How do I remove an iPhone 4S from a previous user's account?

[Ed Boland]

how to remove an iPhone 4S from a previous user's account

Hi guys, Ed here, fellow ambassador over at Windows Central.

Here's my question, as I haven't used iTunes or an iPhone in a few years, obviously things have changed quite a bit.

I bought an iPhone 4S from this girl at work who recently bought it from someone else. The phone is evidently tied to the original owners "find my iphone/icloud/whatever account". I tried restoring the phone with iTunes, but upon initail setup, it still needs the original owner's username and password (for the sim card I guess??) to proceed. We contacted the original owner.. and he doesn't know the password (or has forgotten it?).

So my question is, is there any hope that this iPhone 4S will be anything more than a paperweight? I only paid $50 for it, so it's really no big loss. I was just going to use it as an ipod/wifi only device.. Y'know, an iOS device to check out all the apps we're missing on the other side of the tracks..

Thoughts? Thanks in advance...

Ed

 

[acerace113]

Re: how to remove an iPhone 4S from a previous user's account

If it's activation locked you can't bypass it without the original owners login.


Sent from my jailbroken 5th gen iPod touch or iPhone 5S or Surface 2 using Tapatalk

 

[Ed Boland]

Re: how to remove an iPhone 4S from a previous user's account

If it's activation locked you can't bypass it without the original owners login.


Sent from my jailbroken 5th gen iPod touch or iPhone 5S or Surface 2 using Tapatalk

Yep, it's activation locked.. and the original owner was contacted, but has no idea what his password was...

So, what about jailbreaking this thing?

 

[acerace113]

Re: how to remove an iPhone 4S from a previous user's account

Yep, it's activation locked.. and the original owner was contacted, but has no idea what his password was...

So, what about jailbreaking this thing?

A jailbreak won't bypass it plus it would have to be activated so you can jailbreak it


Sent from my jailbroken 5th gen iPod touch or iPhone 5S or Surface 2 using Tapatalk

 

[Ed Boland]

Re: how to remove an iPhone 4S from a previous user's account

A jailbreak won't bypass it plus it would have to be activated so you can jailbreak it


Sent from my jailbroken 5th gen iPod touch or iPhone 5S or Surface 2 using Tapatalk

Dang.. so there's nothing that can be done? Not even by taking it to an apple store?

 

[iEd]

Re: how to remove an iPhone 4S from a previous user's account

Dang.. so there's nothing that can be done? Not even by taking it to an apple store?

Unfortunately it's bricked without the code.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ed Boland]

Re: how to remove an iPhone 4S from a previous user's account

Hmm, well.. I can appreciate the security thing, but this is ridiculous lol

Guess I'll make the girl give me my money back.. She said she would, but I told her to wait and let me see what I could do.

 

[iEd]

Re: how to remove an iPhone 4S from a previous user's account

Cool. Yup get your loot back.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ed Boland]

Re: how to remove an iPhone 4S from a previous user's account

No problem. I told the girl she should get her money back from the guy she bought it from.. and I told her I bet when she asks for her money back, the guy might suddenly "remember " how to log into his itunes/icloud account. If he forgot his password, isn't it as simple as clicking on "forgot my password" and getting a password reset via email?

 

[kch50428]

Re: how to remove an iPhone 4S from a previous user's account

It is possible to recover an AppleID/Password - but it's a little more involved that getting an email... especially if they had 2-factor authentication enabled.