A common problem that many people face when they pick up an old iPhone is the message “iPhone locked to owner.” This problem stops users from using the phone unless they sign into their own iCloud account. This problem can be very difficult if you forget your Apple ID/password.
Are you also facing this problem on your iPhone? Then good news for you! Today, we will see if it is possible to unlock an iPhone that is locked to the owner or not.
So now, without taking more time, let’s find out how to solve the issue of iPhone locked to owner forgot Apple ID.
Can You Unlock iPhone Locked to Owner If You Forgot Apple ID?
“iPhone Locked to Owner” may show up on screens of devices using iOS 15 or newer versions if the activation lock is turned on.
Apple’s “Find My” service has this activation lock feature. It is meant to stop people from using the iPhone or iPad without permission. At first glance, this seems very helpful because it can keep the device’s information and data safe.
However, this error can lock out genuine users from using their iPhones if they forget about their Apple ID or password.
If you see this error on your screen, then answer is Yes! You can unlock iPhone locked to owner if you forgot Apple ID.
What Are Your Options if Your iPhone Is Locked to Owner and the Apple ID Is Forgotten?
The internet is full of different methods that claim to solve the problem of iPhone locked to owner forgot Apple ID. However, we will only look at proven and easy to follow methods that can help you unlock your iPhone device and start using it normally.
You should try each one of these methods to figure out the right solution for unlocking your Apple device:
Method 1. Try to Find Your Apple ID
Can’t remember your Apple ID no matter how hard you try? Then stop giving yourself a hard time and just follow these easy steps to find your Apple ID:
Check your Mac
If you have a Mac device running macOS Ventura or later, follow these steps:
- Access System Settings by clicking on the Apple Menu.
- Click on your name and open the Sign-In & Security options.
- You can see the Apple ID (email address) and phone numbers of your account.
If your Mac device runs on an older version of MacOS, follow these steps:
- Open Apple Menu and click on System Preferences.
- Open the System Preferences and then click on Apple ID.
- You can see the Apple ID on your account.
Check your Windows PC
If you have a Windows PC, follow these steps to find your Apple ID:
- Open the iCloud application on your PC/laptop.
- You can see the Apple ID (email address) under your name.
Use Your Browser
You can also use the browser of your mobile, Windows computer, or Mac to find your ID:
- Visit appleid.apple.com or iCloud.com on your browser.
- Check if the Apple ID automatically prefills on the sign-in page.
Ask A Family Member
If all the above methods don’t work, you should check if your account is part of the family sharing group. If the answer is yes, ask a family member to look into their Family Sharing settings to find your Apple ID.
Check Emails
Apple ID is also usually included in the emails sent by Apple. So, another useful method to find your Apple ID is to search for support, billing, or repair emails from Apple.
With all of these methods, you can easily find your Apple ID and successfully access your locked iPhone.
Method 2. Reset Apple ID Password
Do you already know about the Apple ID but have forgotten the password? There is nothing to fret about, as you can successfully reset your Apple ID password via the Apple Support app or through the web.
Follow these steps to reset your password using the Apple Support app:
- Borrow an Apple device from a family member, friend, or someone you can trust.
- Locate and open the Apple Support on the device.
- Click on Support Tools > Reset Password.
- As you are using a borrowed Apple device and want to reset your account’s password, click on “A different Apple ID.”
- Enter your Apple ID.
- Click “Next” and proceed with the instructions to finalise the process.
Method 3. Unlock with iPhone Passcode
If you can’t find your Apple ID / password or don’t want to go through a long process, you can also unlock your iPhone with a passcode! A lot of people find this method more convenient as it is time-saving, quick, & easy.
Follow these steps to solve the iPhone locked to owner forgot Apple ID error using your passcode:
- At the Activation Lock screen, click on “Unlock with Passcode.”
- Enter the 4/6-digit passcode on your iPhone.
- The removal of the “iPhone Locked To Owner” lock will be successful.
- Hurray!
Method 4. Unlock via DNS Bypass
You can also unlock your iPhone and get rid of the “iPhone locked to owner” error by changing the DNS settings. One thing to remember is this method only works on old iOS versions. But if any of the above mentioned methods don’t work, it wouldn’t hurt to give it a try!
Follow these steps to change the DNS settings and unlock your iPhone:
1. On the “iPhone Locked to Owner” screen, swipe up to set up your phone.
2. Continue until you reach the Wi-Fi settings. Tap the “i” symbol next to your Wi-Fi network.
3. Swipe down and choose Configure DNS.
4. Select Manual and tap on Add Server.
5. Use these IP addresses based on your location:
- Europe – 104.155.28.90
- Asia – 104.155.220.58
- USA – 104.154.51.7
- Australia – 35.189.47.23
- South America – 35.199.88.219
- Others – 78.100.17.60
6. Click on Save and then navigate back to WiFi Settings.
7. Click on Done.
If you have a device running on an older iOS version, you can easily get rid of iPhone locked to owner forgot Apple ID error.
Method 5. Using iCloud Unlock Tool
Some other methods, such as DNS bypassing and resetting Apple ID & Password, can be time-consuming. Not to mention that the success rate of these methods is also not that high!
So, if you want a definite solution to unlock the Activation lock on your iPhone, the answer is iToolab UnlockGo iCloud Unlock Tool! By using the UnlockGo iCloud Unlock tool, you can unlock your iPhone with a 99% success rate!
UnlockGo iCloud Unlock Tool can help you solve these problems:
- iPhone Locked to Owner/Activation Lock
- iPhone is disabled/unavailable
- Remove Apple ID without password
- Reset Screen Time passcode without data loss
And much more.
Now, let’s look at how to use UnlockGo to remove the activation lock and solve the problem of iPhone locked to owner forgot Apple ID easily:
Step 1. To get started, download and install the UnlockGo through the official website. Open the program after it’s installed.
Step 2. On the home screen of UnlockGo, choose the “Unlock iCloud Activation Lock” and click on Start. Now, attach your iPhone to the computer via USB.
Step 3. The UnlockGo tool will automatically start to download the firmware package. Wait for a short while for the process to finish up.
Step 4. When the firmware is downloaded successfully, select the “Remove now” button. This will automatically put the iPhone into recovery mode.
After that, put your device into DFU mode. The screen will remain blank which is a sign that you have successfully put the iPhone into DFU mode.
Step 5. The UnlockGo tool will start the jailbreak process once the iPhone has been put into DFU mode successfully. On average, it can take 20 minutes to complete the process.
Step 6. After the jailbreak process is complete, put the iPhone into DFU mode again. Once this is done, UnlockGo will start the activation lock removal process.
Method 6. Contact Apple Support
Last but not least, you can also contact Apple support and submit a request to unlock your Apple device. Here’s a list of things to remember before you continue:
- Any data on the device will be erased.
- You must be the owner of iPhone.
- The iPhone shouldn’t be in lost mode.
If you understand and accept these terms, follow these steps to contact Apple support for the removal of the activation lock:
- Visit al-support.apple.com/#/additional-support to request additional support from Apple.
- Agree to the “Terms & Privacy Policy” and press Continue.
- Enter your email & IMEI number/Serial Number/MEID.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to continue.
Conclusion
We have listed a total of 6 methods to bypass the activation lock & solve the iPhone locked to owner forgot Apple ID problem for good! These methods include finding your Apple ID, resetting your password, DNS bypass, using an Apple passcode, contacting Apple Support, & using the UnlockGo tool!
Out of all these, we highly recommend you to use the UnlockGo tool to remove the activation lock on your iPhone completely. This method offers a 99% success rate while being time-efficient and easy to follow.
