Nightmarish opening iPAD account

[vifra]

I am in Canada. A US relative gave as on oldish iPAD Air at least 5 years ago. It is already set up, with the internet , but we hardly ever used the device.
We would like to use it now as a backup device. It shows a Safari app on it, but we can't open it. Besides, we want to have Chrome on it.
I understand we have to go to the App Store to get it, but they ask for the Apple ID. I suppose our relative had one, but she passed away.
Since it is impossible to retrieve the previous account, I thought of setting up a new account, but we hit a brick wall because both my e-mail and my wife's account come back as invalid or already in use or unavailable.
We have searched the Web for clues, including connecting it to our PC. the iPad show as connected under My PC and we are supposed to get a prompt for opening an account. There is none. When we click on the iPAD icon , I only get storage access with various jpg photos. Can anybody help?

Thanks

Franco

 

[scifan57]

Since the iPad is connected to your deceased relative’s Apple ID and account and since you have no idea of the password connected with her Apple account, there is unfortunately no way to restore the iPad and add it to your own Apple ID and account. This also means that you have no access to the App Store on that iPad and can’t download any apps.

 

[giradman]

Hello and welcome to the forum - I'd agree with Scifan.. - you likely have a 'brick' (please recycle) - but I did a ChatGPT inquiry (attached) which goes into much detail for your situation - since you do not know the passcode to the iPad, a restoration or DFU might be worth a try (details are given in the PDF file) - BUT, if the Activation lock is still present, a setup of the 'restored' iPad will not be possible - then you have to deal with Apple and I doubt you have the documentation to make them happy? You might want to provide us a model number (on bottom back - need some magnification). Good luck - Dave
.

 

[vifra]

Thanks,
I am looking at your attachment. However by pressing and holding the top Home button and the side button, the is no Recovery mode screen.

We cannot understand why we are required to provide an Apple ID, because my wife is sure that her sister had cleaned all her personal data. She must have erased her account and App ID, as well, or she wouldn't have been able to use the iPAD for financial information on various US companies, presumably with Safari, which is included in the iPad.) as she is doing Stock Exchange transactions on the Web. Now Safari cannot be opened and she is required to provide the Apple ID for access to.the App Store.

In the meantime, I have tentatively downloaded the UnlockGo app. By selecting the option " unlock iCloud activation lock" as a 1st step, I have downloaded the jailbreak tool. There is supposed to be a iTunes driver installation. It fails and I cannot proceed with the "NEXT' button.
Thanks

Franco

 

[giradman]

Thanks. I am looking at your attachment. By pressing and holding the top Home button and the side button, the is no Recovery mode screen.
In the meantime, I have tentatively downloaded the UnlockGo app. By selecting the option " unlock iCloud activation lock" as a 1st step, I have downloaded the jailbreak tool. There is supposed to be a iTunes driver installation. It fails and I cannot proceed with the "NEXT' button. Any suggestions?
Thanks

Franco

Well, below is another Google AI search - you need to attached the iPad to your PC computer and use iTunes (update to the newest version) as described below - Dave
.

 

[J. A.]

Sites that promise to unlock an iPad/iPhone and remove iCloud‘s Activation Lock will most likely brick the device. It‘s not possible to remove an iCloud account from an iDevice without the iCloud email and password. Even recovery mode won‘t help here.
Apple might be able to help, if you can prove that you are the owner. In that case, visit the next Apple Store.

 

[vifra]

Well, below is another Google AI search - you need to attached the iPad to your PC computer and use iTunes (update to the newest version) as described below - Dave
.
View attachment 106588

 

[vifra]

Great and thank you so much. . I was able to restore my iPAD and open a new Apple account as well as use the iPAD Safari for web searches. Now how can I import the Windows 11 Favorites from Ms Edge or Google into the iPAD Safari? I searched the Web, but it is not clear.

Thank yo

Franco V.

 

[twerppoet]

I tried using ChatGPT t6o find this answer. It sounds about right to me, but the only method I've used is the last one, using iCloud Sync on my Windows 11 machine. Even there, I was more concerned with getting my Safari favorites to Edge on the Windows machine, the opposite of what you are doing.

Here's Apples page on the sync software:
Download iCloud for Windows - Apple Support

If you use the sync method, I recommend you export your favorites from Edge first and save the file. That way if something goes wrong and the favorites get overwritten, you can re-import the file to Edge to recover your favorites.

-------------

Since Microsoft Edge and Safari don’t directly sync, you’ll need to transfer your favorites using an intermediary step, usually exporting from Edge and importing via iCloud or a compatible browser.

Step 1: Export Favorites from Microsoft Edge (on Windows 11)

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Click the three dots (⋯) in the upper-right corner → choose Favorites → then click the three-dot menu in the Favorites menu.
3. Select “Export favorites.”
4. Choose a location to save the file (it will be an .html file, such as Favorites.html).

Step 2: Get that file into Safari on your iPad

Safari on iPad can import bookmarks only through iCloud syncing or from a desktop Safari installation. You have two main options:

Option A: Use Safari on a Mac (best if you have one)

1. Transfer your Favorites.html file from your Windows PC to your Mac (via AirDrop, email, or USB).
2. On your Mac, open Safari → from the File menu, choose “Import From → Bookmarks HTML File.”
3. Select the file you exported from Edge.
4. Make sure iCloud Safari sync is turned on (System Settings → Apple ID → iCloud → Safari).
5. Your bookmarks will then sync automatically to Safari on your iPad.

Option B: Use Chrome as a bridge (if you don’t have a Mac)

On your Windows 11 PC, open Chrome (install it if necessary).

1. Go to chrome://bookmarks → menu (⋮) → “Import Bookmarks” → choose your Edge-exported .html file.
2. Sign into Chrome with your Google account and let it sync bookmarks.
3. On your iPad, install Google Chrome and sign in with the same Google account. Your bookmarks will appear.
   (You can open those links in Safari as needed, but this won’t permanently import them into Safari.)

* Optional: Use iCloud for Windows (if you don’t have a Mac

1. Install iCloud for Windows from the Microsoft Store.
2. Sign in with your Apple ID.
3. In iCloud settings, check “Bookmarks” and choose to sync with Edge (or Chrome).
4. Let it sync. Your Edge bookmarks will then appear in Safari on your iPad once syncing completes.

 

[vifra]

I tried using ChatGPT t6o find this answer. It sounds about right to me, but the only method I've used is the last one, using iCloud Sync on my Windows 11 machine. Even there, I was more concerned with getting my Safari favorites to Edge on the Windows machine, the opposite of what you are doing.

Here's Apples page on the sync software:
Download iCloud for Windows - Apple Support

If you use the sync method, I recommend you export your favorites from Edge first and save the file. That way if something goes wrong and the favorites get overwritten, you can re-import the file to Edge to recover your favorites.

-------------

Since Microsoft Edge and Safari don’t directly sync, you’ll need to transfer your favorites using an intermediary step, usually exporting from Edge and importing via iCloud or a compatible browser.

Step 1: Export Favorites from Microsoft Edge (on Windows 11)

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Click the three dots (⋯) in the upper-right corner → choose Favorites → then click the three-dot menu in the Favorites menu.
3. Select “Export favorites.”
4. Choose a location to save the file (it will be an .html file, such as Favorites.html).

Step 2: Get that file into Safari on your iPad

Safari on iPad can import bookmarks only through iCloud syncing or from a desktop Safari installation. You have two main options:

Option A: Use Safari on a Mac (best if you have one)

1. Transfer your Favorites.html file from your Windows PC to your Mac (via AirDrop, email, or USB).
2. On your Mac, open Safari → from the File menu, choose “Import From → Bookmarks HTML File.”
3. Select the file you exported from Edge.
4. Make sure iCloud Safari sync is turned on (System Settings → Apple ID → iCloud → Safari).
5. Your bookmarks will then sync automatically to Safari on your iPad.

Option B: Use Chrome as a bridge (if you don’t have a Mac)

On your Windows 11 PC, open Chrome (install it if necessary).

1. Go to chrome://bookmarks → menu (⋮) → “Import Bookmarks” → choose your Edge-exported .html file.
2. Sign into Chrome with your Google account and let it sync bookmarks.
3. On your iPad, install Google Chrome and sign in with the same Google account. Your bookmarks will appear.
   (You can open those links in Safari as needed, but this won’t permanently import them into Safari.)

* Optional: Use iCloud for Windows (if you don’t have a Mac

1. Install iCloud for Windows from the Microsoft Store.
2. Sign in with your Apple ID.
3. In iCloud settings, check “Bookmarks” and choose to sync with Edge (or Chrome).
4. Let it sync. Your Edge bookmarks will then appear in Safari on your iPad once syncing completes.

Thanks

Ref Option B via Google.
To import my Google Bookmarks from the PC to Google on iPAD, I'd have to install Google on the iPAD. But how can I do it? This is where I get stuck.
I have logged in on Apple Store with my Apple ID . I searched for Google Chrome, I pressed on the GET tab. I expected Chrome to download and install, but nothing happens.

The closest work around I could find is to transfer the Bookmarks html folder file from Windows 11 PC to the iCLOUD and click on the selected bookmark . This way the bookmark opens in Safari, but it involves an extra step. It would be faster if I could install Google Chrome on iPAD. This way my Favorites would open directly on Chrome, but it doesn't seem to work. Why isn't the Safari on Ipad like a regular browser, with all the standard features( bookmarks, history etc.?) Any suggestions ?

Thaks

Franco

 

[LannyC]

Why isn't the Safari on Ipad like a regular browser, with all the standard features( bookmarks, history etc.?)

It is. Tap the sidebar icon in the upper-left corner of a Safari screen. You’ll see Bookmarks and History, among other things.

FYI, unless Apple changed its rules recently, all iPad browsers are Safari underneath, with different cosmetics. To my mind, there’s no point in using anything else, unless you enjoy bugs.