A common challenge we face when checking out our customer laptops is Apple's "Authorization" protocols. In nearly all cases, these security safeguards can only be removed by the registered or original owner of a computer. These protocols are in place for your protection in examples such as the application "Find My Mac", but can pose a problem during inspection or for a new owner.

Additionally, we strongly recommend backing up any product keys and following the deauthorization procedures for other software vendors. This can include vendors such as Adobe, Microsoft, Avid, or any other software associated with limited license use. Please contact the appropriate vendor if you are not certain on how to transfer your licenses.

We recommend beginning the deauthorization process within your iTunes. You will be able to navigate to the iTunes menu option "Store", and find the "Deauthorize This Computer" command. Once you have confirmed the prompts, and entered your Apple ID and password, Apple will proceed with the deauthorization and the rights to any music, apps, or other downloaded content will be released back to your account for use on another device.

Next, if you have registered your device in the "Find My Mac" application, open System Preferences, then open iCloud, from there you should find the "Find My Mac" checkbox. Please make sure the "Find My Mac" checkbox is UNCHECKED.

If you would prefer to leave the location tracking service provided by "Find My Mac" intact during shipping, we encourage you to do so. However, once the package is delivered to our facility our process will require that the device is removed from the application. This can be done simply by logging into iCloud (www.icloud.com), opening the application, and clicking the "Devices" button in the top left corner. From the drop-down menu, find your device and click the "X" to the right of the device title. Once the device is cleared, we can proceed with the full inspection, and ownership can be fully transferred to a new owner.

With the laptop completely deauthorized, the speed of processing will be optimized, and we can issue payment with an absolute minimum of time at our facility.

If you have any questions regarding this process, please call us at 1-800-Gazelle or use our Ask a Question form. We're happy to help!