The loss or theft of an iPhone is always a big problem, since the mobile contains a huge amount of personal information and all kinds of passwords, including those for payment systems. In addition, the presence of potentially defamatory information may expose the user to blackmail, and the presence of work-related data in the device's memory may result in dismissal.
There are a huge variety of ways to find a lost iPhone, both official and third-party. Let's figure out which one is right for you.
Obvious actions that are forgotten
First of all, we will look at the standard measures that should be taken if you lose absolutely any phone, not just from Apple.
- Call your mobile. If the device fell somewhere nearby or is even in your home, but where you were not looking for it, then thanks to the call you will be able to quickly locate the phone. If he is lost on the street, then a passerby can pick him up, and the further development of events depends only on his moral qualities. However, most people make contact, either realizing that they will find the phone anyway, or guided by a banal desire to help. If you do not have a device from which you can make a call, then you can find services for online calls on the Internet.
- Change the password on your accounts. If you cannot remotely lock your device because you have not activated this function previously, we recommend that you change the passwords for all accounts logged into your phone as soon as possible.
- If you are afraid of embezzling funds from your account, you can visit your operator’s mobile communications office and ask to block your SIM card. But this is a very controversial measure: on the one hand, blocking will prevent the loss of funds in your account, but it will deprive you of the opportunity to contact the person who found the phone, and will also disable Internet access, which will not allow you to find the smartphone through Find My Phone. If you resort to it, then only if information about new expenses appears in the operator’s Personal Account.
AppStore - what is it and what is it for?
This is the name of an online supermarket. You can buy the applications you need there, but there are also sections where you can download them for free. There are currently 29 categories in total.
Here are some of them:
- business,
- education,
- entertainment,
- finance,
- medicine,
- music,
- performance,
- Photo and video,
- games,
- utilities and many other useful things.
How to find an iPhone from a computer via iCloud - use Find My Phone
If you have activated this function on your phone in advance, then searching for the gadget will be much easier. It is better to enable FMP immediately after purchasing a new iPhone, so that at a critical moment you are not left without the main search tool.
Find My Phone is activated as follows:
- Go to Settings, select iCloud.
- Scroll down to find the toggle next to Find My iPhone and slide it to the active position.
- Next, you need to return to the main settings menu and go to the following path: Privacy - Location Services - Find iPhone. Having opened the latter, you will see a slider that needs to be switched to the active position.
Now let’s get straight to how to find an iPhone from a computer via iCloud.
- Go to icloud.com.
- Log in by entering your AppleID and password.
- From the menu, select the Find My iPhone icon.
- A green dot will be visible on the map that opens; this is the location of your phone. If you have several Apple gadgets, then when you click “All devices” you can select exactly the one that was lost.
By clicking on the name of the desired device, you will have access to information about the battery level, and will also be able to use the three main functions of the smartphone:
- Play sound. Used to search for a device located in close proximity.
- Lost mode. Using this mode, you can set an additional password on the device and indicate your contact phone number so that a passerby who finds the phone will be able to contact you. In addition to the contact number, you can leave a message for the person who found the device. This could be your address, for example, or the amount of the reward - together with the number, they will be displayed on the screen of the locked phone. Lost mode is turned off in the same menu where it was turned on.
- Erase all data from iPhone. As the name implies, this function allows you to delete all information from the device’s memory. It is recommended to use it in cases where you have a system backup, or when the risks associated with hackers obtaining information are too great.
My device is still connected to the previous owner's account
Asking for the previous owner's Apple ID and password when you set up your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac, or asking for the previous owner's passcode when you turn on Apple Watch means the device is still associated with their account using Activation Lock. Contact the previous owner and ask them to disable Find My [device] and remove the device from their account. Learn more about Activation Lock on your iOS device, Apple Watch, or Mac.
How to find iPhone if it's turned off
If the smartphone was turned off or simply discharged, it is not possible to track the current location of the phone, however, iCloud remembers and shows on the map the last place where the iPhone was before it turned off. But there are some restrictions:
- Support for the function appeared with iOS 8 and higher;
- It is only available on devices released after the iPhone 4.
In addition, this function must first be enabled in the settings:
- Go to Settings > iCloud > Find My iPhone.
- Switch the Send Last Location slider to active.
I see a device that I no longer own or use
Before you sell or give away your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple Watch, AirPods, or Mac computer, sign out of iCloud and erase all data and settings. Signing out of iCloud on a device turns off Find My [device] and removes it from the list.
If the device is offline, you can delete it. Go to iCloud.com, click your device name, and click Account Settings. Select a device from the My Devices tab and click to the right of the device name. Or, you can swipe the device name in Find My on your iOS device and tap Delete.
When the device reconnects to the network, if the Find [device] service is enabled, it will automatically appear in the list of devices.
How to find an iPhone through another iPhone
On iOS there is a Find My Freinds mobile application, the main task of which is to help friends find each other, but in practice it does a pretty good job of finding lost smartphones.
How to find an iPhone through another iPhone:
- Install the application.
- Log in.
- Click on the Add icon (plus sign).
- Enter the requested information about your friend's device.
- Wait for permission from your friend (he must also have this application installed).
Thus, by installing this application, you can always find your device through another iPhone. So we recommend that you worry about this in advance.
Useful tips
And finally, some tips for those whose phone has already been stolen. Be sure to do the following:
- Block your SIM card. If your iPhone, and therefore your phone card with the number, falls into the wrong hands, you risk both your reputation and financial well-being;
- Change all passwords. Since very often our passwords (from bank accounts to social network accounts) are automatically saved in the smartphone, do not hesitate with this step;
- Remove personal information from your phone. If a backup exists, you can do so immediately. Even if you did not backup the information, you will still want to erase the data if there is no chance of finding/returning the iPhone;
- Warn your family and friends. This will save them from unnecessary worries and the risk of various scams from those who stole or found your device.
Published by ProfiAppler Don't forget to read the comments, there is also a lot of useful information there. If your question is not answered, but later comments are answered, then your question is answered in the article, respect other people's time.
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Find iPhone by IMEI
If the previous methods did not work for you, then there is another option - searching by IMEI (this is a unique identification number for each phone, consisting of fifteen characters). IMEI will allow you to find your device using GPS, even if data transfer or geolocation have been enabled.
IMEI can be found either from the device documentation or by typing the USSD command *#06#. You need to contact the police with the IMEI number, but first it would be better to try using the service for finding lost gadgets - we recommend TrackerPlus or its analogues.
I can't turn on Find My Mac
If you can't turn on Find My Mac, try the following steps.
- Go to System Preferences in iCloud (System Preferences > Apple ID and click iCloud). If you see the Administrative authorization required message, you are not an administrator on your Mac. Sign out of your account, sign in to an administrator account, and try turning on Find My Mac.
- Check that your recovery system is up to date. If you see a "Recovery System Update Required" message in iCloud System Preferences, you'll need to update your Mac. Open the Apple menu, select Software Update, and install the Recovery HD update for your version of macOS.
- Make sure the recovery partition on your Mac is intact. Try checking and fixing the partition using Disk Utility.
iPhone search programs
If official methods of searching for a device do not bring the desired result, you can try using third-party programs to search for an iPhone.
- iHound. This software not only periodically records information about the movements of the smartphone, but also has the function of sending the exact location of the device when it is connected to a computer. Thus, you can easily track the house of the unscrupulous person who found the phone, or the address of the point where stolen phones are taken.
- iLocalis. The program has richer functionality, but requires JailBreak to install it. If you have it, then you can, for example, find out the number of the new SIM card installed in the phone, and much more.
To summarize, the most effective way to search is the basic Find My Phone function. It is mandatory to activate it in a new gadget, since neither contacting the police nor trying to find out the necessary information from the operator, unfortunately, usually does not yield results in our realities.
The error radius is too large
If the device is still trying to determine a more precise location, the error radius may be large. Wait a few minutes and update the map again. If the error range remains too large, your device may not have access to a Wi-Fi network or may not be receiving a GPS signal.
Additional Information
- Learn how to set up and use Find My [device].
- Find out what to do if your Apple Watch or Mac is stolen or lost.
- Get help if your AirPods go missing.
- Turn off Activation Lock on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
Information about non-Apple products or independent websites not under the control or testing of Apple is not intended to be a recommendation or endorsed by Apple. Apple is not responsible for the selection, functionality, or use of third party websites or products. Apple is also not responsible for the accuracy or reliability of data contained on third party websites. Please be aware that there is a risk in using any information or products found on the Internet. Please contact your supplier for more information. Other company or product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Hi all! Unfortunately, no one is immune from the risk of losing or stealing their beloved iPhone. This situation can happen to absolutely anyone – there is no way to protect yourself from it. The situation becomes especially sad if you look at the statistics on the detection of cases of theft of mobile phones - the numbers are not the most reassuring. What are the disappointing ones... they are very frightening!
But! There is no need to immediately despair, become despondent and sprinkle ashes on your head. Why? Because sometimes the situation can still be resolved in your favor - after all, the possibility of finding a lost iPhone still remains. Yes, the chances are not maximum... but they are there! This is exactly what will be discussed in today’s publication.
Are you ready? Let's go!
Results
Be careful and try not to lose your gadget, since even the most advanced technology does not guarantee its return. After purchasing, first of all, activate the “Find iPhone” function: in case of unforeseen circumstances, the chances of a successful outcome will remain. Take action immediately after discovering a loss.
Be persistent in interacting with law enforcement officers and telecom operators: these structures, as a rule, are not interested in searching for your mobile device. Take all the steps described above to ensure a thorough and productive search.
