Manually clearing the activation lock on supervised iOS devices

The activation lock setting is a iOS security feature that prevents device users from resetting or activating a device without knowing the iCloud account information. On supervised iOS devices, MaaS360 administrators can disable this feature to reactivate bound devices.

Determining if an activation lock is enabled on a supervised device

The activation lock setting is part of the Find My iPad/iPhone feature on a device. If the Find My iPad/iPhone setting is enabled on the device, the activation lock setting is also enabled on the device.
Clear Activation Lock feature
To view this setting in the MaaS360 Portal, follow these steps:
  1. Go to the Device view for the device (Devices > View), and select Location Information (this information is displayed even if privacy policies prevent this information from displaying in the portal).
  2. Go to the Find My Device field.
    Clear Activation Lock feature
    One of the following settings is displayed:
    • Enabled: The activation lock is also enabled on the device.
    • Disabled: The device does not prompt for an Apple ID when the device is reset.

Clearing the activation lock setting on supervised iOS devices

Use any of the following methods to clear the activation lock setting:
  • The administrator can use the Clear Activation Lock option in the MaaS360 Portal to generate a code while the device is enrolled. The Clear Activation Lock option also appears in the old device record after the device is removed.
    Clear Activation Lock feature
  • The administrator can use the Clear Activation Lock option from the Wipe device Action menu in the MaaS360 Portal. Note: The Clear Activation Lock option is available only if the device is eligible to support this option.
    Clear Activation Lock feature
  • The administrator can clear the activation lock directly from the device:
    Clear Activation Lock feature
    1. From the Activation Lock screen, leave the Apple ID field blank, and then enter the generated code in the Password field (including the dashes).
    2. Tap Next. The device starts the activation unlock process.
      Note: Each device uses a code that is generated during device enrollment and is unique to that device. You cannot use an unlock code for one device on multiple devices.