iPhone Locked to Owner? How to Remove Activation Lock without Previous Owner?

If you have purchased an old or refurbished iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch from someone, chances are iPad/iPhone locked to owner due to the activation lock on it. This activation lock prevents users from using the phone until they can log in to the iCloud account. Some users ask: Does factory reset remove activation lock? The answer is No. Factory Reset won’t get rid of activation lock.

Then, is it possible to remove activation lock without previous owner? Yes, fortunately. There are a few ways, like DNS or activation lock removal tools, to get past an activation lock on your iOS device, even if you have no way to reach out to the previous owner to get the login information. Here, in this article, we will explain in detail how to remove activation lock without a previous owner. Just keep reading.

Bonus Tip: If you want to know how to remove activation lock on Apple Watch without previous owner, you can read How to Bypass Apple Watch Activation Lock >

What Is Activation Lock and Why iPhone Locked to Owner

If this is your first time buying an old iPhone/iPad and facing the activation lock issue, you may want to find out what it is and why iPhone/iPad locked to owner.

The activation lock on your device is actually a security feature that Apple built into its products. It basically protects your phone and your data when your phone gets stolen or lost. When someone gets your device and tries to use it, your phone will show the Activation Lock. If they attempt to reset it using the iTunes app, the app will ask for the previous owner’s login credentials.

If they cannot enter the iCloud login details, then the iPhone will be stuck on the Activation Lock screen. Essentially, the iPhone requires the account logins of the original owner to confirm that they are indeed the person who is trying to access the contents on the phone.

So, how to bypass iPhone locked to owner? Considering you cannot acquire the iCloud login information from the previous owner, in this post, we offer you 4 proven solutions on how to remove activation lock without previous owner.

How to Remove Activation Lock without Previous Owner If iPhone iPad Locked to Owner

Considering you can’t get in touch with the previous owner to get the Apple ID & password for iCloud, we strongly recommend a professional & effective method to remove activation lock without previous owner, that is, AnyUnlock – iPhone Password Unlocker.

As a powerful iOS unlocker, AnyUnlock can help you easily remove iCloud activation lock and bypass iPhone locked to owner even without Apple ID and password. Below are some of its key features.

• You only need to click buttons according to complete the iPad/iPhone activation lock removal. No technical difficulty. Even novices can operate.
• It only takes a few minutes to remove iCloud activation lock. No tedious and long waits.
• If you need to find the Apple ID email or check iCloud activation lock status and other equipment information, this tool is here to help you.
• As a complete iOS unlocking software, AnyUnlock also allows you to unlock iPhone screen passcode, bypass MDM, unlock Apple ID, and unlock other iPhone passwords, quickly & effectively.

Free install AnyUnlock – iPhone Password Unlocker on Mac or Windows computer and follow the steps below to learn how to remove activation lock without previous owner.

Steps for Windows Owners:

Step 1. Launch AnyUnlock – iPhone Password Unlocker on your computer > Click the Bypass iCloud Activation Lock on the main screen.

Step 2. Connect your iPhone to the computer with a USB cable > Check the device information and read the Terms of Use. Click the Start Now button to initiate the process.

Step 3. Now, please follow the Jailbreak Tutorial to jailbreak your device since there is no direct jailbreak tool for the Windows system in the market currently. If your device is jailbroken successfully, please go back to the software and click on the Next button to continue.

Step 4. Then, please confirm your device information and disconnect your device from Wi-Fi and turn off cellular data > Tap on the Bypass Now.

Step 5. Now, AnyUnlock is bypassing iCloud Activation Lock, and please wait for a moment.

Step 6. When the iCloud Activation Lock is bypassed successfully, you can see the page below.

Steps for Mac Owners:

Step 1. Free download AnyUnlock on your Mac > Connect your iPhone with Mac > Choose Bypass iCloud Activation Lock and Start Now to get started.

Step 2. Now, you need to click the Start Jailbreak button if your device hasn’t been jailbroken yet. (Read the “Terms of Use” carefully before using and confirm). Follow the on-screen steps to put your iPhone into DFU mode and then the program will start to jailbreak your iOS device.

Step 3. Once the device has been jailbroken, confirm your device information and tap on Bypass Now.

Step 4. Then, it will bypass the activation lock automatically. Do not disconnect your device until it restarts. Wait a minute and you will see bypassed successfully page.

Now, you can enter your iPhone again, using App Store and iTunes Store as you need.

Video Tutorial on iPhone/iPad Locked to Owner Bypass 2023

How to Remove Activation Lock without Previous Owner via DNS Bypass

How to remove Find My iPhone activation lock without previous owner? While most iPhones these days run the latest version of iOS, if yours particularly runs an older version of the operating system, then you can actually use a DNS method to bypass iPhone locked to owner free. This method uses a loophole in the WiFi DNS settings of your device and tricks your iPhone into thinking it has been unlocked.

The following shows how to remove activation lock without previous owner on your iOS device.

Step 1. Set up your iPhone as a new device and wait until you reach the WiFi settings page.

Step 2. When you are on the WiFi screen, connect to a WiFi network and then tap on the “i” icon next to your network name.

Step 3. On the screen that follows, tap on the Configure DNS option.

Step 4. Choose the Manual option at the top and then use one of the following DNS values.

• 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

Your phone should get unlocked.

How to Remove iPhone Locked to Owner via iCloud Web

Another way to remove iPad/iPhone locked to owner is via the iCloud website. If you cannot meet the previous owner but can get in touch with them somehow, you can actually ask them to remotely unlock your iPhone. Your iPhone comes with iCloud which allows you to remotely perform actions on your device. This includes erasing and removing your device from your main account.

All that the previous owner needs to do is to erase your iPhone and remove your iPhone from their account remotely. Once this has been done, the activation lock will be gone from your phone. You can then set up your device as a new phone without any issues.

The following shows how you can get this done when your iPhone/iPad locked to owner. You will need to give these steps to the previous owner.

Step 1. Launch a browser and head over to the iCloud website. Sign in to the iCloud account that is currently used on your locked iPhone.

Step 2. Once you are logged in, click on the option that says Find iPhone. This will let you remotely perform actions on your phone.

Step 3. Click on All Devices on the following screen and choose your iPhone.

Step 4. Click on Erase iPhone followed by Remove from Account.

How to Remove iPhone Locked to Owner via Apple Support

Apple support is the last way to solve how to remove activation lock without previous owner. This may not be an easy process, but if you have the required documents (for the people who got proof of the purchase from the previous owner), the team will be able to remove the activation lock from your device.

One of the ways to remove activation lock without previous owner is to present a proof of purchase to the Apple support team. When you give this document to Apple, they can verify the original owner of the phone and then can help you unlock the device. In addition to proof of purchase, they may ask for other documents as well like one of your identity cards.

If you bought the phone from your relative or someone who has passed away, then your other option to remove the lock is to present the proof of their death to Apple. Apple will then verify the details and might be able to unlock the phone for you.

In both cases, it is totally up to Apple to decide whether they are satisfied with your presented documents and if they would like to unlock the phone.

Bonus Tip. How to Avoid Stuck on the Activation Lock Screen

Now you may have known how to remove activation lock without previous owner after reading the above contents. And to avoid stuck on the activation lock screen again, you can disable Find My iPhone function. Upon disabling Find My iPhone, your iPhone will become a completely brand new device and you’ll never be restricted by any iOS locks such as iCloud Activation lock, Apple ID lock, Screen Lock, or Screen Time lock.

If you can recall the Apple ID password, you can try to turn off Find My iPhone in the Settings app:

1. Navigate to Settings and click on your name at the top of the screen.
2. Choose the Find My option and select Find My iPhone at the top.
3. Turn off Find My iPhone by entering the Apple ID password.

The Bottom Line

If iPhone locked to owner, how to remove activation lock without previous owner? In this article, we have talked about several easy ways to do that. And among these methods, AnyUnlock is the easiest and fastest way to bypass the activation lock. So we strongly recommend you try AnyUnlock for free first. And you can also avoid being stuck in the situation by turning off Find My iPhone, so as to remove activation lock completely. If you find this post useful, please leave us a comment and share it with other iOS users.