How to switch to a new AppleID without knowing the password to the current AppleID?

[paulbartell]

Welcome to my current Apple hell. What a mess.

I'm working to try and help an elderly friend, a stroke victim in a nursing home. The AppleID that his iPad and iPhone are set up on, refers to an email address that no longer exists. So simple… go in to appleid.apple.com and change the reference to a working email. Can't do that, he's forgotten the password to the AppleID. If I go to iforgot.apple.com, it will either send an email to the non-existent email address OR will allow me to answer three security questions. So the email thing is clearly not gonna work. We know the answers to the security questions but we don't know what was actually typed in at the time the account was set up. For instance, the answer to "What was your favorite of all the cars you've owned?" the answer is corvette. Now what was originally typed in may have been "1963 Stingray" instead of "corvette". Where a person could make a judgement that the answer was close enough but, of course, a program can't.

The iPad, has a "Restrictions Passcode" on it that none of us knows. (We've already blown 7 attempts at it)

So I got into the Apple Support since I have Applecare. Three times I was herded off to "Senior Advisors" because the senior advisors supposedly have the tools to deal with stuff like this. Any front-line tech support rep believes this to be true. It is not true, I've been in there 3 times, twice on the telephone… the Senior Advisors have no way to view the security questions answers that are on file. They have no authority to change the rescue email address without proper access to the AppleID record in their system.

So here I am, as far as I know, I cannot change the AppleID that the iPad and iPhone use to a brand new one without knowing the password to the current AppleID. One of the front-line techs gave me a procedure to supposedly take the iPad back to square One so I could set it up as a new machine. In principle I'd like to do this, but I'd hate to blow the photos and contacts and apps all away. I could back it up, blow it away, and then restore but I might be bringing the old(current) appleID back in during the restore.

Here's the article that I'm supposed to follow, its short and easy to follow but I've never been here before and I'd hate to do more damage than good to another person's stuff... If you can't update or restore your iOS device, its a one-pager.

Any new ideas would be GREATLY appreciated. Many Thanks!

 

[J. A.]

If you didn't yet try to answer the security questions, try at least once. See Apple's support page:

If you don't know the answers to your Apple ID security questions, try to answer them at least once. If you answer incorrectly too many times in a row, you'll be temporarily unable to access your account, but you can try to reset your questions after the waiting period ends.

That's all I know could help.
The link you posted won't help changing Apple ID or password, afaik. It could, however, help removing the passcode.

 

[KevinJS]

As far as I know, it is still possible to retrieve photographs from a locked iPad. Just plug it in to a PC/Mac and use Windows Explorer or iPhoto to do it.

 

[col.bris]

Welcome to our forum, I totally understand your dilemma and hope we can assist. First the photos. I would suggest obtaining software for your mac or PC that can transfer photos. Using iPhoto may work however you may need the password to transfer where as 3rd party applications should work. Some of these products offer free trials which would be a good way to find out. If I have time while at work over the next couple of days I will research this for you and respond back here. Once you have the Picts back up then you can proceed to restore the iPad. I understand you have contacted apple however did you go through an attempt to put in the password and or answer the questions. When you do it will bring up a window which is your code to contact apple support. I suggest you donot stress over whom talks to you at Apple it will depend on time date and location. Apple in most cases will accept a close answer to the questions as I have had customers do this and then they reset the device. So I) obtain software (cost is small) to grab the photos. 2) follow up again with Apple 3) follow their instructions to restore or take the advice from our staff here or our experience users. Hopefully the sun will shine and all will be good.

 

[col.bris]

I have found a possible solution to transfer your photos to your pc How to Copy Photos From Your iPad to Your PC

This link is authorised by me for the purpose of helping to resolve the above user's issue. After you transfer the pictures then do a full restore as a new ipad Do not restore back up. Follow the directions that Apple provided if in doubt. Please get back to us here if our solution worked.


Cheers Colin, Administrator

 

[paulbartell]

Thanks so much everyone for contributing ideas toward my solution. I've been tardy in getting back in here waiting for a couple other things to develop. Turns out the dead email address that resided at comcast.net can be transferred to another live account, my daughter has a comcast account in good standing and has begun the process of transferring the email address that the AppleID uses. So I should be able to ask for a password reset and get the email that they send out. I'm still stuck, however on the "Restrictions Passcode" with 7 strikes against me.

Colin, thanks so much for the research. I usually used iTunes for Photo transfers but wasn't aware that there were other alternatives. I'm still pondering what sort of "control" I'd want over the process beyone what iTunes gives me.

Thanks again everyone for your help. MUCH appreciated.
p

 

[col.bris]

How to switch to a new AppleID without knowing the password to the current Ap...

The so call control is about security. Think about iTunes as being your bank account with all your private stuff in the bank. I doubt if you would want that to be compromised. All it takes is to remember passwords or put them in a safe place. Not having security is like leaving your car unlocked in a shopping centre and to comeback to find your personal stuff is stolen this is why Apple's security is so good.