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Setting Up Find My iPhone: The Quick Security Step You Shouldn't Skip
The Download
- Turn on: Tap Settings > your name > Find My > Find My iPhone > turn on Find My iPhone.
- Find: Visit iCloud.com/find > log in with Apple Account > All Devices > choose missing device.
- Note: Turn on Location Services under Settings > Privacy & Security to be able to track your device on a map.
This article explains how to set up Find My (or its predecessor Find My iPhone) on your iPhone, iPad, running iOS (or iPadOS) 13 or newer.
Expert Tip: Note
Earlier versions of iOS, beginning with iOS 5 when Apple introduced Find My iPhone, follow similar instructions.
Turn on Find My
The option to set up Find My is part of the initial iPhone setup process. You may have enabled it then. If you didn't, follow these steps to turn it on.
Go to Settings > tap your name > Find My.
Expert Tip: Note
In earlier versions of iOS, tap iCloud > Find My Phone to turn on the feature.
Tap Find My iPhone and use the toggle to turn it on.
Expert Tip: Note
To use Stolen Device Protection (introduced in iOS 17), Find My iPhone must be set up.
Turn on Send Last Location to have the phone send its location to Apple when the battery is low. This setting is also optional.
Expert Tip: Important
You must have Location Services turned on to locate your phone's location on a map. To check that it is on, go to Settings > Privacy & Security.
Turn on the Find My network switch to see your phone even when it's offline.
Expert Tip: Note
Find My network is an encrypted and anonymous network of Apple devices that help locate your device. Like location sharing, this setting is optional and not required for locating the device.
If you want to let friends and family members know where you are, turn on Share My Location on the Find My screen.
Expert Tip: Note
This optional setting is not required to locate your phone.
Depending on the version of iOS, you may see a message verifying that you understand that this tool turns on GPS tracking of your iPhone. The GPS tracking is for you to use, not for someone else to track your movements. Tap Allow.
Expert Tip: Note
After you set up Find My on your phone, set it up on any other compatible devices you own to keep the content up to date on all your devices.
How to Use Find My
When your iPhone goes missing, either because it was misplaced or stolen, use Find My with iCloud to locate it.
Open a web browser, go to iCloud.com/find, and log in with your Apple ID/Apple Account.
Select All Devices > your iPhone.
Expert Tip: Note
All iOS devices support Find My, along with Mac computers and the Apple Watch. AirPods can be located if they are paired with and are near an iOS device.
Choose Play Sound if you suspect your iPhone is nearby.
Expert Tip: Tip
If you suspect your device is not within reach or has been stolen, you can enter lost mode, which suspends notifications and linked credit cards, or erase your device remotely.
Expert Tip: Note
iCloud locates your iPhone and other devices that you set up with Find My and displays these devices on a map. A green dot or green outline on or around the device indicates that it's online. A gray dot or lack of location details means it's offline.
Turn Off Find My on Your iPhone
To turn off Find My iPhone, tap Settings > your name > Find My > Find My iPhone and turn off Find My iPhone.
In some earlier versions of Find My iPhone, you may need to enter the password for the iCloud account used on the device.
This feature, called Activation Lock, prevents thieves from turning off Find My iPhone to hide the device from the service.
What Is Find My?
Find My is a tool that finds lost or stolen iPhones. It uses the built-in GPS or location services of the device to locate it on a map.
It also locks a device or deletes all data from a device over the internet to prevent a thief from accessing your data.
If you lose your device, you can use Find My to make the device play a sound if you suspect it's nearby. Or, you can view its location on a map to help recover it.
Expert Tip: Note
With the release of iOS 13, Apple combined the Find My iPhone and Find My Friends features into one app called Find My.