Activation Lock is a feature that is automatically enabled when a user sets up Find My iPhone on their device. It ties the device to the user's Apple ID and prevents anyone else from erasing and reactivating the device without the owner's Apple ID and password. This means that even if a device is lost, stolen, or wiped, it will remain locked and require the owner's credentials to access it.

| Category | Examples | Legality | |----------|----------|-----------| | Research & reverse engineering | libimobiledevice , checkm8 exploit | ⚠️ Legal but gray area | | Bypass methods | Sliver , iMyFone cracks, checkm8-based bypasses | ❌ Illegal in most jurisdictions | | Educational write-ups | Explaining how Activation Lock works | ✅ Legal | | Forensic tools | Extracting user data with permission | ✅ Legal with proper authorization |

: Python or Bash scripts to automate the removal of Activation Lock on supervised devices before they are reassigned to new users.

: Click Payment information and edit your card or PayPal details to trigger a new authorization hold.

: These repositories often contain "RAMdisk" methods or scripts to delete the Setup.app file, effectively skipping the activation screen.