Your iPhone has been reset and the screen now says “iPhone Locked To Owner” asking for the Apple ID credentials that were used during setup. But what if you don’t have those login credentials? This can occur if you’ve purchased a used device or forgot your own Apple ID or password. Fortunately, you can use your computer to bypass the “iPhone Locked To Owner” screen and unlock your device. In this guide, we will walk you through how to easily unlock an iPhone locked to its owner with a computer.
What does it mean when iPhone says iPhone Locked to Owner?
When your iPhone says “iPhone Locked to Owner” after a factory reset, it means the device is still linked to the previous owner’s Apple ID. Without the correct credentials, you won’t be able to access, set up, or use the device. This message occurs because Find My iPhone was not turned off prior to the factory reset, activating the Activation Lock. This is an Apple security feature designed to prevent unauthorized access to a lost or stolen iPhone.
Why you need a computer to unlock your iPhone
Ideally, if you’ve forgotten your Apple ID or password, you could recover it through Apple’s official account recovery process. If the device is still linked to someone else’s Apple ID, the logical solution would be to contact them and request their help in unlocking the phone. You can also reach out to Apple Support for help. But what if none of these options works? Whether you’ve lost the necessary information to recover your own Apple ID, can’t get in touch with the previous owner, or Apple Support is unable to assist, you may find yourself completely stuck.
At this point, your phone may feel like a brick—a piece of hardware with no function, completely locked out of your reach. Without the Apple ID credentials required to unlock it, the phone is essentially unusable, even if it’s perfectly functional in other aspects.
Fortunately, there is a solution: using a computer to unlock your iPhone. When all else fails, resorting to a computer-based solution becomes the next viable option. In the next sections, we’ll walk you through how to unlock an iPhone locked to a previous owner with a computer.
How to unlock iPhone Locked to Owner with computer
iSumsoft iLock Refixer is a powerful yet easy-to-use tool that allows you to easily unlock an iPhone locked to a previous owner using your computer. It works by jailbreaking the device and bypassing the activation lock. This makes it an effective solution for users who are locked out of their devices due to forgotten Apple ID credentials or second-hand purchases.
Step 1: Download and install iSumsoft iLock Refixer on your computer, then launch the app.
Step 2: Connect your iPhone, which says iPhone Locked to Owner, to the computer using a USB cable.
Step 3: From the main interface of iSumsoft iLock Refixer, choose the Bypass ID option.
Step 4: Click Start to allow the software to detect your iPhone and prepare the necessary files to remove the activation lock.
Step 5: When prompted, follow the instructions on the software screen to boot your iPhone into DFU mode.
Step 6: Once your iPhone is in DFU mode, the software will automatically begin jailbreaking it.
Step 7: When prompted, boot your iPhone into DFU mode again to continue with the process.
Step 8: Once your iPhone enters DFU mode again, the software will immediately jailbreak it again.
Step 9: Once the jailbreak process is finished, the software will automatically start bypassing the activation lock on your iPhone.
Step 10: When the software shows a success message, the activation lock is removed, and your iPhone is unlocked. Once your iPhone turns on, it will no longer show the iPhone Locked to Owner message. Instead, it will take you directly to the home screen without requiring an Apple ID for setup.
Please note: This method has some limitations. If you set a device passcode on your iPhone or factory reset it, it will be locked to the previous owner again and you will have to unlock it again using a computer.
How to unlock iPhone Locked to Owner without computer [Free]
Is there a free way to unlock an iPhone that’s locked to its owner without using a computer? While the options mentioned earlier—such as resetting the Apple ID password, contacting the previous owner, or reaching out to Apple Support—are common, there is another potential solution: using the device passcode. Here is how to do it:
Step 1: On the “iPhone Locked To Owner” screen, look for the option that says “Unlock with Passcode?” and tap it.
Step 2: In the pop-up menu, select the “Use Device Passcode” option.
Step 3: Enter the passcode that was previously used to unlock the iPhone. Once you do this, the “iPhone Locked to Owner” screen will be removed, and you’ll be able to complete the setup and access the iPhone.
Keep in mind that this method only works if the Apple ID linked to the iPhone has two-factor authentication enabled. If the option doesn’t appear, using a computer remains your best option to unlock the iPhone.
Conclusion:
Unlocking an iPhone that’s locked to its owner can be challenging, whether you’ve lost access to your own Apple ID or purchased a used iPhone still linked to the previous owner’s account. If you’re able to recover the Apple ID and password, or contact the previous owner, that’s great. However, if you’re lacking the necessary information, even Apple Support won’t be able to help you unlock the device. In such cases, using a computer becomes essential to regain access. Without a solution, your iPhone will be essentially unusable. By using a reliable tool like iSumsoft iLock Refixer on your computer, you can bypass the activation lock and unlock your iPhone with ease.
