Your second-hand Mac asks for someone else's Apple Account

Why it happens

Find My links a Mac to its owner's Apple Account with Activation Lock, so a stolen Mac is useless to a thief. If the seller didn't remove the Mac from their account before selling it, the lock stays on. It isn't a fault, and there's no setting on the Mac that gets around it.

How to fix it

1. Get in touch with the seller and tell them the Mac is still on their Apple Account.

2. Ask them to sign in at iCloud.com/find on any computer or phone, choose this Mac from their devices and click Remove. They don't need the Mac with them.

   iCloud.com/find (previous owner's account)›Remove

3. If the seller has another Mac, they can do the same in the Find My app there: select this Mac in their devices and choose Remove This Device.

4. Connect the Mac to the internet and restart it, so it can check with Apple that the lock is gone.

5. Once it's released, erase the Mac and set it up as your own. If it starts up to a desktop, use General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings.

   macOS 26 Tahoe General›Transfer or Reset›Erase All Content and Settings

   macOS 27 Golden Gate General›Transfer or Reset›Erase All Content and Settings…

On macOS 27 the erase button reads Erase All Content and Settings… with dots. Everything else is the same.

Still not fixed?

1. If the seller is with you, they can type their Apple Account password on the Mac's Activation Lock screen instead.

2. A Remote Management screen is something else: a company or school manages the Mac. Ask the seller or that organisation to release it.

3. Be wary of anyone who offers to bypass Activation Lock for a fee. Only the owner or Apple can remove it.

4. If you can't reach the seller, find your proof of purchase, ideally a receipt that shows the Mac's serial number. Then start an Activation Lock support request with Apple Support, who decide whether they can remove it.