Apple likes to project an image of its products being dead simple. That’s true in many circumstances, but in others, the company can be plagued by feature creep. It’s easy to understand why – Apple needsiPhones,iPads, andMacsto stay competitive, which means meeting the demands of customers, not to mention keeping up with technological advancements. The result is a growing list of features and options that can overwhelm new users.
Some features even go unexplained, unless perhaps you ask Siri or search the web for more details. A prime example is Activation Lock – it’s mentioned during setup on Apple devices, but often never referenced again until it becomes a problem. Here’s what you need to know about how it works.
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1Activation Lock is a deeply embedded anti-theft system
Assume you should leave it on
The purpose ofActivation Lockis to block other people from using your device without permission, whether they stole it or simply found it. It’s enabled automatically when youset up Find My. The feature links device details with your Apple Account, and checks that via Apple servers every time a device is activated or recovered.
The feature links device details with your Apple Account, and checks every time a device is activated or recovered.
In fact, it does a lot more than block general usage – it stops people from turning off Find My tracking, or even erasing a device. It remains active if you perform a remote wipe via Find My (more on that later), so that’s probably the first thing you should do if your device goes missing. The hassle of restoring aniCloud backupis preferable to someone guessing (or brute-forcing) your login and gaining access to personal data.
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2The option is available on most Apple products
Sorry, Apple TV owners
Activation Lock is available on most Apple products that support Find My. Devices specifically include:
Conspicuously absent on this list are HomePods and Apple TVs, even though they regularly contact Apple servers. You also won’t find any Beats or AirPods headphones – while some can be linked to Find My, they have no way of going online themselves, and it would be irritating if you had to authenticate your Apple Account just to pair earbuds.
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3You need to remove Activation Lock before you transfer a device
Save everyone a massive headache
If you’re looking to sell an Apple device, or give it away, there’s no choice but todisableActivation Lock first. That applies even if you’re sending a device to Apple for repairs. If you don’t, the other party will inevitably have to ask you for assistance – and if they don’t realize that, they may decide to ship it back to you and/or ask for a refund.
Always ask about Activation Lock when buying used goods, preferably before handing over any cash.
The good news is that you’re able to disable Activation Lock remotely if you forget to do it in person. Simply go toiCloud.com/find, sign in to your Apple Account, then clickRemove This Devicefor the product you’re concerned with. Even if the device is offline, the removal will kick in the moment it reconnects.
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4Activation Lock disappears when you erase your device
A potentially time-saving piece of info
Another handy thing to know is that if you’re erasing your own Apple device in person, Activation Lock is automatically disabled. That makes sense – the process disables Find My at the same time. On an iPhone or iPad, you’re able to start a local wipe by going toSettings > General > Transfer or Reset [Device] > Erase All Content and Settings.
Note that this doesn’t apply if you use the Find My app (or iCloud.com) to perform a remote wipe or mark a device as lost. Activation Lock will remain active, partly to offer a chance of recovery if you were too quick to pull the trigger. It’s also another form of theft deterrence, since someone could conceivably try to blackmail you. Remotely erased devices continue to appear in Find My tracking.
