Preparing Your Device for Sale or Repair
Apple’s “Find My” network is arguably the most robust anti-theft and device-tracking system in the world. When enabled, it locks your iPhone to your specific Apple ID via a feature called Activation Lock. This ensures that if your phone is ever lost or stolen, a thief cannot simply wipe the device and sell it, as it will remain permanently locked and unusable without your password.
However, there are two specific scenarios where you must intentionally disable this security feature:
- Selling or Trading In: If you are giving the phone to a friend or selling it, you must turn off Find My to remove the Activation Lock so the new owner can actually use the device.
- Sending for Repair: If you take your iPhone to an Apple Store or mail it in for a battery replacement or screen repair, Apple technicians require Find My to be disabled so they can run diagnostic software on the hardware.
Disabling the feature is simple, but it does require you to know your Apple ID password.
How to Turn Off Find My iPhone from the Device Settings
If you currently have the physical iPhone in your hands and the screen is working, this is the quickest and easiest method.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap your Name and Apple ID profile picture at the very top of the screen.
- Look down the list and tap on Find My.
- Tap on Find My iPhone at the top of the next screen.
- You will see a green toggle switch next to “Find My iPhone”. Tap it to turn it Off.
- A prompt will slide up from the bottom of the screen asking for your Apple ID password. This is a security measure to prevent a thief from turning the feature off if they manage to unlock your phone.
- Type your password and tap Turn Off in the top right corner.
You may also be prompted to enter your device passcode if you have “Stolen Device Protection” enabled. Once the toggle turns grey, the Activation Lock is removed, and the device can be safely wiped or repaired.
How to Turn Off Find My iPhone Remotely (If the Phone is Lost or Broken)
If your iPhone’s screen is completely shattered and unresponsive, or if you have already mailed the phone to a buyer and forgot to turn the feature off beforehand, you cannot use the method above. Fortunately, Apple allows you to remotely remove the device from your account using a web browser on any computer.
Warning: Do not use this method if your phone was stolen. Removing the device from your account will remove the Activation Lock, allowing the thief to factory reset the phone and use it.
- Open a web browser on your computer (or another smartphone) and navigate to iCloud.com/find.
- Sign in using the exact same Apple ID email and password that is logged into the iPhone.
- At the top of the screen, click on All Devices to reveal a drop-down list of your Apple hardware.
- Select the specific iPhone you want to remove from the list.
- A small panel will appear on the screen with options to Play Sound, Lost Mode, or Erase iPhone. Do not click Erase.
- Look for the option that says Remove from Account and click it. (Note: If the phone is currently online and connected to the internet, this option might not appear. The device must be powered off or disconnected from Wi-Fi and cellular data for the “Remove” option to become visible).
- A confirmation box will appear warning you that the Activation Lock will be removed. Click Remove to confirm.
The iPhone is now completely disconnected from your Apple ID and is ready for the new owner or the repair technician.
