An important feature of Apple is Activation Lock for Apple devices. This ensures that no one else can use your iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple Watch if it is lost or stolen. Apple has expanded this to iPhone components with effect from iOS 18.
Activation Lock turns on automatically when you turn on Find My on your device and protects the device with your Apple Account. You can only cancel the blocking if you have the password. This is now also the case for parts, we explain how it works.
Activation lock for Apple devices
When you use an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch or Mac, it is advisable to immediately activate Find My Device. In most cases, this is done automatically when you log in with your Apple Account.
Activation Lock for Apple devices is a security feature that prevents a device from being used or erased by strangers without permission. The function is designed in such a way that adjusting the device is not possible even if it is lost or stolen.
Even after recovery, the device can only be unlocked using the owner’s account information. This means that only the owner can use it. You can read exactly how the activation lock works in the highlighted manual below.
Activation lock for iPhone parts
Apple has taken several steps in recent years to discourage theft of Apple products. Activation lock is one of them, but it also provides extra protection for stolen device. This last function makes it possible, among other things, to activate delays when changing components or security options.
From iOS 18, Apple will go a step further and iPhone components will also be linked to the owner. When an item is removed from an iPhone and put into another iPhone, the item is locked and only the owner can unlock it.
Parts secured
Starting with iOS 18, Apple expanded the Activation Lock feature to iPhone parts to prevent stolen iPhones from being disassembled for parts. The feature is designed to reduce iPhone theft by preventing a lost or stolen iPhone from being used for spare parts.
If a (repaired) device detects that a supported component was obtained from another device with Activation Lock or Lost Mode enabled, the capabilities for that component will be limited.
For example, if an iPhone contains a battery, camera or screen from a stolen iPhone, the device in question will block this part. Only the owner of the item can unblock it by logging in with Apple Account and security codes.
This has made it almost impossible to use parts from stolen Apple devices. It is expected that Apple will also expand this in the coming period to parts of other Apple products such as iPad, Mac and Apple Watch.