Best Ways to Remove Activation Lock without Previous Owner

If you find yourself locked out of your iPad or iPhone to its previous owner, you may experience a frustrating iCloud activation lock without access to the Apple ID and password associated with that device. So, How to remove activation lock without previous owner? Well, this post will provide you with 3 proven methods that allow you to bypass the activation lock and regain control of your iPhone, even without the previous owner's involvement.

Things That You Should Know About Activation Lock

If you're buying a used iPhone or iPad for the first time and struggling with the Activation Lock barrier, it's important to understand what it is and the basics of how iPhone and iPad are tethered to their original owners.

Activation Lock is a basic security measure that Apple carefully integrates into its devices. Essentially, it protects your phone and the data it contains in the unfortunate event of loss or theft. If someone tries to make unauthorized use of your device, Activation Lock comes into play immediately. If the user attempts to reset the device through the iTunes app, a prompt will appear asking for the previous owner's login credentials.

Is it possible to remove activation lock without previous owner? Essentially, the iPhone requires the original owner's account login as an authentication measure to ensure that only the rightful owner can access the content within the device. Failure to enter the correct iCloud login details will result in the iPhone being immobilized on the Activation Lock screen.

# 1. Remove Activation Lock without Previous Owner via DNS Bypass

In the event your iPhone is running an older version of iOS, diverging from the commonality of the latest updates, there exists a workaround for removing the Find My iPhone activation lock without relying on the previous owner. This way will guide you to make an iCloud DNS bypass, exploiting a quirk in your device's DNS settings to deceive your iPhone into perceiving it has undergone the unlocking process. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to remove the activation lock without Apple ID for free:

Step 1: Initiate the setup process for your iPhone, opting to configure it as a new device. Patiently proceed until you reach the WiFi settings page.

Step 2: On the WiFi settings screen, establish a connection to a WiFi network of your choice. Subsequently, tap the information ("i") icon adjacent to the network name.

Step 3: Navigate to the screen that ensues and tap the Configure DNS option > Select Manual positioned at the top of the screen > Proceed to input one of the following DNS values based on your region:

• North America: 104.154.51.7
• South America: 35.199.88.219
• Europe: 104.155.28.90
• Asia: 104.155.220.58
• Australia and Oceania: 35.189.47.23

With these tweaks, your iPhone should be able to seamlessly bypass the activation lock and grant you access without having to enter the previous owner's information.

# 2. Remove Activation Lock without Previous Owner Free via iCloud Web

Another way to free your iPad or iPhone from a previous owner is to use the iCloud website. Where direct contact with the previous owner is challenging but communication is possible, asking them to unlock your iPhone remotely via iCloud is a viable solution. Using the iCloud functionality inherent in the iPhone, you can do things remotely, such as wipe the device and unlink it from your primary account. To execute this, here is a full guide on how to remove activation lock without previous owner free:

Step 1: Open a web browser and navigate to the iCloud website > Log in using the iCloud account currently associated with your locked iPhone.

Step 2: Upon successful login, locate and click the Find iPhone option. This grants you the capability to execute remote actions on your device.

Step 3: On the subsequent screen, click All Devices and choose your specific iPhone from the list > Then, click Erase iPhone and follow it up with Remove from Account.

After the previous owner completes these steps, your iPhone will go through the necessary wiping and de-association to effectively remove the activation lock. You are then free to reset your device without encountering any obstacles.

# 3. Remove Activation Lock without Previous Owner for Free via Apple Support

Apple Support is the last resort when it comes to solving the challenge of unlocking an activation lock without the previous owner's involvement. While this route may not be the easiest, having the necessary documentation, especially proof of purchase from the previous owner, will allow the support team to help you unlock the activation lock from your device.

One possible way to do this is to provide proof of purchase to the Apple support team. By providing this documentation, Apple can verify the original ownership of the phone and subsequently help you unlock the device. In addition to Proof of Purchase, other documents, such as a personal ID, may be required for verification.

Bonus: How to Avoid Stuck and Backup iPhone/iPad Data

After carefully reading the information above, you now know how to remove the activation lock without the involvement of the previous owner. To avoid getting stuck with an activation lock in the future, it is prudent to disable the "Find My iPhone" feature. By deactivating this feature, your iPhone is transformed into a pristine device, freeing you from potential iOS limitations such as iCloud Activation Lock, Apple ID Lock, Screen Lock, or Screen Time Lock.

For those who have a clear recollection of their Apple ID password, the process to disable Find My iPhone unfolds seamlessly:

Step 1: Navigate to Settings and tap on your name situated at the screen's top.

Step 2: Choose the Find My option and select Find My iPhone at the screen's apex.

Step 3: Disable Find My iPhone by authenticating with your Apple ID password.

With this proactive measure, you not only learn how to deal with the challenge of activating locks, but you also strengthen your iPhone's defenses. In addition, you can make a regular backup of your iOS devices to avoid data loss. FoneTool is one of the best iOS data management app that provides an easy solution for creating selective backups of your iOS device directly on your PC.

Now it's easy to get FoneTool for Windows PCs and learn the process of backing up your iPhone without having to include your photos on your computer. Let's walk through the steps below:

Step 1: Launch FoneTool and establish a connection between your iOS and PC using a USB cable > Go to the Phone Backup section, select Full Backup, and click Get Started.

Step 2: Ensure the security of your private data by enabling backup encryption > Choose a desired storage location on your PC to save the backup > Then, click Start Backup to initiate the backup process.

The Bottom Line

That’s all about how to remove activation lock without previous owner. Experiencing an iPhone locked by a previous owner can be confusing, but don't worry. This article delves into a few of the available methods. Additionally, to prevent activation lock and data loss issues, please consider using FoneTool to make a full backup of your iOS devices to protect your important information.