I recently bought a used iPhone that was factory reset, but when I try to log in with my Apple ID, it tells me that another device is still linked to this phone. The options I have are to send a verification code to the linked device or to the previous owner's phone number. Before I call them, I want to understand the steps involved. If they receive the code and I enter it, will I be able to unlink the device, or do they need to confirm anything on their end? My goal is to ensure that nothing is still linked to the previous owner. If there's anything else I should check, please let me know.
2 Answers
This is actually a pretty common issue! The previous owner will need to remove the Activation Lock by signing into their iCloud account and going to the Find My iPhone section. It’s all detailed on Apple’s support site, so I’d recommend checking there for the exact steps. They basically just need to log in at iCloud.com/find and remove your device from their account.
If the previous owner has to authorize access through their phone after you enter the code, it won't be fully unlinked unless they remove it from their account like mentioned before. Also, if they chose 'erase this phone' before resetting, that should theoretically remove the link to other devices, but it's safer to confirm it directly.
Just a heads up, they definitely have to remove it from their iCloud account first. Good luck getting in touch with them; it can be a hassle sometimes!
Thanks for the info! So if I just enter the code sent to the seller's phone, will it unlink the device from their account? I'm curious because I saw that option during the setup.