Guides / What Activation Lock does

What Activation Lock does, and why to keep it on

Updated 3 November 2026 · By the FirstHour team

Short answerActivation Lock is part of Find My. It stops anyone else setting up and using your iPhone without your Apple Account password, even after it's been erased. It comes on by itself when you turn on Find My. To keep it on, keep Find My on, and don't remove a stolen iPhone from Find My.

What it does

When you set up Find My, Apple links your Apple Account to your iPhone. Each time an iPhone is set up or restored, it checks with Apple. If the lock is on, your Apple Account password is needed before anyone can:

How to check it's on

  1. Open Settings and tap your name.
  2. Tap Find My, then Find My iPhone.
  3. Make sure Find My iPhone is on.

There's no separate switch for Activation Lock. If your iPhone is managed by an employer or school, it can work differently, so ask them.

What it doesn't do

Why not to remove a stolen iPhone

Removing the iPhone from your Find My list removes Activation Lock, which makes it easier for a thief to erase and sell. This stays true after you've erased it. On the website, removing an offline iPhone takes the lock off immediately.

This is why thieves may send messages that pretend to be from Apple. Thieves may send messages that pretend to be from Apple, to trick you out of your password. Apple says it will never contact you to say your iPhone was found. Here's how that scam works.

When you do take it off

You remove it when you sell, give away or trade in your iPhone. If you forgot to do that and no longer have it, you can erase it at icloud.com/find, then choose Remove This Device. Only do this for a phone you've really passed on. Never do it for a stolen phone. All your content is erased, and someone else can then activate it.

Keep hold of your password

The lock works for you too. If you can't find your Apple Account or reset your password, you'll lose access to your account and might not be able to use your own iPhone after an erase. Apple suggests reviewing your account details from time to time. Here's how to check your password, and why it helps to set up a Recovery Contact.

If you're buying a used iPhone

On iOS 15 or later, a locked iPhone shows an "iPhone Locked to Owner" screen when you turn it on or wake it. If you see that, don't buy it. If setup asks for the previous owner's Apple Account, it's still linked to them. If a passcode screen or Home Screen appears, it hasn't been erased. Don't take it until it has been. It's ready to use when you see the Hello screen.

How FirstHour helps

Find My is one of the 16 guided tips in Plan B. FirstHour walks you through the setting, but only you can switch it on. FirstHour can't lock your iPhone or your Apple Account, and it doesn't replace Find My. Theft Lock, planned for later and not available yet, will lock only FirstHour.

Questions

Does erasing my iPhone remove Activation Lock?

Not when you erase it through Find My. Apple says the lock stays on, and your Apple Account password is needed to reactivate it.

Can a thief turn off Find My?

They'd need your Apple Account password. Never share it. Someone who has your iPhone and knows your passcode may be able to change that password on the iPhone, unless Stolen Device Protection stops them. With Stolen Device Protection on, Apple says Find My can't be turned off at all until that protection is switched off first.

Should I remove it from my account once I give up on it?

Don't remove it from Find My. If you have another trusted device, Apple says you can remove the stolen iPhone from your account's device list without removing it from Find My. If you've filed an AppleCare+ claim, leave it in both until the claim is fully approved.

Sources

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