Device Action: Disable Activation Lock

The Disable Activation Lock action removes the Activation Lock from a supervised device using bypass codes stored in SimpleMDM. Activation Lock prevents anyone from setting up or using a device without the original owner's Apple Account credentials. Disabling it allows the device to be set up and used without those credentials — useful when redeploying or repurposing devices.

Apple documentation for Activation Lock can be found here:

• Apple Platform Deployment Guide - Activation Lock

Supported platforms

• iOS / iPadOS: Requires iOS 7.1 or later. Device must be supervised.
• macOS: Requires macOS 10.15 or later on a Mac with a T2 chip or Apple Silicon. Device must be supervised.

This action is not available for tvOS, visionOS, or devices enrolled via User Enrollment.

Prerequisites

The "Disable Activation Lock" option only appears if SimpleMDM has bypass codes available for the device. SimpleMDM obtains bypass codes automatically during device enrollment — no manual configuration is needed. If bypass codes are not available, the option will not be shown.

How to disable Activation Lock

1. In SimpleMDM, navigate to the device's Device Details page.
2. Click the "Actions" menu.
3. Select "Disable Activation Lock".
4. Confirm the action when prompted.

SimpleMDM will contact Apple's servers to remove the Activation Lock. Once successful, the device can be set up without the previous owner's Apple Account credentials.

For a deleted device:

1. In SimpleMDM, from the Devices page, click the Groups dropdown.
2. Select "Deleted Devices".
3. Enter the serial number to find the device and click it.
4. Click the "Actions" menu.
5. Select "Disable Activation Lock".
6. Confirm the action when prompted.

How it works

Unlike most device actions, disabling Activation Lock does not send a command to the device itself. Instead, SimpleMDM uses the device's bypass codes to request that Apple remove the lock from their servers. This means the device does not need to be online — the lock is removed server-side. It does rely on Apple's servers to have acknowledged the Activation Lock and have a code stored for that device.

Activation Lock and Wipe

The Wipe device action also includes an option to disable Activation Lock as part of the erase process. When enabled on the Wipe screen, SimpleMDM disables Activation Lock before sending the erase command. This prevents the device from being locked to the previous user's Apple Account after the wipe.

The standalone Disable Activation Lock action is useful when you need to remove the lock without erasing the device — for example, before unenrolling a device or when preparing to transfer it to a new user.

Notes