How to check an iPhone for iCloud / Activation Lock before buying
Activation Lock can make a used iPhone unusable. Here's how to check for it properly before you hand over any money.
Activation Lock is Apple's anti-theft feature. When Find My is switched on, the iPhone is tied to the owner's Apple Account — and after an erase it will demand that Apple ID and password before it can be set up again. Buy an iPhone that's still locked to someone else and you've effectively bought a paperweight. This is the single most important thing to check on a used iPhone.
Apple retired its public checker
Apple shut down its online Activation Lock status page in 2017, so there is no official Apple website that tells you a device's Activation Lock status from a serial number. The reliable checks are done on the device itself.
The definitive test: erase and set up in front of the seller
The only way to be certain is to see the phone start up clean. Ask the seller to remove the device from their account, then watch it set up:
- 1
Have the seller sign out
Settings → [their name] → Sign Out. This removes the device from their Apple Account and turns off Find My.
- 2
Erase the iPhone
Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings.
- 3
Set it up and watch the Hello screen
Power through the setup. If you reach the home screen without being asked for a previous Apple ID, it's clean. If it shows “iPhone Locked to Owner” or asks for someone else's Apple ID, it is still Activation Locked — do not buy it.
Quick checks if you can't erase it yet
- Open Settings — there should be no owner name banner at the very top. If you see someone's name, they're still signed in.
- Check Settings → [name] → Find My → Find My iPhone. It should be off before a sale (turning it off requires the Apple ID password, so a seller who can switch it off controls the account).
- On the lock screen, the message “This iPhone is linked to an Apple Account” means Activation Lock is active.
Walk away if the seller won't sign out
A genuine owner can always sign out of iCloud and erase the device. Refusal, stalling, or “I'll send the password later” are classic signs of a stolen or still-financed phone.
Before you ever meet the seller, you can run the IMEI or serial through 96 Check App to see a Find My (FMI) status indicator as an early reference point. Treat it as a heads-up, not a guarantee — the erase-and-set-up test above is what actually proves the phone is clean. You'll also want to confirm the IMEI isn't blacklisted, which is a separate problem from Activation Lock.
Key takeaways
- There's no official Apple website that checks Activation Lock from a serial number anymore.
- The definitive test is to erase the phone and set it up in front of the seller.
- No owner-name banner + Find My off + a clean Hello screen = good to go.
- If the seller won't sign out, walk away.
Check a device in seconds
Turn an IMEI or serial number into a clean device report with 96 Check App.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I check Activation Lock with just the serial number?
- Not officially — Apple retired its public Activation Lock checker in 2017. A reference tool may surface a Find My status indicator, but the only reliable proof is to erase the device and confirm it sets up without asking for the previous owner's Apple ID.
- Is iCloud lock the same as Activation Lock?
- People use the terms interchangeably. “iCloud lock” is the common name for Activation Lock, the feature tied to Find My that requires the owner's Apple ID after an erase.
- What if the phone is already erased when I see it?
- Set it up. If it reaches the home screen without asking for a previous Apple ID, it's clean. If it asks for an Apple ID you don't have, it's still locked.
Related guides
96 Check App is an independent tool and is not affiliated with, authorised by, or endorsed by Apple Inc. These guides are for general information and are not a substitute for an in-person inspection.
