How I beat Apple’s final boss: the Activation Lock
29-10-2026
Translation: Katherine Martin
Pictures: Anika Schulz
Most mystery stories revolve around murders and unexplained deaths. This one is about an iPhone 16 Pro that absolutely refuses to let go of its Apple ID.
In front of me, there’s a practically unused iPhone 16 Pro worth 1,300 euros. There’s not a single scratch on it, it’s in full working order and it’s Galaxus property. But the smartphone has two tiny issues. Not only is it linked to a former employee’s Apple ID, but the Find My security feature is turned on.
This is a pain because I now can’t reset the device and pass it on to any company newbies. To make matters worse, the e-mail address linked to the Apple ID no longer exists, and nobody can remember the password. Of course. Why did I expect things to go any differently?
So, I resolve to find a way to get rid of the Activation Lock. After all, it can’t be that complicated, can it? CAN IT?
Act 1: plenty of ideas, no solutions
First, I turn to crowd wisdom for help. I Google «Remove iPhone Activation Lock» and «Delete Apple ID without a password». Let’s face it, the internet’s bound to be full of people who can solve my problem. It doesn’t take long for reality to bite. Most of the advice falls somewhere between criminal activity and witchcraft. It’s all «Change the DNS settings of your internet connection, press the volume buttons a zillion times, do a somersault». And I don’t want to try any of it.
My colleague suggests asking an Apple reseller he uses. Surely they’ll know what to do – without the need for anything shady. Plus, the store is right around the corner from our Hamburg office. So, I grab my jacket and the stubborn smartphone, and set off feeling optimistic.
Act 2: the computer store breakthrough
Sure enough, this is where I find my first real clue. It turns out that Apple offers a specific solution for my exact problem. Hallelujah! On the Turn off Activation Lock support page, you upload the device’s IMEI and proof of purchase. You also have to include a short explanation of why the Activation Lock should be turned off. Apple says such requests take a few days to sort out. All without having to go to the Apple Store.
Don’t get me wrong, it makes sense that Apple’s security standards are high. Deleting other people’s Apple IDs from a device shouldn’t be that easy. Your data needs to be protected if your iPhone is lost or stolen. But this is a special case.
At this point, I’m glad the problem isn’t as serious as I’d feared and that there’s a solution within reach. Oh, how naive I was.
Act 3: three requests and a waiting game
Blissfully unaware of the ordeal I’m about to go through, I submit my request to Apple, attach the invoice for the phone and explain the situation. HQ in California spends three days reviewing it. And rejects it. Apparently, the information on the invoice I attached doesn’t match the information Apple has on file. Of course, that worm-infested fruit of a company won’t tell me what information it’s actually referring to.
Time for a new request. For this attempt, I attach screenshots taken on the phone that reveal the IMEI and IMEI 2. I suspect Apple had nothing to clearly link the invoice to this particular handset. Again, the company rejects the request, leaving me with major frown lines. What more do they want?
I spend my lunch break venting to my colleagues. One of them, who used to work at an IT company, advises me to just keep sending in requests. Maybe my third one will land in the inbox of a lenient Apple employee who’ll finally unlock the device for me. At the end of the day, Apple is a company made up of people. And Homo sapiens may respond to things differently, depending on how they’re feeling on a given day. As sceptical as I’ve become, I decide to take my chances one last time.
Et voilà. For some reason, after a short wait, Apple finally sends me that much-coveted e-mail. «Your request to remove the Activation Lock has been approved. This device can now be set up with a new Apple ID.» Full of excitement, I turn on the iPhone – only to be thwarted by my ex-colleague’s password once again.
W. T. F.
You mean I’ve gone through the official Activation Lock removal procedure three times, got the go-ahead after eight days – and it still doesn’t work?! Excuse the lacklustre pun, but talk about a bad apple…
Act 4: hotline to the rescue
Frustrated and ticked off, I turn to my last resort: a telephone call. Yep, you read that right. It’s time to dial up the Apple hotline. As old-school as it sounds, it turns out to be my saving grace. Once I’m done grumbling to the guy on the other end of the phone, he calmly explains what’s going on. Although Apple has disconnected the smartphone from the Apple ID on the server side, the connection still needs to be removed on the device itself. Oh yeah? Why did no one tell me that before?!
As well as the confirmation e-mail, I did receive a message saying I could reset the 16 Pro. However, it didn’t explain how to do it or why it was important. In fact, the e-mail was so cryptic, it read like it’d been translated from English to Klingon, then into German using the lousiest AI imaginable.
The hotline guy chuckles, then sends me a clearer set of instructions. I finally understand what needs to be done in order to free the iPhone 16 Pro from the clutches of the old ID. It’s going to involve connecting the iPhone to my MacBook Neo via USB-C, putting it into recovery mode using a keyboard shortcut, then resetting it manually.
That means the final boss is within reach.
Act 5: the Apple exorcism
Fittingly, the drama’s final act takes place during a Halloween party at the office. Surprise, surprise, I can’t solve the issue on the first attempt this time either. The device needs to be updated to the latest version of iOS, then my Neo has to download some software. Mind you, the fact that I’m wearing a Halloween-themed bat headband does take some of the seriousness out of the situation.
Around 8 p.m., it finally happens. This silly paperweight, which cost over 1,000 euros, suddenly displays that long-awaited, brand-new welcome screen.
«Hello.» «Hej.» «Bonjour.» «Ni hao.»
I stare at the iPhone in disbelief. After so much faffing around, the moment of resolution feels kind of unspectacular. There are no fireworks. No fanfare. Not even a little confetti emoji.
But hey, it’s not as if the 16 Pro knows how much torture it’s subjected me to. Since it’s been reset to factory settings, it’s lost its memory. Thankfully.
Have you had similarly silly experiences with the Activation Lock? Let me know in the comments!
Header image: Anika Schulz/Apple
Anika Schulz
Teamleader Editorial
Anika.Schulz@galaxus.deAs a child, I was socialised with Mario Kart on SNES before ending up in journalism after graduating from high school. As a team leader at Galaxus, I'm responsible for news. I'm also a trekkie and an engineer.
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