What Is Activation Lock?

Activation Lock is Apple's anti-theft system, built into Find My iPhone. When Find My is enabled, the device is permanently tied to your Apple ID — and that link survives factory resets, software restores and SIM changes. Without your Apple ID and password, no one else can fully activate or use the device. Google has its own version for Android called Factory Reset Protection (FRP).

These systems exist for a good reason. They've made phone theft significantly less attractive over the past decade. But they also mean that if you forget to sign out before selling, the buyer (us included) can't actually do anything with the device until you remove it from your account.

How to check if Activation Lock is on

On an iPhone you still have access to:

• Open Settings and tap your name at the top
• Scroll down to Find My
• If Find My iPhone is on, Activation Lock is enabled

On a Samsung or Android device, Google FRP is enabled the moment you sign in to a Google account on the phone. There's no separate switch — it's tied to your account.

How to remove Activation Lock before selling

iPhone — sign out cleanly

• Settings → Your Name → Sign Out (this clears Find My and Activation Lock from this device)
• Enter your Apple ID password to confirm
• Then optionally Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings

Samsung / Android — remove the Google account

• Settings → Accounts → Google — remove every Google account on the device
• Settings → Accounts → Samsung Account — sign out if applicable
• Then factory reset via Settings → General Management → Reset → Factory Data Reset

Important — factory resetting without removing the Google account first does not clear FRP. The phone will boot, ask for the previous Google account on first setup, and refuse to proceed without it.

What if you can't sign out — broken screen, forgotten password?

Bring the device in and we'll have an honest conversation about it. Two scenarios:

• You own the device and can prove it — original purchase receipt, original box with matching IMEI, ability to sign in remotely via iCloud.com or Google account recovery. In this case Activation Lock can usually be cleared with us guiding you through the process.
• You can't sign in or prove ownership — the device can only be valued for parts, with the lock still active. The offer drops significantly because no buyer can use it as a working phone.

Phones reported lost or stolen

MDM and corporate locks

Some ex-corporate iPhones have Mobile Device Management (MDM) profiles installed by an employer. These behave like Activation Lock — they survive resets and require the original organisation to remove. If the device shows a 'Remote Management' screen on setup, it's MDM-locked. We can value these for parts; full-value resale needs the MDM cleared first.

Network locks are a different thing

Don't confuse Activation Lock with network lock. A network-locked phone (EE, O2, Vodafone, Three) only works on that network's SIMs — but it's still a fully functional, sellable device. UK carriers are required to unlock free of charge on request. See our locked phones page for the detail.

Do AirPods use Activation Lock?

AirPods, AirPods Pro and AirPods Max can remain associated with the previous owner's Apple Account through Find My, but this should not be described as identical in every respect to iPhone or Apple Watch Activation Lock. The practical issue is the same — the next owner can't add them cleanly to their Apple Account until the association is removed — but the terminology and the removal flow are different. Resetting the hardware is not necessarily the same as removing the account association. See remove AirPods from your Apple Account before selling and our commercial Sell AirPods page.

Quick recap before you visit

• Sign out of iCloud / Google before bringing the phone in
• Have your Apple ID or Google password to hand in case anything needs verifying
• Bring proof of ownership if the device is older or was bought second-hand
• Don't factory reset before signing out — it doesn't help, and on Android it makes things worse

Can a Google or Apple account lock be removed?

Google Factory Reset Protection and Apple Activation Lock are designed to prevent an erased, lost or stolen device from being reused without the owner's permission. They are not impossible to remove — but removal must be owner-authorised and routed through official channels.

The legitimate owner may be able to remove the protection by:

• Signing in with the account previously associated with the device
• Removing the account correctly before performing a factory reset
• Removing the device through the relevant official online account service (iCloud.com, Google account, Samsung account, etc.)
• Contacting Apple, Google or the device manufacturer and providing acceptable proof of purchase where an official support process is available

Our position on account-lock bypass services

PhonesForCash does not provide or recommend unauthorised account-lock bypass services. We can guide the verified owner through the official account-removal steps, but:

• The customer must enter their own passwords and verification codes
• Staff will not request, record or retain account passwords
• We do not use third-party bypass tools
• We cannot defeat or circumvent Apple Activation Lock, Google Factory Reset Protection or another manufacturer's ownership protections
• Factory resetting a device does not necessarily remove its account lock
• Identification and proof of ownership may be requested
• The device cannot normally be purchased until the relevant account association has been removed
• Lost, stolen or suspicious devices will not be purchased

Need help with a locked device?

Send a quick WhatsApp describing the situation — Apple Account or Activation Lock, FRP-protected Android, MDM, or just unsure. We'll explain honestly what owner-authorised steps are available before you travel in.

Common questions