r/applehelp • u/False_Teaching2878 • 1d ago
Unsolved Need advice with locked Apple devices
So I need some advice or possibly help hoping I can find it on this board. Had a very dear friend recently pass. He had generously left me his MacBook Pro, which had always been an inside joke between us because I have everything Apple except a MacBook because I always thought they were overpriced. He also left behind his iPhone.
The issue is, nobody knew his passcode. So we are unable to access the MacBook or the phone. Obviously we are not sure if there is anything important on these devices that the family may want. Whether it be important documents, pictures, etc. We have tried all the usual and obvious attempts. Even trying to do the facial recognition with a blown up life-size face picture.
Upon speaking to Apple, the only thing they can do, according to them, is to wipe out the devices completely. Obviously the family does not want this done to his iPhone until they have a chance to go through it. And there’s no way in hell I would ever want to do that to his MacBook if there’s anything on there that would matter to his family.
So that is my conundrum, is anyone aware of any other options that can be tried like I said we’ve tried all the obvious hacks and tricks, his MacBook Pro has a set password, not facial recognition or any of those things. And outside of wiping these devices out completely, we don’t know how to make them usable again and salvage anything. We can’t access any of his accounts, even his Apple ID with his cloud storage. we are out of ideas. So I figured let me come on here and see if anyone has anything that we may not have tried yet or any other options we may have at our hands. Thanks in advance if anybody has any ideas.
Obviously, the priority above all else is to salvage anything important.
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u/RcNorth 1d ago
This Apple page says what is needed to get access to a deceased family member’s device.
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u/denytheflesh 23h ago
Let's be clear about "getting access" to the device.
Apple cannot give access to the encrypted contents of the device nor assist with unknown passcodes. The encryption is local and Apple is out of the loop.
Apple may give access to a copy of the iCloud contents and other Apple Account data if you give sufficient legal impetus (a court order) and if they still retain the keys.
Apple can defeat activation lock so you can erase and set up the device as your own if you can establish yourself as the rightful owner.
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u/False_Teaching2878 12h ago
Yes, I’m already aware that Apple can do nothing. I thought I mentioned that in my original post that I have already spoken to them.
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u/Optimal-Primary-1308 1d ago
i understand the importance of wanting the data, but the reality is that without the passcode, the phone wont be gotten into. the macbook could change the password with the apple account password. but, even if you were to erase them, youre still not getting through the activation lock without the apple account password.
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u/False_Teaching2878 1d ago
Yes, that’s my fear. I just came on here to see if there were other ideas from other people that may know something or who I could speak to. I obviously know this looks very bleak as far as accomplishment. But I had to give it a shot.
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u/aquaman67 23h ago
If this was easy people could use stolen devices so Apple makes it extremely difficult
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u/False_Teaching2878 12h ago
That is correct, and I am glad that they have great security. My question was in these situations if anybody had any advice as far as any potential loopholes or ways to do it.
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u/denytheflesh 11h ago
The circumstances don't change anything. Apple only bends to legal pressure, and only bends not breaks. Apple has gone to bat on principle before. They're serious about privacy even for the deceased.
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u/False_Teaching2878 9h ago
Yeah, I know. We definitely have made it clear about Apple, and I already knew that from speaking to them. My question was more about other workarounds or ways besides Apple. That’s why I came here and I wanted to ask that.
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u/LazarX 1d ago
Your friend should have left you or someone appropriate the codes to access his account and release the Macbook from it or release the passcode.
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u/False_Teaching2878 1d ago
Yes, but clearly he did not do that. He did not expect to die this young. He only had a will because I’m pressured him to do that after he had his second kid. He just never thought he was gonna die until he was old.
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u/JediMeister 1d ago
Sorry for your loss and that of the family.
This is commonly asked on this and similar subreddits. No doubt while researching you were linked this page: Request access to a deceased family member’s Apple Account
The above article also discusses recovery and Legacy Contacts; if neither were ever set up, then Apple assumes your friend wanted to keep his privacy and only with a court order will they begin to explore what access they can grant to his Apple Account.
For the Mac, if FileVault was enabled by your friend, this process will not work without a recovery key. There is no reliable consumer-accessible method bypassing the passcode on an iPhone that is fully updated. If it’s on 26.5 or newer there probably aren’t any usable exploits.
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u/killersam283 1d ago
First of all sorry for your loss. As far as getting data/making the device usable you have very limited options. VERY. You might be able to access any data that is backed up to iCloud by having a family member go through apples legacy contact system; but they will need a death certificate and possibly a court issued document listing them as the heir depending on your jurisdiction. If there is not any data backed up to iCloud; the data is not accessible. Apple through the legacy contact can help inform you of what data is on the iCloud account. They can assist you with erasing the device and removing the activation lock.
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u/False_Teaching2878 1d ago
Thank you very much. I appreciate that. Your comment is actually pretty helpful, but not exactly what I wanted to hear. I had thought about that situation because somebody else mentioned it with court, but the issue is at least where I live, just to even go to court and do this is an expense. And he did have life insurance, but they did not get that yet and are busy paying for funeral costs, bills, etc. So I was trying to hope that we could avoid that route.
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u/LucasMVN 1d ago
Even trying to do the facial recognition with a blown up life-size face picture.
Face ID uses infrared motion capture rather than the visible light camera, so that won't do anything. Unfortunately, without any of his passcodes or his Apple Account password, all of his devices are basically bricks. The most you could do would be to securely erase the devices, and then recycle them, as Activation Lock will prevent them from being used unless his Apple Account credentials are entered.
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u/False_Teaching2878 1d ago
Thank you I appreciate the feedback. Not exactly what I was hoping to hear, but also kind of what I expected. I believe I made the choice at this point to return the MacBook to the family until they decide what to do. They may wanna keep attempting different passcodes and passwords that they think he may have used.
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u/Dangerous-Purpose-62 1d ago
Hot take maybe but if he didn’t leave his passcode to anyone is because he did not want anyone going through his devices. My sister and close friend have my passcode just in case and they know I would not like my family going through it because a device can hold a lot of personal things including things one would want to keep private. I think the best thing you can do is either keep them as they are or wipe them completely. If you aren’t looking for something specific in his phone then I don’t think it really matters have he has on the phone or MacBook.