Bypass MDM on iPad 2 Using 3uTools

Several years ago, I purchased a used iPad 2. After I got home, I did a reset on it. When it booted up and tried to activate the iPad, it stated that the iPad was managed and asked me for a username and password as part of “Remote Management”. This was a problem because I did not have such a username and password.

I found out that this remote management login was a part of Mobile Device Management (MDM). It was a function which allows schools and businesses to remotely manage mobile devices such as iPads and iPhones.

Thankfully, unlike an iCloud activation lock, the MDM could be bypassed by using a free utility such as 3uTools.

Note: The instructions below are based upon note fragments and my memory, so the steps may not be totally accurate. However, the gist should allow for success.

I did the following steps to bypass MDM on a Windows 7 computer:

1. Download and install 3uTools.
2. Connect the iPad to the computer.
3. Run 3uTools. The iDevice tab should be selected and the information for the iPad should be shown.
   • The most important field is named “Activated” and its value is “No”. Our goal is to change the Activated state to Yes.
4. Click on the “Flash & JB” tab at the top.
5. On the left, check both “Auto-activate iDevice after connection” and “Skip the setup wizard when activated”.
6. Click back to the iDevice tab.
7. Click on the “Activate Now” link next to the “Activated” field.

After the above, when the iPad reboots, the activation should successfully completed without showing the MDM login screen.

I think the MDM might have been removed from the iPad, instead of only being bypassed. I did not test by resetting the iPad to see if the MDM login screen would appear again.