I unexpectedly lost my husband and didn't set up a legacy contact or indicate anything in his will regarding digital assets. Now, I'd like to reset his iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch so my son can use them. Apple support informed me that a death certificate alone isn't enough to access his devices and that I may have to go to court. Is there any possible way to hard reset these devices without needing Face ID? I do have his password and PIN to help with the process.
3 Answers
I'm really sorry to hear about your situation. I was in a similar predicament, and it was frustrating. Apple is strict about these procedures. Just keep in mind that their support tends to focus more on the security of data rather than making it easy to access devices. You might want to check out their support article about removing Activation Lock if needed.
Sorry for your loss. If you have the right credentials, you can easily reset the devices by going to Settings > General and scrolling down to erase everything. Just remember that you’ll need the Apple ID password for it to work.
If you have your husband's password and PIN, you can reset the devices on your own. Just use the Find My app to erase them or go into the settings and select 'Erase All Content and Settings' under General. It’ll ask for his Apple ID password and then it should start the reset process for you.
This! That article was a lifesaver in understanding how to approach things after losing someone.