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A few years ago, I got my grandmother an iPad. She used it for years until she passed. I just powered it on yesterday and it now "requires activation", which wo

A few years ago, I got my grandmother an iPad. She used it for years until she passed. I just powered it on yesterday and it now "requires activation", which won't complete via WiFi. All the data on it, e.g. pictures, is now inaccessible. It is, effectively, bricked. I'll sooner eat a pile of shit before I ever touch or recommend another Apple product again. Edit: To clarify, it was never locked or password protected before, and I would use it to look at pictures in the Photos app locally. I hadn't used it for several months.

phren0logy 6y ago
This is unfortunate, but isn't this a fundamental trade-off for some of the privacy protections iOS offers? Or am I misunderstanding the situation.
- forgotmypw17 6y ago
  It was never locked before, not even a four-digit screen lock. I have no idea why this happened and no recourse.
  - trevor-e 6y ago
    >and no recourse Just curious, the Apple Store was also unable to help you? Hope you are able to recover the data. :/
    - forgotmypw17 6y ago
      Thank you. This just happened, so I have not been to an Apple Store yet. There isn't one near me, and it is not easy to get to the far removed ones. It may be weeks or months before I can visit one.
      - rodgerd 6y ago
        This is just "I've tried nothing and I'm all out of ideas" territory.
        forgotmypw17 6y ago
        Actually, I have already tried trusting my Apple device to not backstab me and lock all my data. I've also tried reasoning with the device and unlocking it myself, which also did not work. I don't see how you can say I haven't tried anything. By the way, in case you missed it, this happened yesterday, I just happened to come across a thread which was relevant.
lyptt 6y ago
FYI you don’t need WiFi to activate. You can activate via iTunes / macOS if you plug it in.
- forgotmypw17 6y ago
  I don't have either of those. From previous experiences, it's my understanding that activation means resetting and erasing it.
  - spijdar 6y ago
    In this case it seems like it has already been reset, or performed some kind of major OS update, which seems unlikely. In lieu of itunes or mac, you could also take it to an apple store I believe.
    - forgotmypw17 6y ago
      It was just sitting around hooked up to a charger while I was away.
      - stock_toaster 6y ago
        Did it have auto-updates enabled? It might have just been doing what it had been told, and updated itself at some point.
        forgotmypw17 6y ago
        Not that I am aware of... Would an automatic update lock the device?
        comex 6y ago
        No.
  - gsich 6y ago
nemothekid 6y ago
"Apple won't let me to break into an iPad I don't own" isn't as bad as you are trying to make it seem. In other words, why are you surprised that you can't hack into an Apple device?
- forgotmypw17 6y ago
  Because it worked fine last time I used it, it was never locked. I do own it. It was bought outright by me. I later inherited it legally and rightfully.
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]
- moistbar 6y ago
  That's an interesting take on "this non-password-protected, non-LTE iPad that I do own abruptly stopped letting me look at data I was able to see recently."
  - forgotmypw17 6y ago
    It was on the cell network, but it was purchased outright, not under contract. It does sound like the other commenter's theory that the SIM has "gone bad" may be true, but I had no idea this could happen, and I don't see how that makes it any more valid.
    - moistbar 6y ago
      It doesn't make it valid at all. I can still access my Android phone without a SIM card, and in fact I used one on nothing but Wifi as my "landline" for quite a while. The only thing that should break when you remove or damage a SIM card is your ability to connect to a cell network.
    - google234123 6y ago
      Have you removed the sim?
Shivetya 6y ago
Okay. I just had to recover my father's iPad account; he's alive but lets just say aggravating at times getting him to do what he is told to do. Since he bricked his iPad I had to submit a recovery through iCloud and that invokes a twenty four hour delay before it sends recovery information to his listed authentication device; as in his telephone. So that comes in which directs you to apple.com/recover or such and when you put the id in you have the option to get a 2FA code back to the phone which we did. I then simply put my phone number into the account so all future recoveries would be simpler. Apple will allow for more than one authentication method, use it for ANY gift you give to an elderly parent or such. Frankly the best option you have is to get yourself on their email account recovery page as well. Its just common sense in this era of identity theft that you do your due diligence so you can protect those you care for. If your iPad is asking for a passcode and you don't know it you are lost unless it was backed up which brings up the second point. When giving gifts like these out make sure to help the recipient learn how to back it up to a computer or have them let you back it up to yours when they visit.
- forgotmypw17 6y ago
  Thank you for your help. It has never been passcode-protected, and it does sound similar to the issue you experienced. I'll try getting in touch with Apple to see if they can help. I've quite a bit of experience with consumer tech, but I did not anticipate this kind of issue happening. I don't think it's right that the iPad can just lock itself and require Apple's intervention to make usable and access the data stored. I will definitely never consider any Apple device as a gift to anyone ever again. I chose Apple for the same reason another commenter suggested, to reduce problems with support calls. But this eclipses all the times put together I would've had to help her with another device.
Angostura 6y ago
Sounds like it was an iPad with a SIM snd somehow the carrier SIM has gone bad. Pop a new SIM in and reactivate?
- chipotle_coyote 6y ago
  Yes, that's got to be a carrier thing. iPads do not "require activation," and many iPads are wifi-only. I'm not saying this isn't a problem, but I am extremely skeptical it is a problem caused by Big Bad Evil Apple doing Big Bad Evil things.
  - forgotmypw17 6y ago
    How do you figure this problem is not caused by Apple, when I bought the iPad outright from Apple and only used the carrier for monthly-paid network access?
    - deleted 6y ago
      [deleted]
    - chipotle_coyote 6y ago
      Because iPads don't require activation, and carrier services do require activation. The "Activation Required" message is specifically related to cellular networking. This could be (and I suspect very likely is) a problem with your iPad's SIM that you could check by powering off the iPad, removing the SIM and turning it back on again. It could be that there's some kind of corruption that you might need to fix by connecting it up to iTunes or even bringing to the dreaded Genius Bar. It could conceivably be some weird bug in iOS that has somehow sprung up and turned your iPad into a flat flowerpot. All of these things suck! But what it is not is Apple forcing you to "authorize" your iPad in order to let it boot up.
      - forgotmypw17 6y ago
        I don't think it makes sense that cellular activation, which has not been active for several years now, would lock down the entire device, refusing me access to my own data, not to mention being able to use the device over local WiFi network. Do you disagree? (I am nowhere near a "Genius Bar".)
skim1420 6y ago
I'm sorry to hear of your loss. It seems you took good care of things like this for her.
heavyset_go 6y ago
I left an iPad on a shelf for more than a year. During that time, Apple must have done migrations with iCloud and Apple accounts, and completely deleted the account the iPad was signed in under. I couldn't unlock the iPad, and I even tried re-registering a new account using the same email address and password that I had originally used. Didn't work at all, and it's still a paperweight. I'm just lucky in that I didn't have any important data like pictures, passwords or 2FA apps on it. Sorry for your loss.
musicale 6y ago
This sounds like it could be a bug. I ran into something similar on a device that auto-updated, but it was just confusing wording. If the device never had a passcode/fingerprint/face id before you certainly don't need one to unlock it even if it has auto-updated. It looks like the device auto-updated, so you should be able to complete the activation. Now if you are talking about accessing iCloud, then you may need the iCloud password. Apple should be able to help you fix the issue if you can't fix it yourself.

phren0logy 6y ago

This is unfortunate, but isn't this a fundamental trade-off for some of the privacy protections iOS offers? Or am I misunderstanding the situation.

forgotmypw17 6y ago
It was never locked before, not even a four-digit screen lock. I have no idea why this happened and no recourse.
- trevor-e 6y ago
  >and no recourse Just curious, the Apple Store was also unable to help you? Hope you are able to recover the data. :/
  - forgotmypw17 6y ago
    Thank you. This just happened, so I have not been to an Apple Store yet. There isn't one near me, and it is not easy to get to the far removed ones. It may be weeks or months before I can visit one.
    - rodgerd 6y ago
      This is just "I've tried nothing and I'm all out of ideas" territory.
      - forgotmypw17 6y ago
        Actually, I have already tried trusting my Apple device to not backstab me and lock all my data. I've also tried reasoning with the device and unlocking it myself, which also did not work. I don't see how you can say I haven't tried anything. By the way, in case you missed it, this happened yesterday, I just happened to come across a thread which was relevant.

lyptt 6y ago

FYI you don’t need WiFi to activate. You can activate via iTunes / macOS if you plug it in.

forgotmypw17 6y ago
I don't have either of those. From previous experiences, it's my understanding that activation means resetting and erasing it.
- spijdar 6y ago
  In this case it seems like it has already been reset, or performed some kind of major OS update, which seems unlikely. In lieu of itunes or mac, you could also take it to an apple store I believe.
  - forgotmypw17 6y ago
    It was just sitting around hooked up to a charger while I was away.
    - stock_toaster 6y ago
      Did it have auto-updates enabled? It might have just been doing what it had been told, and updated itself at some point.
      - forgotmypw17 6y ago
        Not that I am aware of... Would an automatic update lock the device?
        comex 6y ago
        No.
- gsich 6y ago

nemothekid 6y ago

"Apple won't let me to break into an iPad I don't own" isn't as bad as you are trying to make it seem. In other words, why are you surprised that you can't hack into an Apple device?

forgotmypw17 6y ago
Because it worked fine last time I used it, it was never locked. I do own it. It was bought outright by me. I later inherited it legally and rightfully.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
moistbar 6y ago
That's an interesting take on "this non-password-protected, non-LTE iPad that I do own abruptly stopped letting me look at data I was able to see recently."
- forgotmypw17 6y ago
  It was on the cell network, but it was purchased outright, not under contract. It does sound like the other commenter's theory that the SIM has "gone bad" may be true, but I had no idea this could happen, and I don't see how that makes it any more valid.
  - moistbar 6y ago
    It doesn't make it valid at all. I can still access my Android phone without a SIM card, and in fact I used one on nothing but Wifi as my "landline" for quite a while. The only thing that should break when you remove or damage a SIM card is your ability to connect to a cell network.
  - google234123 6y ago
    Have you removed the sim?

Shivetya 6y ago

Okay. I just had to recover my father's iPad account; he's alive but lets just say aggravating at times getting him to do what he is told to do. Since he bricked his iPad I had to submit a recovery through iCloud and that invokes a twenty four hour delay before it sends recovery information to his listed authentication device; as in his telephone. So that comes in which directs you to apple.com/recover or such and when you put the id in you have the option to get a 2FA code back to the phone which we did. I then simply put my phone number into the account so all future recoveries would be simpler. Apple will allow for more than one authentication method, use it for ANY gift you give to an elderly parent or such. Frankly the best option you have is to get yourself on their email account recovery page as well. Its just common sense in this era of identity theft that you do your due diligence so you can protect those you care for. If your iPad is asking for a passcode and you don't know it you are lost unless it was backed up which brings up the second point. When giving gifts like these out make sure to help the recipient learn how to back it up to a computer or have them let you back it up to yours when they visit.

forgotmypw17 6y ago
Thank you for your help. It has never been passcode-protected, and it does sound similar to the issue you experienced. I'll try getting in touch with Apple to see if they can help. I've quite a bit of experience with consumer tech, but I did not anticipate this kind of issue happening. I don't think it's right that the iPad can just lock itself and require Apple's intervention to make usable and access the data stored. I will definitely never consider any Apple device as a gift to anyone ever again. I chose Apple for the same reason another commenter suggested, to reduce problems with support calls. But this eclipses all the times put together I would've had to help her with another device.

Angostura 6y ago

Sounds like it was an iPad with a SIM snd somehow the carrier SIM has gone bad. Pop a new SIM in and reactivate?

chipotle_coyote 6y ago
Yes, that's got to be a carrier thing. iPads do not "require activation," and many iPads are wifi-only. I'm not saying this isn't a problem, but I am extremely skeptical it is a problem caused by Big Bad Evil Apple doing Big Bad Evil things.
- forgotmypw17 6y ago
  How do you figure this problem is not caused by Apple, when I bought the iPad outright from Apple and only used the carrier for monthly-paid network access?
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]
  - chipotle_coyote 6y ago
    Because iPads don't require activation, and carrier services do require activation. The "Activation Required" message is specifically related to cellular networking. This could be (and I suspect very likely is) a problem with your iPad's SIM that you could check by powering off the iPad, removing the SIM and turning it back on again. It could be that there's some kind of corruption that you might need to fix by connecting it up to iTunes or even bringing to the dreaded Genius Bar. It could conceivably be some weird bug in iOS that has somehow sprung up and turned your iPad into a flat flowerpot. All of these things suck! But what it is not is Apple forcing you to "authorize" your iPad in order to let it boot up.
    - forgotmypw17 6y ago
      I don't think it makes sense that cellular activation, which has not been active for several years now, would lock down the entire device, refusing me access to my own data, not to mention being able to use the device over local WiFi network. Do you disagree? (I am nowhere near a "Genius Bar".)

skim1420 6y ago

I'm sorry to hear of your loss. It seems you took good care of things like this for her.

heavyset_go 6y ago

I left an iPad on a shelf for more than a year. During that time, Apple must have done migrations with iCloud and Apple accounts, and completely deleted the account the iPad was signed in under. I couldn't unlock the iPad, and I even tried re-registering a new account using the same email address and password that I had originally used. Didn't work at all, and it's still a paperweight. I'm just lucky in that I didn't have any important data like pictures, passwords or 2FA apps on it. Sorry for your loss.

musicale 6y ago

This sounds like it could be a bug. I ran into something similar on a device that auto-updated, but it was just confusing wording. If the device never had a passcode/fingerprint/face id before you certainly don't need one to unlock it even if it has auto-updated. It looks like the device auto-updated, so you should be able to complete the activation. Now if you are talking about accessing iCloud, then you may need the iCloud password. Apple should be able to help you fix the issue if you can't fix it yourself.