iPad, iPhone and iPod touch repairs - Preparing your device for service

To ensure your iPhone or iPad is ready for service, follow these steps:

1. 1 - Disable Find My to remove the ‘Activation Lock’. Authenticate with your iCloud credentials to disable Find My, preventing unauthorised access and erasure.
2. 2 - Go to the ‘Settings’ app, then ‘iCloud’, and disable ‘Find My iPhone’ or ‘Find My iPad’. Enter your iCloud credentials when prompted.
3. 3 - If your device doesn’t power or the screen is unresponsive, disable activation lock from the list of devices on the iCloud website.

For more information on ‘activation lock’, visit Apple’s website.

Backup your device

Most iPhones and iPads automatically back up to iCloud when connected to power, a Wi-Fi network, and the screen is locked.

To check your latest backup, go to your device’s iCloud settings, tap on iCloud, and then iCloud Backup.

Your device must be online to see the ‘Last Backup:’ date. If your device won’t power on, go to the iCloud website settings and click on your device to find the latest backup date.

IMPORTANT: To restore from a backup, you need your Apple Account username and password for the iCloud account.

This backup doesn’t include passwords saved on your device for security reasons. To back up an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch with all passwords, use an encrypted backup with a Mac. Instructions are on Apple’s website.

Disassociate apps

Most iPhone users will have apps securely paired to their device’s identity.

Examples include banking apps, digital car keys, and authenticator apps.

If your iPhone is functional enough, go through the required process to disassociate any paired apps. If your device won’t power on, contact the app publisher for assistance before submitting it for repair. You may need unique identifiers from the paired hardware to prove ownership.

Your device is ready to be erased

If you’ve disabled Find my, verified your device’s backup, and disassociated paired apps, you can erase the device during your service appointment if needed.

We recommend waiting until your appointment to avoid unnecessary actions. If the device won’t power or erase data, seek advice from the technician on protecting your personal data.

Restore backup

If your device is erased or replaced during repair, you can restore from your iCloud backup during setup. You’ll need your Apple Account and password.

Signing in with your iCloud account details enables ‘Find My’ and Activation Lock protection. If you don’t need to go through this restore process, go back to iCloud settings to turn Find My back on.