Tenorshare 4uKey is a simple tool you can use to access your iPhone or iPad in case of a forgotten passcode, iCloud Activation Lock, or lost Apple Account. It’s available for Windows PC and Mac and offers easy-to-follow on-screen instructions.
In addition to unlocking iPhones/iPads, Tenorshare has solutions for system repair, backup, PDF editing, and more.
In this Tenorshare 4uKey review, I’ll explore its features to determine if it’s worth using to unlock your iPhone or iPad if you’ve lost access to your Apple Account.
Features
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Unlock iPhone/iPad screen locks, including passcode, Face ID, and Touch ID
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Remove iCloud Activation Locks of pre-owned devices
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Bypass MDM without needing a passcode
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Remove/sign out of Apple Accounts without losing data
4uKey Pros
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User-friendly quick unlocking
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Supports a wide range of iOS and iPadOS versions
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Clear display of the risks, if any
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Smooth operation on both Windows and Mac systems
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Free upgrades and technical support with paid plans
4uKey Cons
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Removing iCloud Activation Lock jailbreaks, making devices less secure
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Possibility of data loss in some cases
Disclaimer: This review and troubleshooting process listed herewith is meant for legitimate owners of the devices. Geekflare does not support illegal use of Tenorshare 4uKey.
Tenorshare 4uKey is a one-click iPhone and iPad unlocker that helps in case you lose access to your Apple Account (formerly known as Apple ID). Although there are other ways, including contacting Apple, to take back control of your device, 4uKey offers an effortless way to do it.
However, every shortcut has some limitations, which applies here as well. I have discussed those “limits” in the following sections, and 4uKey troubleshooting screens also list out those “side-effects”.
Tenorshare 4uKey primary strengths lie in providing access to your iPhone, where you’ve lost credentials, such as screen lock passcode and Apple ID passwords. I have covered its use cases in the following sections, detailing their suitability for the specific conditions.
1. Unlock Passcode
Tenorshare has a few steps process to unlock your iPhone if you’ve forgotten the passcode. This method works on all possible iPhone-supported screen locks, including numeric passcodes, Touch ID, and Face ID.
It downloads a matching firmware before updating the device to the latest OS available from Apple.
Please note that this process will erase all the iPhone data, and you need to have an iCloud backup to restore it, or you’ll have to start afresh.
2. Remove Apple Account (formerly Apple ID)
You can bank on Tenorshare 4uKey to remove a “redundant” (~ lost password) Apple Account from your iPhone.
This will delete the data based on whether you have Find My turned off or on, as well as the iOS version. For instance, users with iOS 11.4 and later and an active Find My will lose the data. However, anyone with Find My switched Off will retain the data as-is.
The best part is you need not worry as it will indicate specific repercussions before proceeding.
However, there are a few limitations to this process, as you can see in the preceding screenshot. For instance, you can’t factory reset, or it will lock the phone with the original Apple ID.
3. Bypass MDM
Mobile Device Management, a.k.a MDM, is the process to enforce organizational policies on the subject devices. Based on the requirements, an admin can limit the device’s (iPhones and iPads, in this case) capability to remotely manage crucial aspects, including software updates, new installs, phone locks, and remote wipes.
Tenorshare 4uKey’s “Bypass MDM” is your savior in case of locked self-owned devices that aren’t part of the organization anymore or for pre-owned devices still under remote control.
Owing to Apple’s security policies, this procedure isn’t without constraints. As indicated in the previous image, restoring from iCloud backup is never a good idea afterward, as it can put the device back under MDM policies. Alternatively, you should restore the local backup and change its password.
4. Remove iCloud Activation Lock
Removing iCloud activation is another saving grace if you purchase a locked pre-owned device and can’t contact the original owner anymore.
Prior to this, the device enters DFU (Device Firmware Upgrade) mode automatically and provides manual instructions if it fails. Once “Jail-broken”, Tenorshare 4uKey continues to remove the iCloud Activation Lock on its own.
Disclaimer: You should know that this involves jailbreaking, which Apple does not recommend at all. So, a better way to do this is by contacting the owner who can assist with a much smoother, Apple-recommeded way of transferring device ownership.
Tenorshare 4uKey is for users who have lost partial or complete access to their iPhones. This includes anyone forgetting their screen passcode and Apple Account credentials. It’s also handy in cases of iCloud activation lock and if you’ve lost the screen time passcode (which you can’t reset in the absence of an Apple Account password).
Most importantly, 4uKey is aimed at users who don’t want to wait to contact Apple to regain device access.
That said, you should note tools such as Tenorshare 4uKey aren’t without caveats. Most of the things you do with 4uKey clamp you down in some way or the other. For instance, you can’t use iTunes to update your iPhone after removing a “lost” Apple ID. This makes contacting Apple directly the best option, especially if you have a brand-new top-of-the-line device.
Here are some scenarios in which this software can be extremely handy.
↳ You’ve Bought a Locked Second-Hand Device
If you’re in this situation, my apologies because it’s never good to struggle with something you’ve spent money on. Not to sound dramatic, but it’s almost like you spent money to give yourself a bucket of stress.
However, there’s always a solution to problems. If you’ve bought a second-hand iPhone or iPad and you realize it has the previous owner’s Apple ID in place, you can use Tenorshare 4uKey to bypass the Apple ID and activate it with your credentials.
This way, you can start from scratch without any trace of the previous owner. Of course, you also get to enjoy all the device’s features.
↳ You Forgot Your Passcode
This is probably the elephant in the room because it’s so obvious, and I guess most of us have experienced this. It’s never a good feeling when you forget your passcode because you don’t know whether to blame it on your memory or your daring self for setting a difficult passcode in the first place.
If you enter the wrong passcode too many times, your iOS device will be disabled and will ask you to restore it via iTunes.
If you don’t want to do that, you can use 4uKey to bypass it and skip the restoration process through iTunes to have a functioning device again.
The best part? It’s only a matter of a few minutes.
↳ You’re a Developer
Being a developer or a tech enthusiast, it’s always important to put things to the test, and one area you would want to put under the hammer is iOS security. We all know how good the security of Apple devices is already, but it doesn’t hurt to put it to the test.
Using Tenorshare 4uKey, you can identify the vulnerabilities of iOS and the areas that can be bypassed easily.
Despite what you’ve read so far, you don’t have to believe me at all. Instead, you can download Tenorshare 4uKey for free and test everything yourself. That’s the best way of getting a firsthand experience of all the features.
If you want to extend your license, you can look into their paid plans, which start at just $35.95.
To download the tool, simply head to their homepage and click the Free Download button.
Once you’ve downloaded it on your system, go ahead and install it using the provided installer.
You should see the application appear on your desktop or in your applications folder. Next, open it and choose one of the options given on the start screen.
After you’ve chosen your desired purpose for using the tool, it’d ask you to connect your device to your computer/laptop. As you can see below, I’ve connected my iPhone. I’ve chosen the Remove Apple ID option, so now I’ll click on Start Remove.
Once you press the Start Remove button, the tool will immediately start removing the Apple ID. You just need to make sure the device doesn’t get disconnected, or you don’t close the program.
The process will take a few seconds, and then you’ll see a screen like this:
This confirms that the Apple ID from your device has been removed, and you can start afresh with a new one.
You can try the following tools if Tenorshare 4uKey isn’t able to meet your requirements.
- FoneGeek: This can help you eliminate screen locks, Apple IDs, and MDM locks.
- AnyUnlock: Similar to its peers, AnyUnlock claims to unlock screen locks, bypass MDM, unlock Apple ID, and bypass iCloud activation lock. However, it has a few more tricks too. For instance, it can tell the Apple Account linked to an iPhone, export passwords, and try to recover iTunes backup password.
- Dr.Fone: This Wondershare offering lets you remove Apple ID, MDM locks, SIM locks, iTunes Backup Encryption, and screen time passcode.
Explore more iPhone unlocker tools.
Although you can download and demo 4uKey for free, its actual unlocking only works when you’ve one of the below-listed subscriptions.
- Monthly: $35.95
- Yearly: $55.95
- Lifetime: $75.95
Except for the durations and the pricing, all the plans share a similar feature set. The license remains valid for one PC and five mobile devices. You get free upgrades and technical support during the subscription period.
The ideal Tenorshare 4uKey user is one who deals with a lot of iPhones, especially pre-owned ones. You might have a family where everyone or most own an Apple mobile device and frequently forget passwords. While the best way is to contact Apple to recover access, tools such as Tenorshare 4uKey make their case with a hassle-free process.
However, you must read the terms on every screen while you’re at it, as every process has some conditions (that I have already discussed in the previous sections).
Overall, Tenorshare 4uKey receives the Geekflare Value Award for its ease of use, versatility, and transparency—all at an affordable price. It provides a quick and easy solution to gain access to your Apple devices, and notifies you of the risks associated with each process.
You can download Tenorshare 4ukey for free to check the interface and everything else before paying and proceeding with the device unlocking.