You can use the Find My app to remove a device from your Devices list or turn off Activation Lock on a device you already sold or gave away. When you remove Activation Lock, someone else can activate the device and connect it to their Apple Account.
If you still have the device, it’s simpler. You can turn off Activation Lock and remove the device from your account by turning off the Find My [device] setting on the device itself.
Remove a device from your Devices list
Not planning on using a device? Remove it from your Devices list, though it may need to be offline first. When it comes online again, it reappears in your Devices list if it’s an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or Apple Watch that still has Activation Lock turned on, or AirPods or Beats headphones still paired with your iOS or iPadOS device.
- Do one of the following:
- For an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or Apple Watch: Turn off the device.
- For AirPods: Put AirPods in their case and close the lid or turn the AirPods off.
- For Beats headphones: Turn off the headphones.
- Start the Find My app on your iPhone.
- Tap Devices and tap the name of the offline device. Then tap the More button.
- Tap Remove.
Remove an iPhone Wallet with MagSafe
If you don’t want an iPhone Wallet with MagSafe and Find My support to appear in the Find My app, you can remove it from your Devices list. Once it’s removed from Find My, someone else can connect it to their Apple Account.
- Start the Find My app on your iPhone.
- Tap Devices, tap the name of your iPhone Wallet with MagSafe, and tap the More button.
- Tap Remove and then follow the onscreen instructions.
Turn off Activation Lock on a device you have
Remove Activation Lock before you sell, give away, or trade in a device, so it’s no longer associated with your Apple Account.
Turn off Activation Lock on a device you no longer have
Forgot to turn off Find My [device] after you sold or gave away your Mac, Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch? You can still remove Activation Lock using the Find My app.
- Start the Find My app on your iPhone.
- Tap Devices, tap the name of the device you want to remove, and then tap the More button.
-
Erase the device. Because the device isn’t lost, don’t enter a phone number or message.
If the device is offline, the remote erase begins the next time it connects to a Wi-Fi or cellular network. You receive an email when the device is erased.
- When the device is erased, tap Remove This Device and then tap Remove.
Your content is all erased and Activation Lock turns off, so someone else can now activate the device.
You can remove a device online using iCloud.com, too.
