Locked out. How to Release Apple Products from an ID?

Geekomatic on 08/06/2019 - 15:49

Howdy all,

I'm trying to help an older woman whose long-time (21yr) partner dumped her out of the blue (dropped her at a hair appt, said he'd be back in 90 mins, and then left the state!) and has somehow locked or changed the ID they had previously shared on their combined devices.

I'm not at all an expert on Apple, so here I am hoping someone else has insight to this issue?

She doesn't care if he keeps the original ID or anything like that, she just wants to be able to use her three devices and says she can't because it asks for the old info which he has obviously changed.

Is there such a thing as a total reset, so she can just reconnect it to her current email?

Cheers

Computing Apple

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Comments

  • Blue Cat on 08/06/2019 - 16:02
    -1

    Short and honest answer - you can't.
    Unless you get the username and password to unlock it (which sounds like it's not going to happen), it is best to sell it for parts right now.
    Or keep it as a very expensive paperweight.
    If you don't believe me look up "iCloud Lock" on Google.

  • thatonethere on 08/06/2019 - 16:05
    +6

    If she had the original receipt which has serial number of the devices (ie she owns the devices) she can get Apple to reset them. Takes a few weeks by email but can do it at an Apple shop too.

    It does wipe the device.

    We do this at work all the time.

    • thewinchester on 08/06/2019 - 16:16
      +1

      thatonethere is correct. Get the original receipts or a copy (tax invoice, mobile contract), call Apple, and ask for an FMIP unlock.

      And for the love of !deity - NEVER SHARE AN APPLE ID with someone else. This is a recipe for disaster, especially in relationship breakdowns.

      • thatonethere on 08/06/2019 - 16:19

        If you need to share (and potentially break apart) use the IOS Family feature to share stuff. You can also register multiple faces and fingers too.

  • Geekomatic on 08/06/2019 - 18:25

    Unfortunately, the lady bought them items via Gumtree. She's had them all going for quite a while (years)— it's just the break-up that has caused her to be locked out.

    I'll have to ask her if she can possibly look through old emails to see if the original owner might still have records of the sale when they were new.

    Damn. :(

    • thatonethere on 08/06/2019 - 18:35

      Hmm ok. Probably have to buy replacement ones from Gumtree… If they are so old probably time for replacements.

      Note that her imessages will be accessible to this other person along with her other data. Not much she can do about that.

  • sep1 on 08/06/2019 - 19:20
    +3

    In all honesty the easiest thing for her would be to reconcile with her ex.

    • Geekomatic on 08/06/2019 - 22:15

      He changed everything just ahead of dumping her.

  • Daabido on 08/06/2019 - 19:23
    +3

    What a bastard thing to do, times two.

    • Geekomatic on 08/06/2019 - 22:15

      You know how you know when someone is telling the truth? She has nothing, really.

      This poor lady…f-sake.

      Bastard, for sure.

  • notfrodo on 08/06/2019 - 22:35

    What devices are these? iPhones? If it is a Mac then you can just do a factory reset.

    • Geekomatic on 08/06/2019 - 22:42

      Thank you.

      iPad, phone, fitbit thing.

      My issue with tech is that it keeps excluding people from actually understanding what it is they're signing up for.

      Apple is the worst, imho.

      This woman has everything on the one ISP acct. As the scumbag partner planned his escape, he set her up to lose her access. I hope he gets his come-uppance.

      She also had all of her savings and everything she worked for, which he moved in on. Shitty. Yes, can happen the other way, but this is her now. I hate it.

      • notfrodo on 09/06/2019 - 10:53

        So these devices are signed up using an email address she no longer has access to? Cant receive emails or anything?

  • chrisd262 on 08/06/2019 - 23:53

    Apple ID is not required to access iPad - just PIN?
    If email address has not changed can't she say she has forgotten password and get a password reset?

    • notfrodo on 09/06/2019 - 10:56
      +1

      No it doesnt work that way. If you have signed in to an apple device using your AppleId and have Find my iphone turned on, it will ask you to log back in with the same apple id (email address + password) EVEN after a factory reset. This is done to prevent people from stealing devices and just doing a factory reset to use the device.

  • dtxau on 09/06/2019 - 10:40

    No receipt, Apple will not assist. I went through the same process recently for a 5 year old iPad for my father. He somehow wiped his device but was unable to log in to activate. The AppleID was the same one he had used for ages. We were able to log into iCloud using the same details but were unable to activate his iPad. Without a receipt, Apple would not help so we gave up.

    My father took it on a trip Vietnam, came back and it was fixed.

    So… looks like you may have to take it to a specialist of sorts to get it sorted.

  • spersephone on 09/06/2019 - 12:08

    If you can access the email address you should be able to reset it, but it might also ask for two-factor authentication.

    • Geekomatic on 10/06/2019 - 02:11

      He already changed it & put the 2fa on his own mobile number. Too late. :(

  • alvian on 09/06/2019 - 15:33

    Don't have an iDevice. Will this help? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMv1UFGWyU0

    Plus a ton of similar how-to videos on YouTube.

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