Checking activation lock status by imei. How to Check iCloud Activation Lock Status on iPhone or iPad. How to find out IMEI and serial number of iPhone

Find My iPhone and Activation Lock provide reliable protection for those who have lost their smartphone. However, this feature can also become a problem. Especially for those who are planning to purchase a used Apple smartphone or tablet.

Before purchasing a used device, we strongly recommend checking to see if the activation lock feature is enabled. We will tell you how to do this further.

Activation blocking is necessary to combat intruders. It is enabled by default in iOS 8 and is optionally enabled in earlier versions. With the lock feature enabled, the phone will not work after deleting or erasing data, updating or restoring the firmware. To unlock the lock, you will need to enter your Apple ID login and password.

Checking the Activation Lock Status

You will need a computer or mobile device with Internet access.

2. Enter the IMEI or serial number of the smartphone (you can find it in the settings, section General, item About this device. This data is also on the back cover of the iPhone).

4. Enter the captcha.

5. After clicking the Continue button, the service will provide information on the blocking status.

Checking Activation Lock Status in iPhone Settings

1. Go to Settings - iCloud.

2. In the Account field The entry will display the email address to which the Apple ID is registered.

3. If the Find iPhone function is active, then the device is locked. You can only remove the lock using the Apple ID specified in the Account field. record.

Checking Activation Lock using the app

3. If your smartphone is in the All devices list, then its search and blocking function is enabled.

The last two options are not suitable if you are buying a used iPhone, as it is not attached to your Apple ID. If the Find iPhone function is enabled in the settings of such a device and someone else’s Apple ID is listed, then sooner or later you will become the owner of an expensive brick. We strongly do not recommend purchasing such smartphones.

A smartphone is a multifunctional device that stores an abundance of information that is so important for its owner. This data must be strictly protected by modern encryption methods.

The security of user data and protecting devices from attackers has always been Apple's main goal. This is the main principle of the company, which is the cornerstone in its foundation, which the corporation has managed to maintain to this day, introducing more and more protective tools. The level of security in iOS has reached an unprecedented level, to the point that stealing a phone has become almost pointless.

What is Activation Lock on iPhone?

Activation Lock is a security tool that has become an extension of the previously introduced Find My iPhone option. Activation Lock was introduced into the iOS operating system in 2013 with the release of the seventh generation of software and is described by the company as an ideal tool against thieves.

Indeed, the Californian corporation has already managed to report that the number of iPhone thefts has decreased significantly, and those that continue to occur are no longer accompanied by data loss and falling into the wrong hands.

The question arises: can such a seemingly ideal protection system harm the rightful owner of the iPhone? Activation blocking, unfortunately, was instantly learned by attackers and is often used for extortion and blackmail.

Operating principle

If Find My iPhone is enabled on one of your Apple devices and is running a 7th generation or later operating system, all data, including activation information, is moved to Apple servers and stored there until Find My iPhone is turned off. disabled by the device owner. In fact, the device is completely tied to one single ID. Only the true owner of the device will be able to activate it after flashing the firmware and fully control all the data stored on it and in the digital cloud. No keys are stored, so even Apple employees will not be able to access the data, which indicates the maximum security of this technology.

iPhone Activation Lock Check

Why might this be needed? First of all, this is important for those who give/sell their gadget to a third party, and, naturally, for those who buy the device, as they say, second-hand. When enabled, this function can cause a lot of problems for both the old owner of the device and the new one. Therefore, it is worth making sure that your iPhone activation lock is turned on. You can check this on the iCloud website by entering the gadget or IMEI number.

You can also check the lock status by trying to turn on the gadget. At a certain stage, the locked phone will ask you to enter the password for the Apple ID (which was previously activated on this smartphone).

Blocking how to remove protection?

The bottom line is that Activation Lock is directly related to the Find My iPhone feature, so you need to disable it. To do this you need:

• Go to device settings.
• Find and select the iCloud sub-item.
• Scroll down and select the "Find iPhone" submenu.
• Switch the toggle switch to the off position.

That's all, in a few simple steps you can unlink your device from your account. If necessary, this procedure can be done remotely using the iCloud.com website. To do this you need:

• Go to iCloud.com.
• Select "Find iPhone".
• Find the required gadget in the list of devices and remove it from the list.
• Enter your account information to confirm.

System pitfalls

Oddly enough, such an advanced protection mechanism can backfire on the end user, both through his own fault and because of scammers. First things first.

It is important to understand that unsuccessful attempts to sign in to your account may trigger security mechanisms in your iPhone. Activation lock will not keep you waiting, regardless of whether you forgot your password or someone else entered it incorrectly. Apple will restrict access to the device until the password is reset.

The second problem with scammers is a little more complicated. Novice ransomware, under various pretexts, forces careless users to enter the Apple ID data offered by the attacker on their smartphone, after which they immediately switch it to theft mode and ask the user to transfer a certain amount of money if he wants to use the device again. Naturally, there is no need to pay anyone, since there are at least two options for solving the problem.

Bypassing protection through hacking (Jailbreak)

If it so happens that access to an iPhone 4 with iOS 7 installed on it was stolen, then you can use the JB iOS utility, which will allow you to regain access to the device, albeit in a limited form. The phone will stop working with the SIM card and, in fact, will be something similar to This approach does not work with other models, such as the iPhone 5. Activation lock will not be removed in this case.

Regaining access to your device with the help of Apple technical support

The most effective, honest and legal way to get your gadget back is to call Apple support. You can contact the Russian support service (you can order a call on the official website), but they need proof that the device was officially purchased. In addition, you need a sales receipt. If there is none, you need to contact the store where the gadget was purchased (the receipt must be stored in the database for up to 4 years).

If you don’t have a receipt, you can try your luck and contact the American support service. They can be “reached” by calling Skype 1-800-MY-IPHONE. To confirm the fact that you are the owner of the device, you will need to provide IMEI, serial number, answer security questions (very important), and know what purchases were made in the AppStore and iTunes Store. In most cases, US specialists accommodate inexperienced users and restore access to the device within half an hour. Russian technical support, alas, cannot boast of such loyalty.

Instead of a conclusion

Regardless of the advanced security mechanisms of the gadget, you should always think twice before making any suspicious manipulations, and first of all rely on yourself, and not on the computer.

Current prices for Apple equipment force many to look towards the secondary market when buying an iPhone or iPad. There you can buy the desired gadget at a better price, but you should exercise maximum caution so as not to fall into the hands of scammers who can sell “bricks” to gullible buyers.

About Activation Lock

You probably know about the Activation Lock feature that appeared in iOS 7 (if not, then you better find out about it now, and not after purchasing a locked iOS device). Its essence is that when you enable the “Find iPhone/iPad” function, the device is linked to the owner’s ID. If your gadget is lost or stolen, you will need to enter your Apple ID password to start using it.

This is where the fun begins. Cases where dishonest sellers sell locked iPhones and iPads happen all the time. You buy a smartphone or tablet under the guise of a working one, and when you turn it on, you find a lock screen and a request to enter your Apple ID password, which neither you nor the seller, of course, know. This is a dead end. There is no way to bypass iCloud blocking. No way. At all.

How to check

Fortunately, you can protect yourself when purchasing an iPhone or iPad from someone else. And you don’t need to be a genius to do this.

1. Find out from the seller the IMEI or serial number of the iOS device (a refusal should be a reason for you to think about its integrity).
2. Go to Apple's website and open the Activation Lock verification page.
3. Enter the captcha and click the “Continue” button.

After this, the service will issue a response, and if it turns out that the device is still tied to an Apple ID, under no circumstances buy it until the seller removes the activation lock. You already know how to check this.

Well, the logic is generally clear, like on an iPhone without a password, and so it’s clear that fmi off or you can reset it, like to reduce the turnover of “unclear” handsets with passwords (because according to the Cupertino people, everything with a password is lost/stolen ). Those. Now, when buying such a phone, in order to find out the fmi status, a person must flash it through dfu, and the owner’s information will no longer be reflected on the flashed phone (if the owner indicates it via iCloud when he loses the phone). Why is this being done? Let's just say that craftsmen do not use the data to their advantage.
They didn’t take into account only one point: people who want to buy a phone, calling in advance, ask to send them imei, so that they don’t just go around looking at the phone if it suddenly turns out that fmi is turned on on it.
Well, by the way, there are enough third-party services where you can check the phone status, warranty, etc. for free.

@hofc, Another masterpiece of “brain rupture”, every sentence is simply not translatable into Russian and contradicts logic. I think no one here understood what you wrote, including yourself))) WHAT IS YOUR LOGIC???
In order, you write:
“like on an iPhone without a password and it’s clear that fmi is off”
– what is the connection between the lack of a password and fmi??? You can have a password and not have an fmi and, conversely, have an fmi and not have a password.
(let me explain, “fmi” is “find my iphone”)

Let's go further:
"Those. Now, when buying such a phone, a person must flash it through dfu in order to find out the fmi status.”
What does "now" mean? Now after resetting via dfu? Or has the person already bought with the dfu reset? Why then “flash through dfu” again?
And why bother flashing anything on a purchased phone without a password? Or did he buy it password protected? Why not just try to sign up for iCloud from your phone and if that doesn’t work, then the phone is already linked. Or call the service, as you write below….

And so there is a gap and turbidity in every sentence. How do people understand you?

@James404, those who need to understand. Don't be smart. You yourself wrote God knows what and you think that you understand the issue. I’ll explain for those on the armored train (namely you):
1. The page with the fmi check (find my iphone) was closed not because iPhones are “hacked” through it, what was written is utter nonsense, because nothing can be hacked through the page.
2. The video you cited as an example, this “news” is at least 3-4 years old, I’ve been using the programmer since 2013.
3. The page for checking fmi does not provide any benefit to “hackers”, because the new serial number is generated by the application for the programmer, and on the page you could stupidly see whether the new serial number is already locked or not.
Well, why O_o closed the page and what changes from this???
Serials have been generated and continue to be generated, and you can check the new serial number in a thousand and one other places. Damn problem...
This news was picked up on the website, and you were shocked because you thought that America had been discovered. Those who are in the know laugh at what is written here...
If you are interested, study this issue better, not by watching videos on YouTube, but in practice, so that you can really understand what we are talking about. If you really want to know, contact me in a personal message (I don’t know how to do this here, but nevertheless, you can probably figure it out somehow) and I will explain to you in detail the situation and the nuances of all these matters, and what they write here is a kindergarten and comments are the same...

Not long ago, it was possible to check the activation lock status of an iPhone or iPad by knowing the mobile device. This opportunity was provided by Apple's web service, which has currently ceased operation.

However, the described method is far from the only one. You can check the activation lock status on an iPhone or iPad in other ways, namely:

• look into the settings of your mobile device;
• via iCloud;
• through the Find iPhone app.

Checking Activation Lock status via iCloud, Find My iPhone

This method is good because you can check the activation lock status not only from a mobile device, but also remotely, from any computer with Internet access.

So, open your browser, go to icloud.com, enter the Apple ID of the device you are checking and its password. Then on the page that opens, find the “Find iPhone” icon and launch the web application.

Expand the All Devices menu. If you find the mobile device you are checking in the drop-down list, it means that the “Find iPhone” function is activated on it, and along with it, activation lock.

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