I'm in a tough spot and could really use some advice. I had an iPhone 11 Pro Max that I reset for selling, but when a buyer asked for the battery health percentage, I activated it again to check. For some reason, I ended up creating a new Apple account with a different email just to reactivate the phone. After a few days, I wanted to reset the phone again, but I couldn't log in—the password didn't work, and the password reset emails weren't coming through even though I had access to the email. Then, I got a message saying, 'Account Locked.' I went through the recovery process, but after waiting over two weeks, Apple told me my account was permanently deleted and couldn't be restored.
Now the problem is that the deleted account is still linked to the phone. I can't factory reset it without removing that account, and Apple won't let me remove the account since they claim it doesn't exist anymore. Apple said they would only remove the Activation Lock if I could provide the original proof of purchase, but I bought the phone second-hand six years ago and can't find the seller. To complicate matters further, the phone still shows up under my original iCloud account on my current device, and while I can remove it, Apple says that won't resolve the issue. Am I totally stuck, or is there something I can try?
2 Answers
It’s pretty confusing, but if the account is truly deleted, you should be able to restore the device like you would to recover a passcode. Check the Apple support guide for that. But since you submitted an Activation Lock removal request, that means it might not be as straightforward as just restoring the device. You might be dealing with a combination of issues here.
Why not try signing into your Apple account through a web browser? You might find an option to recover your password via text message or similar. Just something to check!
I get that it’s complex, but I have full access to the phone and can navigate settings. My real issue is that I'm signed into an iCloud account that Apple says doesn't exist anymore. I need to sign out, but it prompts for a password, and all my attempts to reset it end with the same account locked message.