iPhone 5s is extremely outdated. It only supports iOS 12, so many current apps and websites may not work, and its small screen and old hardware will feel very limited. It may be more practical to recycle it or use it for parts.
I already tried contacting the previous owner but haven’t received a response. I’ll check whether my family still has the original receipt.