The verified solutions in this guide will explain how to bypass the iCloud lock on iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max smartphones.
The methods in this guide will work without the previous owners’ help, or without knowing the Apple ID password for the device.
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Key takeaways
There are a few ways that you can bypass the iCloud Activation Lock on an iPhone 13, such as:
- Reset the Apple ID password
If you know the Apple ID email account, and have access to the mailbox, you can recover the password and turn off the lock. - Ask the previous owner
Get the previous owner to remotely switch off Find My on your device and remove the iCloud lock for free. - Use DNS server
A DNS bypass can allow you to skip past the iPhone Locked to Owner message and use your phone without removing the lock. - Use an unlocking service
if you don’t know the previous owner’s Apple ID password the recommended method is to use a reputable unlocking service. - Hack the lock with a tool
Another option when you are unaware of the last device owner’s credentials is to use a computer to download and hack the lock using a third-party unlocking tool.
These options are described in more detail in this rest of this guide.
Bypassing Activation Lock on a pre-owned iPhone 13
If you bought or inherited a second-hand iPhone, then you need to talk to the previous owner and ask them to remove the iCloud Activation Lock.
This can be done in person, or remotely.
If they have forgotten to do this before selling the smartphone to you this request shouldn’t cause a problem. It would only be an issue if they have sold you stolen goods, and don’t know the Apple account details to unlock it.
Assuming the phone is not stolen, you don’t need to worry about returning the locked device for them to unlock. The Activation Lock can be removed remotely without them having the device in their possession.
To do so, they simply do the following:
- Go to the following website address: appleid.apple.com.
- When prompted, Sign in.
Apple ID website - Once logged in, click Devices.
Apple ID device list page - Then click on the iPhone you want to remove.
- Finally, click the Remove from account button.
Removing the device from your iCloud account
Turn off the lock on your own device
If the iCloud Activation Lock prevents you from using your own iPhone 13, the official Apple solution is to unlock it using your Apple ID and password to turn off Find My.
If you can’t remember your Apple account details, you can use iForgot to reset them. Follow the on-screen instructions and you will be able to reset your account immediately.
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In addition, if you forgot your Apple ID, you can find it by trying the following:
- On another Apple product you own, go to iCloud or Media and purchases and you will see your Apple ID.
- If you own an Apple Mac look at System preferences. > Apple ID.
- On Apple TV, go to Settings > Apple ID
- On the iForgot Apple ID recovery page, click If you have forgotten your Apple ID, you can look it up. Provide your name and email address and your Apple ID will be displayed.
To find out more, see How to reset your Apple ID or password.
Free iCloud unlocking
Bypassing the Activation Lock on iPhone 13 for free is possible if you know the Apple ID and password to allow you to turn of Find My.
If you don’t know the Apple credentials of the previous owner, then the best free method is to use a DNS bypass:
- Power up your iPhone.
- Go through the iPhone setup process until you see the Choose WiFi Network screen.
- Click the small i next to your WiFi network.
- Tap Configure DNS.
- Then, tap Manual.
- Next, tap Add Server and type in the IP address that is nearest to you from the list below:
- USA: 104.154.51.7
- South America: 35.199.88.219
- Europe: 104.155.28.90
- Asia: 104.155.220.58
- Australia and Oceania: 35.189.47.23
- Other continents: 78.100.17.60
- At the top of the screen, tap Back.
- Tap your Wi-Fi network.
- Enter your Wi-Fi password and click Join.
- The phone will try to activate and go to a new screen. Don’t let it, hit the Back button repeatedly to return to the WiFi page.
- You will be logged in to the DNS server and you will see the iCloud bypass screen showing iCloudDNSBypass.net.
There are also a number of tools, services, and websites that claim to be able to remove Activation Lock for free. To find out about them, see Tools that unlock iCloud Activation lock for free.
Remove the iCloud Lock yourself
If you can’t get in touch with the previous owner, or they are unable to unlock the phone you can bypass the Activation Lock yourself using an activation lock bypass tool or service.
However, you need to be careful and use a reputable company to avoid being scammed.
You see, there are many companies online that claim to be able to help you bypass Activation Lock. Yet, my testing has shown that most iCloud unlocking hacks don’t work.
Scams to be wary of:
- Downloadable software tools.
- Hackers and hacks.
- Online tools that claim to ‘interface‘ with Apple.
- PDF downloads with unlocking instructions.
Pros and cons
- Once completed, you can use your iPhone normally.
- All functions and features work.
- The fix is permanent – you only ever need to do it once.
- It’s easy – no special technical skills are required.
- There are loads of scammers to avoid.
- It is not free, so you are charged an unlocking fee.
- It can take anything from 24 hours to a few days to complete.
Having said that, there are a couple of techniques we can recommend you try:
- Use a reputable iCloud Activation Lock removal service that offers a decent refund policy – just in case.
- Get a trial version of a iCloud unlocking software tool to try, and if it looks suitable buy a license to complete the bypass.
These are covered in more detail below.
Use a lock removal service
In a recent review, I tested a range of tools to find the best online iCloud bypass service that can remove the Activation Lock. I concluded the best service was provided by DirectUnlocks.
To find out more, including step-by-step instructions, see our DirectUnlock review or read on for a brief usage guide:
- On the DirectUnlocks website, provide your device’s IMEI number.
- After your iPhone’s details have been checked and verified, you can click Unlock iCloud!
- To proceed, provide an email address and agree to the terms and conditions.
- Select your preferred payment method, then pay the fee.
- After 24-hours or so you will get an email confirming the unlock has been completed
Unlock iCloud using a software tool
There are also many tools that claim to hack the Activation Lock. They vary in quality from good to unbelievably dangerous.
If you pick a bad tool you can break your iPhone 13 completely and infect your computer with viruses.
In our tests, we found iBypasser the best software tool. It works by connecting your Apple smartphone to your computer and running an unlock process.
Some of the things that made iBypasser the best tool included:
- Free trial.
- 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Easy to install and use.
- Excellent support.
- Regularly updates.
- Many positive customer reviews.
To bypass iCloud Activation Lock using a tool, do the following:
- Download iBypasser app, and install and launch it.
- Click Bypass iCloud Activation Lock Screen.
- On the Bypass iCloud Activation Lock Screen, click Start.
- Connect your locked iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or Apple Watch device to the computer using a Lightning to USB Cable. For more information, see connect iPhone and your computer with a cable.
- To jailbreak your device ready for unlocking, follow the on-screen prompts.
- To jailbreak a Mac computer:
- iBypasser will automatically download the Mac compatible jailbreak package for your iOS device. You don’t need to install an Apple driver.
- To begin the process, click Start Jailbreak.
- Follow the on-screen instructions, and click Next.
- The tool will jailbreak your device.
- To jailbreak a Windows computer:
- There is no automatic method to jailbreak iOS devices on Windows computers. Instead, follow this tutorial.
- Once completed, click Finished Jailbreak.
- To jailbreak a Mac computer:
- The iOS devices details appear on the computer. Confirm they are correct, then click Start Bypass.
- The iBypasser bypass tool will remove the current iCloud account and activation screen. It only takes take a few seconds to bypass Activation Lock.
- Once you have removed iCloud Activation Lock, you can use a new Apple ID account, iCloud password, erase iPhone, do a factory reset, or set up any iPhone feature you want.
Read our review of iBypasser to find out more and download a free trial.
Turn off Find My to disable Activation lock
The Apple ID is the core element of the security system protecting your iPhone from unauthorized use. When it is linked to your iCloud account using your Apple ID it is almost impossible to remove.
Now Activation Lock is used in many Apple products, including the iPhone 13.
When you activate your device when you set it up it is automatically added to your Apple account preventing any other Apple ID from activating or using the same product. This means your iPhone cannot be wiped, reset, and reactivated without your permission.
Your permission is granted by providing your Apple credentials on the device itself. Activation Lock is part of Find My, the security app for all Apple devices.
Find My iPhone is a free service that helps you find your lost or stolen iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac. It uses GPS and Wi-Fi to show the location of your device on a map.
You can also remotely lock your device so someone can’t use it and erase all the data on it.
Wrap up
There is a great deal of demand to get past the iCloud lock on Apple products. As a result, many scammers have appeared ready claiming to have the answer. For the most part, they don’t. If you want to do things properly, only use the official methods to get rid of iCloud Activation Lock.
This means turning off Find My on the iPhone 13, or via your Apple account on the web.
If you can’t use the official Apple technique, then be careful and use one of the recommended suppliers in this guide.
