If you have a second-hand iPhone, do you know that the previous owner can block you from using the device? Not cool! This is possible if they keep the device locked to their iCloud account, consequently preventing you from logging into the phone.
No matter how much you paid for the device, this reality is upheld until you get an iCloud unlock. This is the only way to free your phone from the iCloud account of the previous owner and become the authoritative owner of your device and setup your own iCloud account that allows you to enjoy the full benefits that comes with owning the device.
What is the iCloud Activation Lock all about?
The iCloud Activation Lock is that extra quirk Apple added to the iOS7 and carried through the rest of their OS. It is basically meant to lock your Apple devices to your personal iCloud account and you will have to provide your login details once you restart the device. While this is cool for someone who buys a new device, but if you buy a second-hand Apple device, the feature may stand as an obstacle as the previous owner can hold you to ransom after the deal must have been concluded. This actually happened to a couple of people who legitimately bought second-hand Apple devices.
The solution
In response to the outcry of the victims of the above described scenario, a solution is finally available after a series of investigations. It is now possible to remove the iCloud Activation Lock from your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch. There are now a number of service providers who can help you with this.
Before we get down to the reliable service providers, let us look at the steps involved in the process.
Steps in unlocking iCloud Activation Lock with a Service
The steps are simple and quite straightforward:
Step 1: Choose a reliable service provider and visit them. They know what to do!
Step 2: After they have done their job, confirm if the job is done by entering your IMEI or serial number of your device. There are different ways you can obtain the number:
- In an active device, dial *#06# and it will be displayed
- In an active device, go to Settings> General> About> scroll down to locate the IMEI number
- In an inactive device, locate the ‘i’ icon on the screen and tap on it.
Step 3: Wait for a confirmatory message to see if the unlocking was actually successful
Step 4: Go ahead to create your own new iCloud account.
Factors to consider before choosing an iCloud Unlock Provider
There are several iPhone unlocking service providers and it can be difficult to choose the right person that will offer the best deal. In a bid to help you make the right choice, here are some factors you should consider before giving out your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch to anyone to unlock.
Price
The price quoted by the service providers can be helpful in determining if they are likely to provide quality service or not. While you should be conscious not to pay too high, a very low price may also indicate that quality of service may not be as great as it should be.
Customer Service
From the first contact, you should be able to determine if the service providers prioritize customers satisfaction or not. There is no point releasing your device to someone who doesn’t care much about how to make sure that you are satisfied.
Speed of delivery
Be sure to enquire from your prospective service providers how long it may take to unlock the device. It will be nice to have your device unlocked as quickly as possible, if their expected delivery time is too good to be true, it probably isn’t true.
Every iPhone iCloud Activation Lock can be unlocked. There are a couple of service providers that can do this, choose wisely and enjoy your device afterwards.