Activation Lock for Mac

Activation Lock is designed to prevent others from using your Mac if it's lost or stolen.

Activation Lock helps keep your Mac secure, even if your Mac is lost or stolen, and can improve your chances of recovering it. With Activation Lock, your Apple ID password or device passcode is required before anyone can turn off Find My, erase your Mac, or reactivate and use your Mac. Even if you erase your Mac remotely, Activation Lock can continue to deter others from reactivating your Mac without your permission. All you need to do is keep Find My turned on and remember your Apple ID and password.

How to enable Activation Lock

If your Mac meets the Activation Lock system requirements, just turn on Find My to enable Activation Lock. It remains enabled as long as you keep Find My turned on. Learn more about Find My.

macOS Ventura or later

  1. Choose Apple menu  > System Settings.

  2. Click your name (Apple ID) in the sidebar.

  3. Click iCloud on the right.

  4. Click the Show More Apps button (or Show All button) on the right, then click Find My Mac and turn it on.

Earlier versions of macOS

  1. Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences.

  2. Click Apple ID.

  3. Click iCloud in the sidebar.

  4. Select the Find My Mac checkbox on the right.

How to disable Activation Lock

To disable Activation Lock, turn off Find My. If you can't use these steps to turn off Find My, you can either remove Activation Lock on the web or use the Erase All Content and Settings feature to erase your Mac and reset it to factory settings.

If your previously owned Mac shows an Activation Lock window that asks for someone else's Apple ID, the previous owner may need to remove Activation Lock for you.

macOS Ventura or later

  1. Choose Apple menu  > System Settings.

  2. Click your name (Apple ID) in the sidebar.

  3. Click iCloud on the right.

  4. Scroll down and turn off Find My Mac, then enter your Apple ID password when prompted.

  5. Click the Show More Apps button (or Show All button) on the right, then click Find My Mac and turn it off. Enter your Apple ID password when prompted.

Earlier versions of macOS

  1. Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences.

  2. Click Apple ID.

  3. Click iCloud in the sidebar.

  4. Deselect the Find My Mac checkbox on the right, then enter your Apple ID password when prompted.

System requirements for Activation Lock

Activation Lock is available on Mac computers with Apple silicon and Mac computers with the Apple T2 Security Chip. Additional requirements:

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