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   What You Need to Know about Activation Lock

   Josh Centers

   With new iPhones on the market, it's prime shopping season for used
   iPhones as upgraders look to sell their older models. But as much as
   used iPhones can be a good deal (an iPhone 5 is still magic!), buying
   used can be stressful, due to working with a stranger, dealing with
   payment logistics, and worrying if the iPhone has any unseen problems.
   However, thanks to a new tool from Apple, you can at least make sure
   the iPhone isn't stolen.

   Back in iOS 7, Apple introduced [1]Activation Lock, which is enabled
   when you turn on Find My iPhone in Settings > iCloud. (It works
   similarly on the iPad and iPod touch, but I'll focus on the iPhone
   here.) When Activation Lock is enabled, it prevents:
     * Disabling Find My iPhone
     * Erasing the iPhone
     * Activating the iPhone on a cellular network

   The point of these features is to discourage theft, since once
   Activation Lock has been enabled, a stolen iPhone is worthless to a
   thief. Or at least it is as long as potential buyers know to check if
   Activation Lock has been turned on.

   There are two ways to disable Activation Lock, which you would need to
   do before sending it in for service or [2]selling it to someone who
   will need to reactivate on another account. You can turn off Find My
   iPhone in Settings > iCloud, or you can erase the device entirely with
   Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. In either
   case, you will be prompted to enter your iCloud password first ' that's
   the key fact that a thief won't know.

   Of course, if you know your iPhone was stolen, you can use Find My
   iPhone to put it into Lost Mode or even wipe it remotely to ensure that
   your data stays private. Activation Lock remains in place on a wiped
   iPhone to ensure that it can't be reactivated by the thief ' it's just
   an attractive paperweight at that point. (Should a stolen iPhone be
   returned, you can restore it from backup, entering your iCloud password
   when prompted to get past Activation Lock.)

   So, where does all this leave you, the prospective used iPhone buyer?
   As I mentioned above, Apple has introduced a [3]Check Activation Lock
   Status tool. To use it, you need [4]the IMEI or serial number from the
   device, which can be found in Settings > General > About. The IMEI or
   serial number can also be found on the rear panel of the device, if you
   have really good eyes or a magnifying glass.

   To check the status of Activation Lock on a device, enter the IMEI or
   serial number, then enter the CAPTCHA. I personally had problems trying
   to read the CAPTCHA, so it might take a few tries. Alternatively, you
   can click Vision Impaired to hear an audio CAPTCHA instead.

   [5][tn_Check-Activation-Lock-Status.jpg]

   The Web page then informs you whether Activation Lock is on or off.
   It's it's on, Apple provides links to additional resources about
   Activation Lock.

   [6][tn_Activation-Lock-check.jpg]

   To make the most out of Apple's Check Activation Lock Status tool, I
   recommend asking the seller to provide the serial number or IMEI before
   agreeing to the purchase. That way, you can make sure that you're not
   wasting your time, or potentially getting into an undesirable
   situation.

References

   1. http://support.apple.com/kb/ht5818
   2. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5661
   3. https://www.icloud.com/activationlock/
   4. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4061
   5. http://tidbits.com/resources/2014-10/Check-Activation-Lock-Status.png
   6. http://tidbits.com/resources/2014-10/Activation-Lock-check.png

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