How to Remove a Device From the Find My App (and Turn Off Activation Lock)
If you're selling, trading in, or giving away an Apple device, there's one step that matters more than any other: removing it from Find My. Skip this and the next owner will hit Activation Lock — the screen that says "This iPhone is linked to an Apple ID" — and the device is effectively bricked until you fix it.
This is the #1 problem we see when people bring us a phone to sell. A quick checklist up front saves everyone the headache.
Why This Matters: Find My + Activation Lock
Find My does two things at once:
- Tracks the device on a map if it's lost or stolen.
- Locks it to your Apple ID with Activation Lock, so nobody can reactivate it without your password.
Activation Lock is fantastic anti-theft protection — but it's also the reason a perfectly good phone becomes useless to anyone you hand it to. The fix is to remove the device from your Find My before it leaves your hands.
Before You Start: The 30-Second Checklist
Take 30 seconds to do these first so you don't lose anything:
- Back up the device — to iCloud (Settings → [Your Name] → iCloud → iCloud Backup → Back Up Now) or to a Mac/PC.
- Unpair an Apple Watch if you have one (open the Watch app → All Watches → ⓵ → Unpair).
- Sign out of iCloud on the device — Settings → [Your Name] → Sign Out (enter your Apple ID password). This turns off Find My on the device itself.
- Erase the device — Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings.
Pro Tip: Never manually delete photos or contacts while still signed into iCloud — those deletions sync to the cloud and you'll lose them everywhere.
Method 1: From the Device Itself (Easiest)
If you still have the phone, tablet, or Mac in your hand, do it right there. This is the cleanest path.
- Make sure the device is signed in to your Apple ID and connected to Wi-Fi.
- Open Settings → [Your Name] → Find My (on macOS: Apple menu → System Settings → [Your Name] → Find My).
- Toggle Find My [Device] to Off.
- Enter your Apple ID password to confirm.
Once you erase the device in the checklist above, Activation Lock is automatically removed and the new owner can set it up fresh.
Method 2: From Another Apple Device (Find My App)
Sold the device already, or the screen is broken? Use another iPhone, iPad, or Mac that's signed in to the same Apple ID.
- Open the Find My app.
- Tap the Devices tab (iOS) or select a device from the sidebar (macOS).
- Select the device you want to remove.
- Scroll down and tap Remove This Device.
- Confirm — you'll need your Apple ID password.
This removes it from your account and disables Activation Lock over the internet.
Method 3: From iCloud.com (When the Device Is Gone)
No other Apple device handy? You can do this from any browser — perfect for after you've already shipped or handed over the phone.
- Go to icloud.com/find and sign in with your Apple ID.
- Click All Devices at the top of the screen.
- Select the device you're removing.
- Click Remove from Account.
- Confirm with your Apple ID password.
If you don't see the device in the list, it's already been removed (or you're signed into the wrong Apple ID — check which one was used on that device).
Removing a Family Member's Device
If the device belongs to someone in your Family Sharing group and you're trying to remove it from your own Find My:
- The original owner must remove it from their Apple ID using one of the methods above.
- You cannot remove someone else's Activation Lock from your account — that's by design.
This comes up constantly with used phones: if you bought a second-hand device and it's still locked, contact the previous owner and ask them to follow Method 3. There is no legitimate way around Activation Lock without the original Apple ID.
How to Verify It Worked
Restart the erased device. You should see the "Hello" screen in multiple languages, and during setup it should let you sign in with any Apple ID — not ask for "the previous owner's password." If it asks for the previous owner's credentials, Find My is still on and you need to repeat the steps above.
Don't Forget Your Other Devices
Removing one device doesn't affect the rest. But it's a good moment to audit your Apple ID device list:
- Go to Settings → [Your Name] and scroll down to see every device on your account.
- Remove anything you no longer own.
- This keeps Find My accurate and protects your account.
Turn the Checklist Into Cash
Get all of this right and your device is ready to sell — clean, unlocked, and activatable by anyone. We'll take it from there with an honest, current-market quote and cash on the spot, here in the Salt Lake Valley.
