Before you hand your iPhone, iPad or Mac over to a service center — or sell it — you must turn off Find My. The service is tied to the so-called Activation Lock: as long as it is active, a technician cannot perform most repairs, and the device remains assigned to your Apple ID account. Below you will find four scenarios — pick the one that matches your situation.
- Do NOT tap “Erase This Device” — it switches the hardware into loss mode.
- Do NOT tap “Mark As Lost” — it can permanently prevent servicing.
- Always choose only “Remove This Device”.
Turn off Find My before servicing, because Activation Lock blocks repairs. Four paths: (1) the device works → Settings → Apple ID → Find My → OFF; (2) you have another device on the same account → Find My app → Devices → “Remove This Device”; (3) no other device → icloud.com/find → “Remove This Device”; (4) no account access → Apple support hotline (00) 800 44 11 875 (with the serial number and proof of purchase). Never tap “Erase” or “Mark As Lost”.
What Find My and Activation Lock are
The Find My service lets you locate a device and protects it against unauthorized use. Its safeguard is Activation Lock — the binding of the hardware to your Apple ID. It is a great anti-theft protection, but when handing the device in for service (or selling it) you have to remove it first.
As long as Find My is active, a technician cannot perform most repairs — including logic board replacement or software restore — and after the repair the device will still ask for your Apple ID password. That is why turning off this service is the first step in preparing hardware for service.
Scenario 1: the device works and is at hand
This is the simplest case — you turn the service off directly on the device.
- Go to Settings → [your name / Apple ID] → Find My.
- If the Find My iPhone / iPad / Mac switch is green (on), toggle it to OFF.
- Confirm by entering your Apple ID account password — this is a security requirement.
If, despite the switch being off, the system still claims the service is active:
- Open the system Find My app.
- Go to the Devices tab.
- Select the relevant product from the list and click “Remove This Device”.
Scenario 2: the device doesn't work, but you have another Apple device on the same account
If the faulty device and a second, working Apple device are signed in to the same Apple ID account, you can remove the lock remotely.
- On the working iPhone, iPad or Mac, open the Find My app.
- Go to the Devices tab.
- Select the device that is going to the service center from the list and click “Remove This Device”.
- Enter your Apple ID account password.
After the operation the device disappears from the list, and the Find My service is turned off at the same time.
Scenario 3: the device doesn't work and you have no other device
This also covers the situation where you do have another Apple device, but it is signed in to a different account than the device for service. In that case, use a browser.
- Go to www.icloud.com/find.
- Sign in to the Apple ID account configured on the faulty device.
- From the list of all devices, select the one you need.
- Click “Remove This Device”.
Note: for security reasons you may see a message that the hardware will only be fully removed from the account in a month. Don't worry — the Find My service itself is turned off immediately, which is enough for servicing.
Scenario 4: you don't know your Apple ID login or the previous steps failed
If you don't remember your login or password, or you cannot sign in to the account and remove the lock, the last option is contacting Apple Support via the Polish hotline:
(00) 800 44 11 875
Before you call, prepare:
- the serial number or IMEI of the device on which the lock is to be removed,
- the original proof of purchase from an authorized reseller.
If the purchase document does not show the serial number, write it in by hand. Apple will review the submitted documents and — if the data matches — remove the Find My lock. The procedure usually takes about 3 business days.
Struggling with the iCloud lock on second-hand hardware? See also: removing the Find My lock (PL) and removing the iCloud lock.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to turn off Find My before handing the device in for service?
Yes. As long as Find My (Activation Lock) is active, a technician cannot perform most repairs, and the device remains assigned to your Apple ID. Turning the service off is the first step in preparing hardware for service.
Which option must never be clicked?
Never tap “Erase This Device” or “Mark As Lost” — these options switch the hardware into loss mode and can permanently prevent servicing. Always choose only “Remove This Device”.
On icloud.com/find I can see the device will only disappear from the account in a month — is that a problem?
No. That is only a safeguard concerning full removal of the device from the account. The Find My service itself turns off immediately after you click “Remove This Device”, which is entirely sufficient to carry out the service.
I don't remember my Apple ID login — what then?
Call the Apple hotline in Poland: (00) 800 44 11 875. Prepare the serial number or IMEI of the device and the original proof of purchase from an authorized reseller. After verifying that the data matches, Apple will remove the lock — the procedure usually takes about 3 business days.
Summary
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| The device works | Settings → Apple ID → Find My → OFF |
| You have another device on the same account | Find My app → Devices → “Remove This Device” |
| No other Apple device | icloud.com/find → “Remove This Device” |
| No account access | Apple hotline: (00) 800 44 11 875 |
In every case the rule is the same: use only the “Remove This Device” option and never tap erase or mark-as-lost. Once Find My is off, you can hand the hardware in for service with peace of mind.
Ready for service?
Find My is off and you want to hand your device in for repair? Come to MacLife (Poznań, Warsaw) or order a door-to-door courier — we will collect the device from your home and bring it back after the repair.
[2] Apple Support – Removing a device from Find My
[3] iCloud – Find My (icloud.com/find)
[4] MacLife – Apple service, preparing a device for repair
Hotline numbers and procedures may change — if in doubt, confirm the current details at support.apple.com.