Can a Stolen iPhone be Used? Read This Post
"My iPhone was stolen yesterday, and the thief run away. Can the stolen iPhone be used by the thief? It is just an old iPhone but there is much personal information and files. What will the thief do to unlock my iPhone? Is it possible for him to hack my iPhone and see my personal files?"
You needn't worry too much about your privacy if your iPhone is stolen. Apple built powerful security on every iPhone to protect users' privacy. If you have set a screen passcode on your iPhone, your iPhone will be disabled after 10 wrong passcode attempts. Once your iPhone is disabled, the thief will not be able to access your iPhone anymore. Though he may get chances to remove the screen lock from your iPhone, he will still need to enter the iCloud passcode to unlock the Activation Lock. This post will go deep into how can a stolen iPhone be used.
Part 1: Can a Stolen iPhone be Used by the Thief or Others?
The answer is scarcely possible. Because of the high security of iOS system, there are many security systems for users to protect their privacy on a stolen or lost iPhone. If you have enabled the Find My iPhone feature on your iOS device, you can even set your lost phone into lost mode or erase the device remotely. Once you set your iPhone into Lost mode, the thief will not be able to access your iOS device unless he knows the Apple ID account and passcode to remove the Lost Mode. Therefore, you don't need to worry too much when your iPhone is stolen or lost, as the iOS system will protect your data very well.
Part 2: How Can Someone Unlock My Stolen iPhone?
If your iPhone is stolen, what will the thief do to unlock your iPhone or remove the screen lock from your iOS device? Here I will show you some possible ways he may take.
Method 1. Try Passcode Randomly
Don't set your birthday as the iPhone passcode. Sometimes the thief may try some common passcode to unlock your iPhone like 1234, 0000, 5555. If both your iPhone and ID card were stolen, the thief may enter your birthday as the passcode to unlock your iPhone. You can use random numbers to lock your iPhone, or change the passcode type to alphanumeric passcode.
Method 2. Use iTunes to Restore Your iPhone
If the thief has a computer, he may connect your iPhone to a computer and use iTunes to restore your iPhone. Once your iPhone is restored, all the data and content will be removed from the device, including the screen lock. If you have enabled the Find My iPhone feature on your lost iPhone, In most cases, the thief will not be able to use iTunes to restore your iPhone, as he needs to enter the screen lock passcode to unlock your iPhone to trust the computer.
How to Unlock If You Bought a Stolen iPhone?
IWhat if you bought an iPhone from an online store but found that it is a stolen iPhone? The best solution is to return the phone to the seller and refund. But what can we do if we can't contact the seller after receiving the phone? It is possible to unlock the phone and use it as a normal phone? The answer is yes. You can use a professional iOS unlocking tool to unlock the stolen iPhone.
TunesKit iPhone Unlocker is a comprehensive iOS unlocking program on Windows and Mac. This almighty unlocking program supports users to unlock iOS screen, unlock Apple ID, bypass MDM restrictions, and unlock Screen Time. When your iPhone is disabled, forgot iOS screen lock passcode, or iPhone unavailable, TunesKit iPhone Unlocker can always be the optimal choice for you to remove the screen lock from your iOS device and access your iPhone again. With the wonderful user interface, you can easily unlock the stolen iPhone with several clicks.
Key Features of TunesKit iPhone Unlocker
- Simple interface & Easy to use
- Remove Apple ID without passcode
- Compatible with all versions of iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch
- Factory reset iPhone without passcode
- High success rate
Now, let's see how to use TunesKit iPhone Unlocker to unlock a disabled iPhone.
Step 1Connect iPad with a USB cable
To begin with, connect your iPhone to the computer and launch TunesKit iPhone Unlocker on your computer. Select the Unlock iOS Screen feature and hit on the Start button.
Step 2 Put Your iPhone into Recovery Mode
Please follow the onscreen instruction to put your iPhone into Recovery mode. When your iPhone is in Recovery mode, please click on the Next button. Also, you can put your iPhone into DFU mode and click on the Next button.
Step 3Download Firmware Package
In this phase, TunesKit iPhone Unlocker will download a firmware package that can unlock your iPhone. Please check the information on the screen and correct it manually if there is anything wrong. Click on the Download button to start downloading.
Step 4Unlock the Stolen iPhone
When the firmware package is downloaded, TunesKit iPhone Unlocker will start to remove the screen lock from your iPhone. Then, you will need to set up your iPhone again and you will be able to use it without entering any passcode.
Conclusion
If your iPhone was lost or stolen, it is a scarcely possible job for the thief or someone to unlock and use your iPhone. This means that the question "Can a stolen iPhone be Used" has an obvious answer. To prevent iPhone data leaks, it is recommended to enable the Find My iPhone feature and set up an alphanumeric passcode. If you bought a stolen iPhone unfortunately, please try using TunesKit iPhone Unlocker to unlock it.