My Apple Account got locked for no reason and now I can't use my devices properly, HELP!!!!

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Level 1

5 points

My Apple Account got locked for no reason and now I can't use my devices properly, HELP!!!!

Hey y'all, so I had been using my family member's Apple Account for many years now, and I decided about 3 days ago that why not make a new account for myself? I created my account, and everything was fine until the day after that, when I kept getting this pop-up message saying I needed to verify my apple account and sign in again. When I put in my password, it gave me an error message saying "Verification Failed An unknown error occurred". Now, I can't use iMessage on my iPad, I can't download apps on any of my devices connected with the new account I made, nor use my Apple Account for literally anything.

Now I had spoken to Apple Support yesterday about this issue, and was told my Apple Account had been "disabled", and I needed to raise a request to re-enable it online. I was given a link to a website to submit a request, and I had to wait 24 hours for an email with a status update. This morning I checked it, and guess what? The request got denied. I spoke to Apple Support again, and they told me my account is locked, they can't see why it got locked, nor why it got denied for security reasons, with the possible reasons for it getting denied being some sketchy stuff like "evidence of sending spam", "fraudulent or illegal activity", etc. Then they said that the only fix is to make a new account. Now, I didn't exactly want to drop this account, and talked to several Apple tech support people over the phone and through messages, with all of them giving me the same answer, and I reluctantly just gave in and went to settings to make a new account.

Now, I find out that my devices have "Activation Lock" on it, where I need to confirm my password and sign out of the locked account, but since the account is already locked it won't let me sign out, and the account is just stuck on all of my devices. I talk to Apple Support again, and now I have to raise ANOTHER request to take off the lock that takes a minimum of 7 days, and when reading further, requesting to remove the lock erases ALL of my data on ALL of my devices.

Now I have zero clue how to approach this, and the only thing that comes to mind is to copy all of my data onto a hard drive or something and then factory wiping my devices so I won't need to wait a week (disabling activation lock just seems to give me the same result as wiping my devices, so in my eyes, why even wait?), but I'm just seriously so over this and don't want to buy an entire hard drive just because whatever idiot at Apple that was handling the requests thought I was using my account for some sketchy stuff, and locked my account for seemingly no reason at all. Now my question is, what should I do now?

Posted on Dec 18, 2025 6:18 PM

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Answer 1

Limnos

Level 10

427,181 points

Dec 19, 2025 2:45 AM in response to ep_505

Try to recover what data you can but with a locked device that may not be possible. You are in the same position a thief would be in if they had a stolen device, and you wouldn't want a thief to be able to recover your data. Erasing the device will not remove an Activation Lock. To do that you either need to be able to sign in with the account that is being requested (and not working) or request that Apple reset the hardware using that account. Apple can completely reset a device if a person can provide sufficient evidence of valid ownership. Read the requirements and steps for an Activation Lock support request at: https://al-support.apple.com/#/additional-support and links at the bottom right for the type of service requested. Apple says they may require "proof of purchase documentation” and that you need “proof of ownership documentation”, but does not detail what currently constitutes proof other than it “must include the product serial number, IMEI or MEID.” User reports on this community indicate that typically Apple will ONLY accept an original receipt issued by Apple or an Apple Authorized Reseller. Presumably this is the only kind Apple can authenticate against fraud since Apple is not involved in third party sales. Apple recommends that you "Keep your receipt after you buy an Apple device" --> Keep your receipt after you buy an Apple device - Apple Support

If Apple resets the device this will give you access to the device but won't restore access to the account used to lock it. There is nothing that can be done to expedite an Activation Lock request.

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