Key points
- You can only find an iPhone using the Find My app if you turned on Find My iPhone before you lost it.
- With the Find My network active, a compatible iPhone can be located for up to 24 hours after it has been turned off.
- Lost Mode locks the iPhone with the passcode and suspends the cards and passes in Apple Pay.
- If the iPhone was stolen, mark it as lost at icloud.com/find and do not remove it from the Find My app.
In this article
- Turn on Find My iPhone before you lose it
- Turn on Stolen Device Protection
- How to locate your iPhone on another Apple device
- Play a sound
- Lost Mode
- Erase iPhone
- How to locate iPhone on icloud.com/find
- How to locate an iPhone that is switched off or has a flat battery
- If Find My was not turned on
- How to prepare your iPhone before selling it
- Frequently asked questions
- Can I locate an iPhone without an internet connection?
- How long can I locate an iPhone that is turned off?
- What should I do if I find a lost iPhone?
- Can the police help recover a stolen iPhone?
- Conclusion
Turn on Find My iPhone before you lose it
Do this while you still have the iPhone with you. If Find My is not active when you lose it, the iPhone will not appear in the Find My app and you will not be able to mark it as lost or erase it remotely.
- Open Settings > [your name] > Find My.
- Tap "Find My iPhone" and turn on "Find My iPhone".
- Turn on the "Find My network". With it, the Find My app locates the iPhone even when it is offline, without Wi-Fi or mobile network.
- Turn on "Send Last Location". When the battery reaches a critically low level, the iPhone sends its location to Apple.
The Find My network brings together more than a billion Apple devices. They use Bluetooth to detect lost devices and report the approximate location to the owner. The information is anonymous and encrypted.
When you turn on Find My, you also turn on Activation Lock. Without your Apple Account password, no one can turn off Find My, erase the iPhone or reactivate it.
Turn on Stolen Device Protection
With iOS 17.3 or later, Stolen Device Protection adds a layer of security when the iPhone is away from familiar locations, such as home or work. Outside those locations, certain actions require Face ID or Touch ID, with no passcode fallback. These include turning off Lost Mode and erasing all content and settings. To change your Apple Account password, you must also wait an hour and authenticate again.
- Open Settings > Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode) and enter the passcode.
- Tap "Stolen Device Protection" and turn the option on.
To use it you need two-factor authentication on your Apple Account, a passcode, Face ID or Touch ID, and the Find My app turned on. It may already be on by default.
How to locate your iPhone on another Apple device
Use an iPad, a Mac or another iPhone signed in to your Apple Account. If you are part of a Family Sharing group, the iPhone also appears in your family members' Find My app.
- Open the Find My app.
- Tap "Devices" and then the name of the lost iPhone.
- View the location on the map. To get directions, tap "Directions" and the Maps app will show the route.
- Choose what to do: play a sound, turn on Lost Mode or erase the iPhone.
Play a sound
Use this when the iPhone is nearby, on the sofa, in the car or in the office. Tap "Play". The sound starts after a short delay, gradually increases in volume and plays for about two minutes, even if Silent mode is on or the volume is turned down. If the iPhone is offline, you will see "Sound pending" and the sound will play when it next connects to a Wi-Fi or mobile network.
Lost Mode
Lost Mode locks the iPhone with your passcode and suspends payment cards and passes in Apple Pay. The iPhone stops displaying alerts and making sounds for messages, notifications and alarms, but it can still receive phone calls and FaceTime calls. You will receive a confirmation email at your Apple Account email address.
- In the Find My app, tap "Devices" and then the name of the iPhone.
- Tap the More button, scroll down to the Lost Device section and tap "Lost Mode".
- Follow the onscreen instructions and tap "Activate".
You can display a message and a phone number on the Lock Screen so that anyone who finds the iPhone can contact you. Only do this if you have lost the iPhone. If it was stolen, do not add your contact details: the thief could use them to deceive you.
With Lost Mode active, you see the iPhone’s current location and location changes on the map. If the iPhone is offline when you mark it as lost, you see ‘Pending’ until it comes back online.
Erase iPhone
Erases all content on the iPhone remotely. Use this option only after you have tried everything else, because it cannot be undone. In the Find My app, tap the More button and choose ‘Erase This Device’. With iOS 15 or later, you can still locate the iPhone in the Find My app after erasing it. If it is offline, the iPhone is erased the next time it comes online.
Do not remove the iPhone from the Find My app, even after erasing it. Removing it turns off Activation Lock, making it easier for a thief to resell it.
How to locate iPhone on icloud.com/find
Without another Apple device, use a computer browser or another phone:
- Open icloud.com/find and sign in with your Apple Account.
- In "All devices", select the iPhone.
- View the location on the map.
- Choose "Play a sound" or "Mark as lost", or erase the iPhone.
You don't need a confirmation code to sign in to icloud.com/find. You can then mark the iPhone as lost even if the device where you receive the codes has gone missing. If you are asked for a code, choose the "Find Devices" button.
How to locate an iPhone that is switched off or has a flat battery
On a compatible iPhone with the Find My network active, you can locate it for up to 24 hours after it has been turned off, or for a maximum of 5 hours in Low Power Mode. Nearby Apple devices detect the iPhone via Bluetooth and report its approximate location, which you can see in the Find My app.
When the app cannot show the current location, for example because the iPhone has run out of battery:
- The Find My app shows the last known location for up to 7 days.
- If more than 7 days have passed since the last location was sent, the app shows "No location found". In Notifications, turn on "Notify When Found" to receive an alert when the iPhone is located.
- With "Send Last Location" turned on, the iPhone attempts to send its location even before it needs charging. On icloud.com, these locations remain visible for up to 24 hours.
If Find My was not turned on
If you did not turn on Find My before losing the iPhone, it will not appear in the Find My app or on icloud.com/find. You cannot mark it as lost or erase it remotely. In that case:
- Change your Apple Account password to protect your information.
- Report the loss or theft to the local authorities. You may be asked for the iPhone's serial number, which you can find without the phone: on the original packaging or at account.apple.com in the Devices section.
- Contact your network provider to report the loss or theft and ask them to suspend your account.
Beware of scams: Apple will never contact you to say your iPhone has been found. Do not share your iPhone passcode, passwords or verification codes with anyone who asks for them.
How to prepare your iPhone before selling it
Before selling, giving away or trading in your iPhone, erase it. When you erase an iPhone with Find My active, Activation Lock is removed and the iPhone is ready for the new owner.
- Make a backup.
- If you have a paired Apple Watch, unpair it.
- If you have Stolen Device Protection turned on, turn it off.
- Open Settings > [your name], scroll down and tap "Sign Out".
- Open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone and tap "Erase All Content and Settings". If prompted, enter your Apple Account password.
A used iPhone is only ready when, upon turning it on, the welcome screen appears. If the "iPhone Locked to Owner" screen appears, or if the previous owner's Apple Account details are requested, the iPhone remains linked to that account and the buyer should not use it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I locate an iPhone without an internet connection?
Yes, if you have activated the Find My network. When the iPhone is offline, without Wi-Fi or mobile network, the Find My app locates it via other nearby Apple devices, which relay the approximate location anonymously and in an encrypted form.
How long can I locate an iPhone that is turned off?
On a compatible iPhone with the Find My network active, for up to 24 hours after it is turned off, or up to 5 hours in Low Power Mode. Without a current location, the Find My app shows the last known location for up to 7 days.
What should I do if I find a lost iPhone?
If the iPhone is in Lost Mode, the Lock Screen may display a message and a contact number for the owner. Use that contact to return it. Do not attempt to unlock it.
Can the police help recover a stolen iPhone?
Report the theft to the local authorities. They may ask for the serial number, which you can find on the original packaging or at account.apple.com. If the iPhone appears on the map in a location you do not recognise, do not attempt to recover it yourself: contact the local authorities.
Conclusion
Activate Find My iPhone, the Find My network and Stolen Device Protection while you have the iPhone in hand. If you lose it, mark it as lost straight away. If you are looking for another iPhone, iOutlet refurbished phones are unlocked and come with 24 months warranty. Activate Find My during setup.
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