Skip to main content

Released November 4, 2017. Model A1865, A1901. Available as GSM or CDMA / 64 or 256 GB / Silver or Space Gray. (Pronounced the same as "iPhone 10.")

1196 Questions View all

Is it possible to remove activation Lock by a chip swap?

I would like to know if it is possible to get around activation Lock on any iPhone by swapping any hardware components. I have seen online that there are a number of websites offering to do this through software but I don't trust them not to be scams. I did see somewhere that changing the main cpu is possible but expensive and quote tricky?

Answered! View the answer I have this problem too

Is this a good question?

Score 2
1 Comment

Thanks all, case closed on this one :-)

by

Add a comment

5 Answers

Chosen Solution

The equipment and training cost to replace ANY chip on an iPhone X motherboard can easily cost you several brand new iPhone X, this is not DIY level repair.

Also the chips have to be replaced as a set because they are encrypted to match each other, the chipset can only be taken from an intact motherboard, making this economically impossible for DIYers.

Was this answer helpful?

Score 3
Add a comment
Most Helpful Answer

You cannot “replace a few chips” to remove an iCloud lock nor can you reprogram these chips. If it was that easy, the market would be flooded with iCloud Unlocked devices and iPhone theft would be a rampant problem.

Apple has done it’s homework here and made iCloud Lock essentially impenetrable. The only known exception is when an internal Apple employee sells GSX access to unlock the device but that’s a different barrel of fish.

Essentially, the CPU/NAND/Baseband CPU and EEPROM are all tied together with a secure code. While you can reprogram the NAND, there is no such access to the CPU or Baseband CPU. Therefore, the only way to make a logic board unlocked is to transfer those IC’s from a non locked board…that’s a whole lot of work for nothing as you haven’t made anything new, you risk damaging both boards (this is a very difficult repair with low success rates) and it would have been easier to just transfer the unlocked board in the first place.

Unfortunately, in regards to iCloud locked boards, you can’t make something out of nothing.

Was this answer helpful?

Score 4
Add a comment

If you swap the motherboard only . It will

Was this answer helpful?

Score 1
Add a comment

Working on this little project now i got a fully unlocked XR board and a Fully Locked XR i have transplanted a chip at a time so far NOR and Baseband still not acting right processor next i guess! This is all i really seen on net so i thought i would update ill keep ya posted!!! Onto the CPU next

Was this answer helpful?

Score 1
Add a comment

No the iPhone 7 and above have a T2 like chip in the processor that means you would have to replace the inter PCB with a new one so challenging the cpu and the flash chips portably brining the device prematurely but I could be wrong.

Was this answer helpful?

Score 0

3 Comments:

Jordan, please make an effort to at least research a subject if your going to answer questions on subjects you don't really know or understand. Your answer is false in more than one way.

Please continue to contribute as that will make you a better fixer and writer but don't just guess at an answer.

The moderators thank you!

@mayer @oldturkey03 @danj @jayeff

by

@jordandann - Take the time to review the iPhone X Teardown as you can see this phone is more complex than the older phones. Its not a trivial task just repairing Vs trying to beat the very tight security Apple employees within it.

iCloud lock is just not defeat-able by us mere mortals! If you can hack the banking systems encryption then you can hack iCloud but as you know our banking system is very secure! The major chips inter-communicate with a very powerful encryption dialog so you can't break in and if you try you kill the chip!

by

so basically an icloud locked phone is a dead duck. Thanks for all your replies and interest guys.

by

Add a comment

Add your answer

Simon Palmer will be eternally grateful.
View Statistics:

Past 24 Hours: 2

Past 7 Days: 12

Past 30 Days: 55

All Time: 4,080