How can I find the owner of an Activation Locked iPad?

[davidg4781]

I was going through the Lost and Found at work and found an iPad and an Android phone. I charged up both with the hope of trying to contact the owner. I got a friend of the Android's and told them it's at work and they were going to try and figure out who the owner was.

Now for the iPad. It was turned off but Activation Locked. It had 87% battery life so I'm not sure how long it had been sitting in there or why it was turned off. There's an email, but it's just p******@icloud.com.

Is there any way to find out who the owner is? I left it on and hopefully it'll ping on their Find My iPhone app. I also was able to get it on to our public wifi so they can find it.

 

[DeanL]

found an iPad and an Android phone. I charged up both with the hope of trying to contact the owner.

Now for the iPad. It was turned off but Activation Locked. It had 87% battery life so I'm not sure how long it had been sitting in there or why it was turned off.

Well it had 87% because you charged it?

There's nothing you can do unfortunately unless the owner displays a message on the iPad

 

[Chazzle]

I was going through the Lost and Found at work and found an iPad and an Android phone. I charged up both with the hope of trying to contact the owner. I got a friend of the Android's and told them it's at work and they were going to try and figure out who the owner was.

Now for the iPad. It was turned off but Activation Locked. It had 87% battery life so I'm not sure how long it had been sitting in there or why it was turned off. There's an email, but it's just p******@icloud.com.

Is there any way to find out who the owner is? I left it on and hopefully it'll ping on their Find My iPhone app. I also was able to get it on to our public wifi so they can find it.

Keeping it on and connected to WiFi is the best (and only) hope that the original owner will get it back. You are doing the proper steps.

 

[davidg4781]

Well it had 87% because you charged it?

There's nothing you can do unfortunately unless the owner displays a message on the iPad

Oh! When I plugged it in it turned on and already showed the 87%.

I wish whoever originally had it in lost and found had left it on. The owner obviously was looking for it and decided to lock it. I was hoping I could call Apple with the serial number and they could send an alert or something.

So just to be clear, even though it's locked it will still show in Find My iPhone?

 

[RSmith2023]

Oh! When I plugged it in it turned on and already showed the 87%.

I wish whoever originally had it in lost and found had left it on. The owner obviously was looking for it and decided to lock it. I was hoping I could call Apple with the serial number and they could send an alert or something.

So just to be clear, even though it's locked it will still show in Find My iPhone?

If the owner had "find my iPad/iPhone" enabled and they have access to the iCloud account.

Conversely, Apple can send notification to the owner of the Apple ID if the account is still active.

 

[davidg4781]

Conversely, Apple can send notification to the owner of the Apple ID if the account is still active.

Will this happen automatically or should I call?

 

[zorinlynx]

Keeping it on and connected to WiFi is the best (and only) hope that the original owner will get it back. You are doing the proper steps.

Sadly I've noticed that an iPad will not connect to WiFi after being powered on until the first time it is unlocked.

Only then does it start looking for WiFi.

This pretty much cripples "Find my iPad" because if the iPad runs out of battery or is rebooted, it will never get on the network again.

iPhones also have this issue, but at least they have the cellular connection which does work immediately at power-on.

 

[sbddude]

can you activate Siri? "Siri, who is my owner" or "Call mom/dad/wife/etc"

 

[0970373]

Swipe left and see if it allows you to take a photo. If so, write a note w/ contact info and location of the iPad. If they have iCloud Photos or Photostream, that photo should eventually show up on another Apple device (if they have one). Just try to keep it on and connected to WiFi.

 

[davidg4781]

When I plugged it in it went to the Hello screen, asked for language, country, then said it was locked. It did ask me to get on a WiFi and it looks like it’s connected constantly.

I don’t think I can swipe or take any pics with it.

 

[0970373]

When I plugged it in it went to the Hello screen, asked for language, country, then said it was locked. It did ask me to get on a WiFi and it looks like it’s connected constantly.

I don’t think I can swipe or take any pics with it.

Looks like it was wiped then but still has activation lock. All you can do it turn it into the police and hope someone filed a report. It’s an electronic brick to anyone else. The don’t think they would even be able to track it or send a message via Find My iPhone since it’s been wiped.