Using Apple’s Find My iPhone app, you can find a lost iPhone with GPS tracking software. You can even remotely lock or erase your iPhone, ensuring your personal information doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.
Below, we’ll explain how to set up Find My iPhone and, in the worst case, use it if you lose your phone.
All of these steps apply to the missing iPad as well.
Set up Find My iPhone
Find My iPhone must be activated before it can be used to track down a lost iPhone, so do this as soon as possible. Go to Settings > iCloud > Find My iPhone on your iPhone and make sure the feature is turned on.
If prompted to sign in, enter your Apple ID. Make sure Send Last Location is turned on to have your iPhone save its last location before the battery ran out. Finally, download the free Find My iPhone app from the App Store.
This application works on iPad, iPod Touch or iPhone. You can even track family members’ devices.
If your iPhone is lost
If you have another Apple device like an iPad, run the Find My iPhone app and enter your Apple ID to see maps for all your devices.
Or go to icloud.com on your computer. Enter your Apple ID and password, click Find My iPhone, then click All Devices. Select your iPhone from the list of devices shown to view its location on the map.
If your iPhone is in a public place like a cafe or restaurant, call them to see if you can get it back.
But if it’s stolen, take a screenshot of the Find My iPhone page and give it to the police. Don’t go to a private address and try to recover your iPhone – if your device is stolen by a criminal, it could be vulnerable.
Lost iPhone options
There are three options for the device:
● Sound reproduction
Your iPhone will emit a loud ping, which is useful for finding your iPhone if it is nearby.
● Lost Mode
It allows you to remotely lock your lost iPhone with a six or four-digit passcode so anyone who finds your phone can’t access it. When you reset your iPhone, you use the same code to unlock it.
● Erase the iPhone
Erase all personal data and apps from your iPhone and restore factory settings. If you are sure that your iPhone is gone forever, this is the best way to protect all your data.