I Tested AnyUnlock, and It Unlocked My Secondhand iPhone

I’m an editor and software enthusiast. Last week, I put my “geek” cap on and spent the whole week testing a popular iOS Unlocker: AnyUnlock - iPhone password unlocker.

On one hand, many readers have been asking if it works; on the other hand, I had two iPhones that needed to be rescued from digital purgatory.

Based on my firsthand experience with testing AnyUnlock, I will share its key features, use cases, and limitations. By the end of the post, I’ll introduce another lightweight alternative to AnyUnlock.

Let’s dive into this all-in-one iOS unlocker and figure out whether it’s worth trying!

How I Tested AnyUnlock

Here's my testing equipment:

Test 1. I Forgot My Screen Passcode

After entering the wrong passcode several times, my iPhone was disabled.

I opened AnyUnlock on my Windows computer and connected my iPhone 11 with a USB cable. Then I clicked “Unlock Screen Passcode”.

The app detected the model automatically and downloaded the matching iOS 15.6 firmware. That was 3.2 GB, and it asked me to click Unlock Now.

As highlighted, all data would be erased. About ten minutes later, my device rebooted to the Hello screen.

It was unavoidable to take a risk of data loss, but the lock was gone. Then I signed into my iTunes to restore from a previous backup.

Test 2. Remove the Previous Owner’s Apple ID

Then I grabbed my second-hand iPhone 7, which was still tied to the previous owner’s Apple ID.

I selected the “Remove Apple ID” option. It automatically detected the iOS system. According to the note, I learned that if I didn’t turn off “Find My iPhone”, I would lose all data.

Alternatively, I could manually disable the “Find My” feature before removing the Apple ID credential. This won’t cause any data loss, and the iCloud services will be accessible again.

However, since I didn’t know the password of the linked Apple ID, I chose to unlock it while the “Find My iPhone” feature was enabled.

Following the on-screen instructions, I successfully removed the previous owner’s Apple ID from the device.

Test 3. Stuck at the “Hello” Screen with the Previous Owner’s iCloud Lock

Now, my device has been erased. When I tried to set it up and reboot into the “Hello” interface, I was stuck on the iCloud activation lock screen.

Then I turned to the “Bypass iCloud Activation Lock” mode. By following the on-screen instructions, I jailbroke my device.

After jailbreaking, I clicked the “Next” button and then the “Bypass Now” button to initiate the bypass process.

After 9 minutes, I bypassed the iCloud activation lock and landed on the Home screen. The cellular calls and iMessages refused to sign in, but Wi-Fi worked as usual.

After this, I was also unable to use iTunes, iCloud, FaceTime, and iMessage. That limitation was clearly disclosed on iMobie’s official website, so no surprises.

Test 4. School MDM, Go Away

After removing the Apple ID and bypassing the iCloud activation lock, I encountered another issue. When I tried to install and update apps from the App Store and modify certain apps’ notifications, I failed to make it.

After checking the settings, I found that the device was restricted by an MDM profile. This might be installed by the previous owner’s organization. Typically, the restriction was set to control the device for security and administrative purposes, but I cannot fully use the iPhone.

Then I chose the “Bypass MDM” mode. AnyUnlock didn’t jailbreak the device. Instead, it injected a configuration profile.

About 30 seconds later, the Remote Management screen disappeared. There was no data loss or reboot.

By removing the Apple ID, bypassing iCloud activation lock, and bypassing the MDM restrictions, I could gain better control over the device.

I had to say AnyUnlock helped me a lot when I wanted to remove the previous owner’s Apple ID without the password.

However, it’s better to disable the “Find My” feature before removing the Apple ID, or you may suffer from data loss and be stuck on the iCloud activation lock.

Upon removing the previous owner’s Apple ID, I also found that Apple has established a complete security mechanism to protect data security.

Even if you could remove the Apple ID or bypass the iCloud lock with AnyUnlock, you might face other limitations after that. For instance, you’re not supposed to reset the device as you want after bypassing the iCloud’s lock. If so, you’ll be stuck on the “iCloud activation lock” interface again.

This has nothing with AnyUnlock, but Apple’s security mechanism. Therefore, you’d better ask the previous owner to give you the Apple ID credentials and remove the Apple ID. Afterward, you can successfully sign in to your account without any restrictions.

Test 5. Remove Screen Time Password

Usually. I also like to set Screen Time on my iPhone.

The Screen Time feature is quite useful, especially when I need to manage and control how much time I or my kids spend on the device. I use it to set limits on app usage and block certain apps during specific times.

However, after setting the Screen Time restriction for a long time, I might forget the password. When I tried to adjust parental controls or manage app restrictions, I failed to make a change.

In such a scenario, I decided to use AnyUnlock’s Screen Time feature to bypass the forgotten passcode and regain control over my device.

After choosing the “Unlock Now” button, it started to back up the data on my iPhone. Thus, I didn’t need to worry about data loss.

After a few seconds, the Screen Time password was removed.

Test 6. Password Management

In case I forgot the passwords, I used AnyUnlock’s Password Manager feature to check the passwords stored on my device.

This function is quite useful as it allows me to create, save, and organize my login credentials for various apps and websites.

This feature simplifies password management, so I don’t have to remember multiple complex passwords. With strong encryption, it keeps my passwords safe and secure. I can easily retrieve them after some time.

Why I Use BuhoUnlocker as an AnyUnlock Alternative?

BuhoUnlocker provides the same core iOS unlocking features as AnyUnlock does, including removing screen passcode, Apple ID, MDM, and Screen Time.

BuhoUnlocker is more lightweight and can also meet my common iOS unlocking needs, so I prefer to use it as an alternative to AnyUnlock.

More importantly, BuhoUnlocker has an evident price advantage over AnyUnlock. BuhoUnlocker’s full toolkit lifetime license costs less than a single 3-month feature of AnyUnlock. Meanwhile, it covers more devices than AnyUnlock does.

Conclusion

In my view, AnyUnlock is one of the most comprehensive all-in-one iOS unlocking solutions in the market. From removing locks to managing passwords, it can meet most Apple users’ unlocking needs. However, its price is also higher than many iOS Unlockers. Thus, I prefer to use a more lightweight toolkit - BuhoUnlocker when I don't rely too much on the extra features like password manager and iTunes backup decryption.