Hi Everyone,
I'm reaching out to the community on this, so I hope someone can help me.
This is NOT a BS to get into ANYONE else's account but my own. I have sensitive data, pictures and sentimental SMS of and from my late mother I desparately need, not to mention wanting to switch back to iOS.
January 2023:
I was on my old iPhone 13 mini [months prior to when it was stolen] and using my old carrier phone number: I know the number btw.
Unfortunately my iPhone 13 mini was stolen, but without worrying I used FindMy and erased my data after ensuring my data was intaked via iCloud. No worries at all.
I upgraded to a Samsung Galaxy S23 as I had no Windows PC yet could use a feature on it to connect to Azure Cloud for remote PC use for school [School curriculum mandated Windows not a mac]. During my carrier grace period I also requested an iPhone 15 Pro and had a full 2 weeks to decide which to use.
iPhone 15 Pro ...
Apple had just introduced or I looked into, the Advanced iCloud Security which fully encrypts ALL iCloud data.
During the process then, it asks you to invite up to 2 people that have iCloud accounts for your recovery.
I invited both my son and my sister - my son accepted while my sister didn't due to travel and her phone on an MDM which didn't allow the setup. Unfortunately, Apple Advanced Encryption was buggy along with the instructions vs how it actually works for your trusted contacts.
I posted briefly about my gripes about this back on August 4th, 2023 here.
Within a few days after I had to wipe the iPhone 15 as I forgot the device password, i was able to recovery a full restore using my old 13" 2018 MBP i7. I made a backup as well onto an external Time Machine drive, which most likely is encrypted.
Thereafter I wiped and returned the 15 Pro to my carrier, I signed into iCloud on my old iPhone 4S 64GB [slow as molasses] and rapidly set a password without testing it to keep it into mental or muscle memory and now that is LOCKED out.
Returning that iPhone 15 Pro ... is a move I hadn't regretted until November 2024! 3 Long Months of Psychosis, Bloodclauts in the brain and dementia my mother went through before passing away. I grew up NOT having a close relationship with her, even though I lived with her until I was 16, it was NOT easy, but the last 4yrs I got in touch and spent many decent days with her, short at first, and found out her life before me which was fascinating filled with adventure and zest that I swear I never would even think existed. More crucially I got to ask her why she hated me all those years I grew up ... and her message to me rattled my perception and thinking and made me cry - but helped me understand the issues and anger I felt up inside and punishments and only tough love (I never saw it as that growing up) that I got from her. THIS is what I DESPERATELY NEED to have, among pictures and other conversations that helped me see my mother DID love me and I grew to love her before she passed away.
Here is where I'm FUBAR'd:
I'm able to sign in with my Apple Account [Formerly Apple ID] with the correct password,
yet I have to select forgot password OR after 3 or 4 times to 'Send Code' before I can tell iCloud server prompt 'Can't Use This Number'
[^ yeah my stupidity for not updating my old number but honestly I never thought I'd need to use my iCloud account again. I kept my iCloud emails forwarded to my current Outlook account and most of them all come through still today without issue.]
I don't have a mac and I've purchased an iPhone 12 mini hoping I can get access to my iCloud account - going through iForgot.Apple.com, Recovery Code with my son, and then prompted to enter a 28 character, alphanumerical key. I'm not able to get this far using my personal laptop [Win11 Pro 24H2] nor work PC [Win11 Pro 24h2] - both either at work [Personal on Guest account] or at home - both using Microsoft Edge, FireFox, or Chrome browsers. All Extensions Privacy Badger or uBlock disabled while going to this site and I cannot get past the prompt of using my former and last known phone number for the account. This is NOT an incorrect number error - I've tried that as a test.
I have NO IDEA what this Key is ??!
I've searched pictures, emails, SMS/MMS history - most came over to my Galaxy S23 when I migrated, some deleted due to a toggle delete messages over than 90 days which didn't warn me before deletion (frak!) I've since disabled that months ago.
The ONLY Recoery Key I have is longer than 28 Characters and is AlphaNumerical but I think its either for my Time Machine backup drive OR my old MBP when I had that encrypted. unfortunately this doesn't work.
The 6 digit Recovery Code that my trusted contact - my son generates is time senstive. Found that out the hard way as non of Apple's documentation online or during these steps states anything about that.
I've already texted my old phone number to see if I can get the 1 time code with no response.
I can see a new email address that popped up during one of the multiple attempts or steps I've tried franticly the past week.
Right Now I'm in a deadlock. I've talked to Apple over 3 tickets since November 2024 asking, begging, pleading simply to verify me and update my associated phone number. They NEVER even TRIED to verify me which is VERY strange they used to.
NOTE: Since that Advanced Encryption step - which my icloud is not encrypted btw, Apple Recovery step where it takes up to 31 days for Apple to be able to assist Recovery is no longer set.
So what can I do, what do I need to say to Apple to get this resolved?
I've already tried going into an Apple Store 3 months ago and almost lost it.
I'm reaching out to the community on this, so I hope someone can help me.
This is NOT a BS to get into ANYONE else's account but my own. I have sensitive data, pictures and sentimental SMS of and from my late mother I desparately need, not to mention wanting to switch back to iOS.
January 2023:
I was on my old iPhone 13 mini [months prior to when it was stolen] and using my old carrier phone number: I know the number btw.
Unfortunately my iPhone 13 mini was stolen, but without worrying I used FindMy and erased my data after ensuring my data was intaked via iCloud. No worries at all.
I upgraded to a Samsung Galaxy S23 as I had no Windows PC yet could use a feature on it to connect to Azure Cloud for remote PC use for school [School curriculum mandated Windows not a mac]. During my carrier grace period I also requested an iPhone 15 Pro and had a full 2 weeks to decide which to use.
iPhone 15 Pro ...
Apple had just introduced or I looked into, the Advanced iCloud Security which fully encrypts ALL iCloud data.
During the process then, it asks you to invite up to 2 people that have iCloud accounts for your recovery.
I invited both my son and my sister - my son accepted while my sister didn't due to travel and her phone on an MDM which didn't allow the setup. Unfortunately, Apple Advanced Encryption was buggy along with the instructions vs how it actually works for your trusted contacts.
I posted briefly about my gripes about this back on August 4th, 2023 here.
Within a few days after I had to wipe the iPhone 15 as I forgot the device password, i was able to recovery a full restore using my old 13" 2018 MBP i7. I made a backup as well onto an external Time Machine drive, which most likely is encrypted.
Thereafter I wiped and returned the 15 Pro to my carrier, I signed into iCloud on my old iPhone 4S 64GB [slow as molasses] and rapidly set a password without testing it to keep it into mental or muscle memory and now that is LOCKED out.
Returning that iPhone 15 Pro ... is a move I hadn't regretted until November 2024! 3 Long Months of Psychosis, Bloodclauts in the brain and dementia my mother went through before passing away. I grew up NOT having a close relationship with her, even though I lived with her until I was 16, it was NOT easy, but the last 4yrs I got in touch and spent many decent days with her, short at first, and found out her life before me which was fascinating filled with adventure and zest that I swear I never would even think existed. More crucially I got to ask her why she hated me all those years I grew up ... and her message to me rattled my perception and thinking and made me cry - but helped me understand the issues and anger I felt up inside and punishments and only tough love (I never saw it as that growing up) that I got from her. THIS is what I DESPERATELY NEED to have, among pictures and other conversations that helped me see my mother DID love me and I grew to love her before she passed away.
Here is where I'm FUBAR'd:
- I know my iCloud account email address and password!
- I know EVERYTHING about my account - i can be verified with my eyes closed! This MY account that I've owned since the iPhone 7 launched!
- Emails from my iCloud account are forwarded to my current accessible email address - most if not all emails come through.
- The LAST and ONLY apple device I've owned since 2023 up until Tuesday is my iPhone 4S 64GB which is 'Disabled' or Locked out 'too many wrong password attempts' but no I did NOT enable wipe device in such an event.
- My only things I have of my late mother, are on my iPhone 4S that is locked, and my external USB Time Machine backup.
- I no longer have access to my old phone number I've switched carriers and finally paid off the debt yet I suspect someone else has my old phone number that is STILL associated to iCloud 2FA.
- My iCloud account still associates my son as a Recovery Contact - I long disabled iCloud Advanced Encryption when I returned the iPhone 15 Pro back to my old carrier that I was in the grace period and yes I wiped that before returning it.
I'm able to sign in with my Apple Account [Formerly Apple ID] with the correct password,
yet I have to select forgot password OR after 3 or 4 times to 'Send Code' before I can tell iCloud server prompt 'Can't Use This Number'
[^ yeah my stupidity for not updating my old number but honestly I never thought I'd need to use my iCloud account again. I kept my iCloud emails forwarded to my current Outlook account and most of them all come through still today without issue.]
I don't have a mac and I've purchased an iPhone 12 mini hoping I can get access to my iCloud account - going through iForgot.Apple.com, Recovery Code with my son, and then prompted to enter a 28 character, alphanumerical key. I'm not able to get this far using my personal laptop [Win11 Pro 24H2] nor work PC [Win11 Pro 24h2] - both either at work [Personal on Guest account] or at home - both using Microsoft Edge, FireFox, or Chrome browsers. All Extensions Privacy Badger or uBlock disabled while going to this site and I cannot get past the prompt of using my former and last known phone number for the account. This is NOT an incorrect number error - I've tried that as a test.
I have NO IDEA what this Key is ??!
I've searched pictures, emails, SMS/MMS history - most came over to my Galaxy S23 when I migrated, some deleted due to a toggle delete messages over than 90 days which didn't warn me before deletion (frak!) I've since disabled that months ago.
The ONLY Recoery Key I have is longer than 28 Characters and is AlphaNumerical but I think its either for my Time Machine backup drive OR my old MBP when I had that encrypted. unfortunately this doesn't work.
The 6 digit Recovery Code that my trusted contact - my son generates is time senstive. Found that out the hard way as non of Apple's documentation online or during these steps states anything about that.
I've already texted my old phone number to see if I can get the 1 time code with no response.
I can see a new email address that popped up during one of the multiple attempts or steps I've tried franticly the past week.
Right Now I'm in a deadlock. I've talked to Apple over 3 tickets since November 2024 asking, begging, pleading simply to verify me and update my associated phone number. They NEVER even TRIED to verify me which is VERY strange they used to.
NOTE: Since that Advanced Encryption step - which my icloud is not encrypted btw, Apple Recovery step where it takes up to 31 days for Apple to be able to assist Recovery is no longer set.
So what can I do, what do I need to say to Apple to get this resolved?
I've already tried going into an Apple Store 3 months ago and almost lost it.
