Before You Start: Was Find My Turned On?
Find My only works if it was enabled on your iPhone before it was lost. If you are not sure, check another Apple device signed in to the same Apple ID, or try accessing iCloud.com from a computer.
- To check on another iPhone or iPad: go to Settings → your name → Find My → Find My iPhone. It should say On.
- To check via iCloud.com: go to icloud.com, sign in, and click Find My. If your iPhone appears on the map, Find My is active.
- If Find My was not turned on, skip to the "What to Do If Find My Was Not Set Up" section below.
Tip: After you recover your phone, turn on Find My right away so you are protected in the future. Go to Settings → your name → Find My → Find My iPhone and turn it on.
How to Locate Your iPhone on a Map
You can find your iPhone using another Apple device or any web browser.
- 1On another iPhone or iPad: open the Find My app (it looks like a green radar icon). Tap the Devices tab at the bottom. Tap your lost iPhone's name.
- 2On a computer or Android device: go to icloud.com in a web browser. Sign in with your Apple ID. Click Find My.
- 3Your iPhone will appear on a map with its current or last known location.
- 4If the phone is online, the location updates in real time. If it is offline, you will see its last known location with a timestamp.
Tip: If the location shows your home or a familiar place, the phone may just be misplaced nearby. Try the Play Sound feature before assuming it is truly lost.
Play a Sound to Find a Nearby Phone
If your iPhone is somewhere nearby — under a couch cushion, in a bag, or in another room — you can make it play a loud sound even if it is on silent mode.
- 1In Find My (app or iCloud.com), select your lost iPhone.
- 2Tap or click Play Sound.
- 3Your iPhone will play a loud chime for about two minutes.
- 4Follow the sound to find it.
Mark Your iPhone as Lost
If you cannot find your phone nearby and think it may have been stolen or left somewhere, use Lost Mode. This locks your phone with a passcode, displays a custom message with a contact number on the screen, and continues tracking its location.
- 1In Find My, select your lost iPhone.
- 2Tap Activate (under Mark As Lost) or click Lost Mode on iCloud.com.
- 3Follow the prompts to enter a phone number where someone can reach you.
- 4Optionally add a message to display on the locked screen, such as "This iPhone is lost. Please call [your number]."
- 5Tap Activate. Your iPhone is now locked and will display your message.
Tip: Lost Mode also suspends Apple Pay so no one can use your cards, and it continues to track the phone's location even if someone tries to use it.
Erase Your iPhone Remotely
If you are certain your iPhone is gone for good and you are worried about your personal information, you can erase it remotely. This deletes everything on the phone.
- 1In Find My, select your lost iPhone.
- 2Tap Erase This Device (or Erase iPhone on iCloud.com).
- 3Confirm the action. You may be asked to enter your Apple ID password.
- 4Your iPhone will be wiped the next time it connects to the internet.
Warning: Once you erase your iPhone, you can no longer track its location through Find My. Only do this if you are sure you will not recover the phone and you need to protect your data.
What to Do If Find My Was Not Set Up
If Find My was not enabled before the phone was lost, your options are more limited — but there are still steps you can take.
- Retrace your steps and call the places you visited.
- Call your own number — someone who found it may answer.
- Check with your carrier: they cannot track the phone's location, but they can suspend service to prevent unauthorized use.
- File a police report with your phone's serial number (found on your original box or in your Apple ID account at appleid.apple.com).
- Change your Apple ID password immediately to prevent access to your accounts.
How to Set Up Find My After You Recover Your Phone
Once you have your iPhone back, take a few minutes to make sure Find My is properly configured.
- 1Go to Settings and tap your name at the top.
- 2Tap Find My.
- 3Tap Find My iPhone and make sure it is turned on.
- 4Also turn on Send Last Location — this sends your phone's location to Apple when the battery is critically low, so you have a last known location even if the battery dies.