Can't remove Apple ID from some iPads

Good morning,

I bought some iPads for the Square Registers at my restaurant at a school auction. The school was being chartered and by another school district and they were selling all the previous school's electronic devices at super discounted prices. I bought four 5th generation iPads. The principal did tell me beforehand that they were being sold AS IS so I was certainly aware but I thought I could figure it out. I need to figure out how I can download the Square app to these iPads but the school's name is still on the Apple ID. Even when I factory restore it the school name remains. It doesn't allow me to download anything from the app store. I only need to use the iPads for Square. Is there any work around?

Note: They have NO ACCESS to the the previous school's IT systems. So they can't remove passwords, they have no access to any Apple IDs, etc.

If the iPad show an activation lock & the other school cannot remember the log in details to remove them from the account then there’s nothing which can be done. Apple certainly will not help.

You can completely reset the iPad without the Apple ID login information, but it needs to be placed into Recovery Mode on a computer running a "trusted" iTunes installation. So basically a computer with iTunes installed that it has been connected to previously.

If that isn't possible, and the Apple account info is not obtainable, then as mentioned above, you unfortunately have yourself some fancy paper weights.

Edited by C0bra, 06 September 2022 - 12:49 PM.

1. On a computer or another device, go to appleid.apple.com and click "Create Your Apple ID."
2. Follow the prompts to create a new Apple ID. You'll need to provide an email address, password, and some personal information.
3. On the iPads, go to Settings > App Store.
4. Tap on the Apple ID and sign out of the previous school's Apple ID.
5. Sign in with the new Apple ID you just created.
6. Go to the App Store and download the Square app.