Why a reset leaves the lock behind
A factory reset erases the data stored on the iPhone. Activation Lock is not stored there — it is an entitlement on Apple's activation servers, keyed to the Apple ID that had Find My enabled.
So the reset cleans the device but leaves the ownership record intact, and the next setup flow stops at the Activation Lock screen. Resetting again changes nothing, because erasing device data was never what held the lock.
The only two fixes that work
Either the Apple ID holder signs in or removes the device from Find My, or Apple clears the lock after verifying your proof of purchase. There is no third option.
- 1Confirm the device is locked by an Activation Lock screen naming an Apple ID.
- 2Try to recover that Apple ID at iforgot.apple.com — Activation Lock clears the moment the owner signs in.
- 3If the Apple ID is unreachable, gather the original proof of purchase.
- 4Submit an Activation Lock removal request at apple.com/support (or at any Apple Store / Authorised Service Provider).
- 5Apple verifies the purchase, then clears the lock server-side — usually within a few days.
- 6Activate the iPhone again and complete setup with your own Apple ID.
If it was your device and your Apple ID
Enter the Apple ID and password when the Activation Lock screen appears. If you have forgotten the password, recover the account at iforgot.apple.com — completing recovery lets you sign in and the lock releases.
If the account was deleted entirely, gather the original proof of purchase and submit an Activation Lock removal request to Apple Support. Your own ownership is what the process verifies.
If you bought it used and the seller is reachable
Ask the seller to sign in to icloud.com/find, select the device and choose Remove from Account (or Erase This Device). That releases Activation Lock server-side in under a minute and costs nothing.
This is by far the fastest resolution, and a cooperative seller should have no objection. Reluctance here is itself informative about the sale.
If the lock cannot be cleared
When neither the Apple ID nor the proof of purchase exists, the iPhone cannot be activated for use. It retains parts value — display, battery, cameras, chassis — and that is the honest ceiling.
Be wary of any service offering to remove Activation Lock in this situation; the only realistic outcomes are a device returned unchanged or hardware handed over and not recovered.
FRPB does not touch iOS
FRPB is an Android Factory Reset Protection toolkit and has no iOS capability. It cannot clear Activation Lock, and it does not claim to.
On Android, FRP is the similar-looking lock — and there FRPB's per-model guides provide the genuine, owner-authorised procedure. For a locked iPhone you own, Apple Support is the route.
Safety, legality and when to stop
FRPB is intended strictly for authorised device owners and licensed repair professionals. You must own the device or hold explicit written permission from its owner. Using an FRP bypass tool on hardware you do not own may defeat an anti-theft control and can be illegal in your jurisdiction.
Stop and reassess if the device reports a bootloader state you did not expect, if the model or chipset FRPB detects does not match the handset in front of you, or if the operation halts mid-way. A mismatched firmware package is the single most common cause of a hard brick — abandoning an operation is always cheaper than recovering from one.