How to Remove Apple Device Lock After Theft Protection

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If you have a stolen device protection feature on your iPhone, it’s designed to make it hard for a thief to take over your phone, even if they know your passcode. It works by restricting access unless certain security steps are followed. Sometimes, this feature can be a hassle for you, especially if your biometrics like FaceID or TouchID stop working or if you forget them.

Here’s what you need to know if you find yourself in that situation and need to fix it. The only way to resolve the issue is by restoring your phone using Recovery Mode. Keep in mind, this process will erase all data on your device and reinstall the software, setting it back to its original factory state. However, Activation Lock will stay active to prevent unauthorized use unless you have your Apple ID credentials or a backup.

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to restoring your iPhone:

Turn off your iPhone.
Press and hold the side button and either volume button until the slider appears. Drag the slider to power off your device.

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Enter Recovery Mode.
Connect your iPhone to your computer using a cable. On a Mac, open Finder; on Windows, open iTunes.
Then, press and quickly release the volume up button, then press and quickly release the volume down button. Finally, press and hold the side button. Keep holding it until you see a screen showing a cable pointing to a computer, signaling that your device is in recovery mode.
Restore your iPhone.
On your Mac, select your device on the sidebar and click ‘Restore.’
On Windows with iTunes, find your device and click ‘Restore.’
This will download the necessary software and reset your device to factory settings.
Set up your iPhone again.
Once the restore is complete, your screen will show the “Hello” prompt. You can now set up your iPhone as new or restore from a backup if you have one. If you see prompts asking for FaceID or TouchID setup, choose “Set up later” since biometrics might be inactive.

Remember, after you finish restoring, the stolen device protection feature will be disabled. So, it’s crucial to set up your device with your account and security settings afterward.

This process can seem technical, but following these steps carefully will help you get your iPhone back to normal working condition. Just be sure your data is backed up regularly to avoid losing important information during these restorations.