Activation Lock helps keep your Mac secure, even if it's 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
- Choose Apple menu > System Settings.
- Click your name (Apple ID) in the sidebar.
- Click iCloud on the right.
- Scroll down and turn on Find My Mac.
macOS Monterey or earlier
- Choose Apple menu > System Preferences.
- Click Apple ID.
- Click iCloud in the sidebar.
- Select the Find My Mac checkbox on the right.
How to disable Activation Lock
To disable Activation Lock, turn off Find My Mac.
macOS Ventura or later
- Choose Apple menu > System Settings.
- Click your name (Apple ID) in the sidebar.
- Click iCloud on the right.
- Scroll down and turn off Find My Mac, then enter your Apple ID password when prompted.
macOS Monterey or earlier
- Choose Apple menu > System Preferences.
- Click Apple ID.
- Click iCloud in the sidebar.
- Deselect the Find My Mac checkbox on the right, then enter your Apple ID password when prompted.
Other ways to disable Activation Lock
- If you don't have access to your Mac or the settings above, use a web browser on another device to remove Activation Lock on the web.
- Activation Lock is disabled when you use the Erase All Content and Settings feature.
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.
System requirements for Activation Lock
Activation Lock is available on Mac computers with Apple silicon or the Apple T2 Security Chip. Additional requirements:
- macOS Catalina or later
- Two-factor authentication for Apple ID
- On a Mac with Apple silicon, the security policy must be set to Full Security, the default setting.
- On a Mac with the T2 chip, startup security must be set to Secure Boot and “Disallow booting from external media", the default settings.