I use two iPhones with separate Apple Accounts. I recently changed the passcode on my iPhone 16 Pro Max, then forgot it because I normally unlock the phone with Face ID. I also no longer remember the Apple Account password, and I had enabled a recovery key. Unfortunately, I saved the passwords and recovery key in Notes on the locked phone.
I understand that erasing the phone would trigger Activation Lock and still require the Apple Account credentials. I bought the phone with cash from an authorized Apple reseller in February 2025, but the store could not find the transaction under either my name or my boyfriend's name. I also no longer have the original box or receipt.
Is there any legitimate way to recover the Apple Account or use the phone again? How can I find the serial number or IMEI while the iPhone is locked, and what documentation might Apple or the reseller accept as proof of purchase?
4 Answers
Before giving up, check every possible place for the recovery key or account password, including another trusted Apple device, a password manager, printed records, an external drive, or account-recovery information stored outside the locked phone. For the purchase issue, ask the reseller to search by approximate date, store location, product model, payment records, or device identifiers rather than only by customer name.
If a recovery key is enabled and you no longer have the Apple Account password, a trusted device, or the recovery key itself, Apple’s recovery process may not be able to restore access. The recovery key is specifically required for account recovery in that situation, and Apple generally cannot bypass it.
Erasing the iPhone will not remove Activation Lock. After the reset, it will still be tied to the Apple Account that enabled Find My, so Apple or the original account credentials are required. There is no legitimate passcode or Activation Lock bypass.
The IMEI or serial number may be available from the lock screen’s information button, the SIM tray or device markings where applicable, the Apple Account device list on another signed-in device, a carrier account, or the original purchase and service records. If the phone cannot be associated with your account and you cannot provide acceptable proof of purchase, support will generally not remove Activation Lock.
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