Sell a Locked MacBook: Unlock It First, Then Get Paid

Which lock do you have? Three cases

"Locked" covers three different things, and each is released by a different person. Work out which one you're looking at before you spend an evening on it.

1. 1. Activation Lock (Find My)

   What you see: On setup the Mac asks for the Apple ID and password that was last used on it. Wiping or reinstalling macOS doesn't clear it.

   Who can remove it: The person whose Apple ID it is. They release it from any browser in under two minutes - no need to touch the Mac.

2. 2. Forgotten password or a lost Apple ID

   What you see: You know the Mac is yours, but the account it's tied to is an old address, a password you can't recall, or one you can no longer receive codes for.

   Who can remove it: You, by recovering the account at iforgot.apple.com. If it's beyond recovery, Apple can remove the lock for whoever proves original purchase.

3. 3. MDM / Apple Business Manager enrolment

   What you see: The Mac says it's managed by an organisation, or a profile reinstalls itself after every erase. Typical on an ex-employer or ex-school machine.

   Who can remove it: Only the organisation, by releasing the serial from Apple Business Manager or School Manager. There is no owner-side route.

Forgotten the password, lost the Apple ID, or inherited the Mac

Start with account recovery at iforgot.apple.com. Apple will use the trusted phone number, a trusted device, or - for older accounts - the security questions and rescue email. Recovery can take a few days if Apple has to verify you by waiting period; that is normal, not a rejection. Once you're back in, use the icloud.com/find steps above and the lock is gone.

If the account is unrecoverable - an address that no longer exists, a work email you can't access, or a Mac locked to a relative who has died - Apple can remove Activation Lock for the person who can prove original ownership. That means the sales receipt or invoice showing the Mac's serial number from Apple or an authorised retailer. Book it through Apple Support or a Genius Bar; for bereavement, Apple's Digital Legacy process and a copy of the death certificate are the route. A gift with no paperwork, unfortunately, doesn't qualify - the receipt is the whole basis of the check.

Bought it second-hand and it turned out locked? Ask the seller to sign in at icloud.com and remove it from their account - it takes them two minutes and costs nothing. If they won't or can't be reached, that is a refund claim through the platform or your card provider, not a Mac to sell. We can't help with a lock that isn't yours to remove, and neither can anyone else.

After the unlock: quote, post, paid

With the lock released there is nothing special about your Mac any more. Pick the model and condition in the form above, describe any faults honestly, and the quote arrives within 2 working hours, fixed for 14 days. A machine that spent months in a drawer while you chased an old Apple ID is often a dead-battery or no-charger sale rather than a pristine one - both are quoted normally, and the broken MacBook hub gives the value band for every fault.

Two conditions apply to every Mac we buy, unlocked or not: it must be Apple Silicon, M1-generation or newer - we don't buy Intel machines - and it must be yours to sell. We verify the serial number, Activation Lock and MDM status on arrival before payment is released.

Accept the quote and we email a prepaid, insured Royal Mail label. Cosmetic condition still sets the final price - the criteria are on our grading page, and the sign-out walkthrough has screenshots of every step if you'd rather follow along.