How to bypass Activation Lock on the Mac Studio

The iCloud Activation Lock is available on Mac Studio computers running on Apple silicon, including those with the M1 Max or M1 Ultra system on a chip.

The Activation Lock, also known as the iCloud lock, is part of Apple’s security system and is administered via Find My Mac. The lock is found on all new Mac computers.

The Activation Lock can be used on all Mac Studio models released in 2022, or after.

This guide explains how to bypass Activation Lock on Mac Studio computers. The topics covered in this article, include:

• How to disable Find My.
• Free iCloud unlock methods.
• Paid Activation Lock removal options.
• Online unlocking.
• Software tools.
• Activation Lock bypass code.

If you would like to get your Mac Studio unlocked – without knowing the Apple ID and password, or getting help from the previous owner – read on…

Firstly, what is the Activation Lock?

The Activation Lock is a security tool that prevents an unauthorized user from accessing, using, or reformatting your computer without your permission. It is controlled via Find My Mac using the Apple ID and password.

Find My Mac is a free app that helps find lost or stolen Apple devices, including laptops. It now protects computers, including the Mac Studio, from theft by allowing tracking, remote locking, and remote data removal.

When you enable Find My Mac on your computer, the Activation Lock is automatically turned on. So if your Mac Studio is stolen, it is almost impossible for anyone else to use it unless they know your Apple ID and password.

To use all of the features of Find My your Mac Studio also needs the following:

• macOS Catalina or newer installed.
• Two-factor authentication is enabled for the Apple ID.
• Startup security must be set to Secure Boot and Disallow booting from external media.

To find out more, see the Mac Studio Activation Lock guide.

How to remove the iCloud Activation Lock from a Mac Studio

An iCloud bypass is used to unlock a Mac Studio from its linked Apple ID.

The bypass techniques in this article are specific to the following Mac Studio models:

• Mac Studio M1 Ultra (2022)
• Mac Studio M1 Max (2022)

All of the compouters listed are either the Mac Studio with Apple Silicon or Mac Studio with the T2 security chip.

Unsure which model you own? Find out how to identify your Mac Studio model. If you have an older pre-2018 Mac Studio, it can’t be Activation Locked.

Bypass the iCloud lock for free

If the iCloud Activation Lock prevents you from using your Mac Studio, the official fix is to switch off Find My using your Apple ID and password. This removes the iCloud lock from the computer.

If you can’t remember your Apple ID password, you can go to iForgot and reset it.

If you don’t remember your Apple ID, you can track it down as follows:

• On a different Apple device you own, go to iCloud or Media and purchases. Your Apple ID is your email address.
• On another Apple Mac you own, click  > System preferences > Apple ID.
• On your Apple TV, go to Settings > Apple ID
• On the Apple ID recovery page, provide your name and email address and you will be shown your Apple ID.

For more information, see how to do a password reset on an Apple ID.

On the Mac

To remove Activation Lock on a Mac Studio you need to turn off Find My Mac on the computer itself. The easiest way to do this is as follows:

1. On your computer, click the Apple menu  > System Preferences.
2. On the System Preferences dialog box, select Apple ID.
3. In the sidebar, select iCloud.
4.  On the right, remove the checkmark for Find My Mac.

On iPhone, iPod Toch, or iPod Touch

You can turn off Find My Mac and the Activation Lock from another device you own. For example, on an iPhone you would do the following:

1. Tap Settings.
2. At the top, tap on [your name].
3. Scroll down and select the Mac Studio from the device list.
4. Tap Remove from account.
   
5. When prompted, confirm by clicking Remove.
6. Find My Mac will be disabled and the Activation Lock will bt bypassed.

For more information, see how to disable Find My remotely.

Online

You can also bypass the Activation Lock online by disabling Find My via a web browser as follows:

1. Go to appleid.apple.com.
2. When prompted, Sign in with your Apple ID and password.
   
3. Once signed in, click Devices.
   
4. In the device list, pick your Mac Studio.
5. Click Remove from account.
   

Video instructions

Paid removal methods

Paid removal services and tools appeared after buyers found they had purchased Activation Locked products, but didn’t know the Apple ID or password to disable Find My. Of course, you could ask the previous owner to turn off Find My remotely, but sometimes it is impossible to track them down.

Instead, these paid options allow new owners to remove the Mac Studio Activation Lock themselves using an activation lock bypass tool or service.

There are dozens of paid services that say they can bypass Activation Lock but my testing found most just don’t work.

Issues with paid services included:

• Tools that claim they only work properly after full payment is made. After you buy them, they don’t work.
• Online services that claim your device is marked as stolen, so they can’t unlock it.
• PDF downloads that claim to provide solutions. When you buy and read them, they don’t tell you what to do.

You need to use a reputable company with a money-back guarantee to avoid being ripped off.

Mac Studio iCloud unlock prices

Prices range from $30 USD to $100 USD to unlock iCloud on a Mac Studio.

One tactic many paid removal companies use is to break their fees into 2 parts:

• An up-front deposit.
• A final payment.

You only find out the full cost after you pay the deposit. But because you have already spent money with them, you feel obliged to pay the final payment.

In addition, it is in the supplier’s interest to look inexpensive, so they tend to keep the deposit low. However, they increase the price by charging a much larger final fee which brings the overall cost up.

Pluses and minuses of paying for an iCloud unlock

Online 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 at this time was provided by DirectUnlocks.

At the time of writing, the deposit was £19.99 GBP, which is around $28 USD.

To find out more, see how to unlock Activation Lock.

To unlock your Mac Studio using this service, do the following:

1. Go to the DirectUnlocks website.
   
2. When prompted, enter the serial number of the Mac Studio.
3. In the device model, choose Mac.
4. Click the Unlock iCloud! button.
5. On the next screen, tick the box to agree to the terms and conditions.
   
6. Select your payment method, and pay.
7. You will get a confirmation email saying if the iCloud unlock is possible. If it is, they will request the final fee.
8. Once the full fee has been paid, you will be sent an email confirming the bypass has been completed.

Tools

There are many tools that claim to hack the Activation Lock so it can be disabled or bypassed. They vary in quality from excellent to dangerous. If you pick the wrong tool it can destroy your computer or infect it with viruses.

In our tests, we found none of the tools on the market today are able to bypass iCloud on a Mac Studio. This may change as the tools improve.

As a result, we can’t recommend you try any tool to bypass Activation Lock on a Mac Studio at this time.

Activation Lock bypass code

You may have noticed that Apple talks about an Activation Lock bypass code. The name sounds promising because it appears to offer the exact solution you are looking for.

However, the bypass code only works if your computer is a corporate machine provided by an employer or school, not a personal computer.

If you do have a managed computer, the organizations can remove the Activation Lock from supervised devices prior to device activation without knowing the userʼs personal Apple ID and password.

So the bypass code does not work for all Apple devices, only for those controlled by an organization like a business or school. So if you have a standard Mac you use at home, then you won’t be able to get rid of the Activation Lock using a bypass code as it is not a supervised device.

Getting rid of Activation Lock on other Mac models

If you want to bypass iCloud on a different model of Mac computer see:

• Fix iMac locked to owner Activation Lock
• Fix MacBook locked to owner Activation Lock
• Fix MacBook Air locked to owner Activation Lock
• Fix Mac mini locked to owner Activation Lock
• Fix MacBook Pro locked to owner Activation Lock

Wrap up

The new Mac Studio enjoys increased security that helps prevent your computer from being stolen. However, buyers of used computers are getting caught out with the iCloud Activation Lock. Sellers are forgetting to turn off Find My Mac accidentally triggering the Activation Lock.

This has encouraged scammers to enter the market with products that claim can remove the lock, but they don’t work. They are just riping unsuspecting buyers off.

If you want to be 100% safe from scams, only use the free method to turn off Find My Mac and bypass iCloud Activation Lock.

However, to use the free option successfully you need to know the Apple ID and password for the computer.

If you don’t know the Apple ID or password and can’t get in touch with the previous owner, then I suggest you use the recommended supplier in this guide. If they fail to unlock your computer, at least they have a money-back guarantee – unlike many of the scammers online.