Buyers of second-hand iPhones, iPads and iPods can now check the Activation Lock status of their device via iCloud to find out whether it's been wiped clean by the seller.
Apple recently released a tool that lets anyone check the Activation Lock status of iOS devices. Introduced along iOS 7, Activation Lock is a security feature that prevents anyone from erasing or activating your iOS device without entering your Apple ID and password first. The feature must be disabled before a device is passed or sold to another person. Failure to do so renders the device unusable for the new owner.
With the release of this new tool, Apple wants to make the process of checking for Activation Lock easier, and prevent people from buying a device that might have been locked because it was lost, stolen or simply because the previous owner forgot remove the device from his account.
Visit iCloud.com/ActivationLock (www.icloud.com/activationlock/) and enter the IMEI or serial number of the iDevice to check its status. (Those details are available in Settings >> General >> About)
If the lock is On, you will need the current user's Apple ID and password to activate and use the gadget. "Don't take ownership of any used iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch until it's been erased and removed from the previous owner's account," Apple warned on its website. For those who do end up with a locked device, Apple urged buyers to contact the previous owner and ask them to remove their account - assuming you know the previous owner, that is.
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