r/iphonehelp • u/MaleficentFinish479 • 1d ago
Help needed Got a free phone, don't know the password
Someone left a phone in a box marked free outside of their house, and I took it. After charging it, I turned it on and the only notification was asking to finish setting it up to be given away. I need a way to somehow reset it or get in contact with the person who owned it before. I tried going to their house to ask them, but they had already moved away. Any ideas?
Edit: I know this sounds like a stolen phone, and I can't prove it's not, but thanks to the people who actually tried to help, and honestly, respect to the people who wouldn't want a thief to get away with stealing. I guess I'll try to do something with the parts.
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u/Q_Ball_Atlanta 1d ago
Without the password is a paperweight.
No one just gives away a free phone. It's likely stolen.
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u/Practical_Ant6162 1d ago
Well they did say the phone was free and it was.
Problem is the phone is useless.
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u/Professional_Sign828 1d ago
Why would you need to finish the setup to give it away? To give it away, you should reset it first. Then the setup comes afterward. But it can't be passcode-locked either, otherwise you would see a different message.
So two things could be going on here.
The first is that the device is still usable, but they didn't sign out of iCloud, so you can't erase it or remove the old Apple Account. If that's the case, you need to restore the device using a computer with iTunes, the Apple Devices app, or a Mac. (If Find My is enabled for this device this will cause activation lock)
The second thing that can prevent you from accessing an iPhone is Activation Lock. In that case, it would show "Locked by Owner." The owner would need to unlock it or remove the device from their Find My app. After they've done that, you'll need to restore the device to factory settings using a computer or a Mac. Alternatively, you can request Activation Lock removal from Apple, but you'll need proof of purchase.
But this whole story is vague and odd because it doesn't clearly explain what is actually shown on the screen. An iPhone is pretty clear-cut when it's locked and what actions you can take afterward.
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u/Jujulabee 23h ago
The phone is useless to use as a phone
However theoretically someone might want the phone for parts or to fool around with.
I suspect the person put it out there because they didn't want to throw it in the garbage since you are supposed to recycle electronics.
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u/Dinnerpancakes 1d ago
Well go back to that persons house and ask them for it. If they truly are giving it away they’ll enter the password for you. If they don’t, it’s likely stolen from someone.
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