I bought an iPhone 5, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6s at a yard sale. The iPhone 5 is disabled for an extremely long period, while the iPhone 6 and 6s are locked with passcodes I don't know. I'm looking for a legitimate way to erase and restore them using a Windows laptop, but I also don't know the Apple Account credentials that may be associated with the devices. What options do I have, and what should I check before trying to restore them?
3 Answers
For the disabled iPhone 5, waiting out the timer usually won’t help if the passcode is unknown. A recovery-mode restore is the normal route, but it erases the phone and still won’t remove Activation Lock. Avoid unofficial tools that promise a password bypass, since many are scams or can damage the devices.
If Activation Lock appears after the reset, only the previous owner can remove it from their account, or Apple may help with valid proof of purchase. There isn’t a legitimate Windows program or brute-force tool that can bypass that protection. If the seller can’t remove the devices from their account, they’re generally useful only for parts.
You can’t recover or bypass an unknown passcode. If the phones aren’t tied to Activation Lock, you can put them into recovery mode and erase or restore them with iTunes or Apple Devices on a Windows PC. This removes the passcode but also deletes all data. Afterward, setup will reveal whether an Apple Account is still required.
Thanks. I later realized I don’t have the Apple Account passwords either, so I may not be able to finish setup.