Can I check Activation Lock with just the IMEI?

Not through Apple. Apple used to have a public page for this but took it down in 2017. Some paid services read the status from records they have access to, which is useful when you can’t see the phone, but the surest test is still watching the seller erase it and setting it up yourself.

The seller says Find My is off. Is that enough?

It’s a good sign, but ask to see it. Open Settings, tap their name at the top, then Find My. Better still, ask them to erase the phone in front of you and check it starts up asking only for your own Apple ID.

What if the seller has already reset it before I arrive?

Turn it on and go through the setup screens while you’re with them. If it asks for an Apple ID and password that aren’t yours, it’s still locked. Hand it back unless they can sign in there and then.

Does a clean lost or stolen check mean there’s no Activation Lock?

No. They’re separate. A phone can be clear of any report and still be locked to the last owner’s Apple ID, or unlocked from the Apple ID but reported stolen. Check both.

Is a phone that’s “iCloud locked, good for parts” worth buying?

Only if you really want parts. A phone in that state can’t be set up for normal use unless the person whose Apple ID is on it removes it. Treat any offer to “bypass” the lock as a warning sign.

Do I need a SIM card to check the phone?

It helps. Putting your own SIM in tells you whether the phone is tied to one network, and setting it up needs a mobile or Wi-Fi connection. If you don’t have a SIM with you, the seller’s Wi-Fi or your phone’s hotspot will do for the setup test.

Guide

How to check a second-hand iPhone for Activation Lock before you buy

Free checks you can do in person, what to ask the seller, and when a paid check is worth it.

7 minute read Facts checked 11 October 2026

A second-hand iPhone can look perfect, switch on and still be useless to you. If the last owner’s Apple ID is still on it, the phone will ask for their password after it’s reset, and there’s nothing you can type in to get past that screen.

The good news is that you can find out before any money changes hands. Most of the checks below are free and take a few minutes with the phone in your hand.

Why it matters

Apple’s Activation Lock is part of Find My. While it’s on, the phone is tied to one person’s Apple ID. Erase the phone and start again, and it will still stop at a screen asking for that person’s email and password.

That protects owners whose phones are lost or stolen, which is a good thing. It also catches people who buy a phone from someone who simply forgot to sign out. Only the Apple ID owner, or Apple with proof of purchase, can release it.

If you’re already looking at a screen that says the phone is locked, our guide to what “iPhone Locked to Owner” means explains what you can do next.

Is there an official online check?

No. Apple used to run a public web page where anyone could type in a serial number or IMEI and see whether Activation Lock was on. It was taken down in 2017 and nothing official has replaced it.

The “iCloud check” and “FMI check” sites you’ll find today are run by third parties. Some are useful, some are out of date, and a few exist only to collect IMEI numbers. Whichever you use, treat the result as a guide rather than proof. With the phone in front of you, your own eyes are more reliable.

Free checks you can do in person

Ask the seller to unlock the phone and let you hold it. Then work through these. Menu names can differ slightly between iOS versions, but they’re all under Settings.

See who is signed in

Open Settings. If a name appears at the very top, someone is signed in with their Apple ID. That’s normal before a sale, as long as they sign out before you leave.
Check Find My

Tap the name at the top, then Find My, then Find My iPhone. If it says On, Activation Lock is on too. Ask the seller to turn it off. They’ll need their Apple ID password to do it.
Match the IMEI

Go to Settings, General, About and scroll to IMEI. It should match the number on the box or the receipt if the seller has them. A mismatch is worth asking about.
Look for network restrictions

In the same About screen, look for Carrier Lock. “No SIM restrictions” means it will take any network’s SIM. Better still, put your own SIM in and see if it gets a signal.
Check it isn’t marked as lost

Lock the screen and look at it. A phone in Lost Mode shows a message from the owner, often with a phone number to call. If you see one, don’t buy it.

A quick checklist to take with you

Check	What you want to see
Settings, top of the screen	Nobody signed in, once the seller has finished
Find My iPhone	Off
IMEI in Settings	Matches the box or receipt
Your own SIM card	A signal, no “SIM not supported” message
After erasing	Setup asks for your Apple ID, or none at all

The test that settles it

Everything above is a good sign. This is the part that proves it. Ask the seller to erase the phone while you watch.

On the seller’s side: Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, then Erase All Content and Settings.
If Find My is still on, the phone will ask for their Apple ID password before it erases. Entering it is what removes the lock. If they can’t, stop there.
When it restarts, you’ll see the Hello screen. Go through setup yourself, connecting to Wi-Fi or using your SIM.
If it reaches a screen asking for an Apple ID that isn’t yours, the phone is still locked. If it lets you carry on and set it up as new, it’s clear.

Why this works

Activation Lock is checked with Apple when the phone is set up. If setup goes through without asking for someone else’s details, the lock isn’t there. No website can give you a better answer than that.

Buying online or at a distance

You can’t do the reset test with a phone that’s being posted to you, so protect yourself in other ways.

Ask for the IMEI before you pay, and a screenshot of the About screen showing it.
Ask the seller to confirm in writing, in the marketplace’s own messages, that they’ve signed out of their Apple ID and turned off Find My.
Pay in a way that lets you get your money back: a card, PayPal Goods and Services, or the marketplace’s own checkout. Avoid bank transfers to people you don’t know.
When the phone arrives, set it up straight away. If it asks for someone else’s Apple ID, contact the seller the same day and open a claim if they don’t help.

If you can meet, do it somewhere public with Wi-Fi, such as a café, so you have time and a connection for the setup test.

Warning signs

Walk away if you hear or see any of these

“I’ve forgotten my Apple ID password, but it works fine.”
The phone is already on the setup screen asking for an Apple ID, and the seller can’t sign in.
They won’t let you open Settings, or keep the phone in their hand the whole time.
“iCloud locked, can be bypassed” or “just needs unlocking”.
A price far below what the same model usually sells for.
A message on the lock screen asking the finder to call someone.

Offers to “bypass” Activation Lock are usually scams or temporary tricks. Our guide to Activation Lock removal explains what genuine help looks like and what to avoid.

When a paid check is worth it

If you can do the reset test, you don’t need to pay anyone to tell you about Activation Lock. A paid check earns its keep in other situations:

You’re buying from a distance and can’t see the phone set up.
You want to know whether it has been reported lost or stolen. That’s a separate list from Activation Lock, and an unlocked phone can still be on it.
You want to confirm which network it’s tied to before you pay.

Our phone check costs $9.99 and covers all three from the IMEI. It reads records held by outside services, so no result is perfect, and if you can watch the phone being reset, that test is still the one to trust.

Not sure where to find the IMEI? Here’s how to find it, including on a locked phone.

Already bought it?

If the phone you bought is asking for someone else’s Apple ID, don’t panic. In most cases the seller simply forgot to sign out and can fix it from their own phone or computer. Our guide for a used iPhone still linked to an Apple ID takes you through it, starting with the free options. You can also read more on our page for people locked out of their iPhone.