If you own a smartphone or high-value tech devices, chances are you store important data on them. Losing your iPhone or having your devices stolen is a nightmare. For Apple users, the 'Find My' app helps track your devices. Let’s explore how you can find your iPhone and other Apple products when they go missing.
What is Find My?
Find My combines two earlier apps which are Find My iPhone and Find My Friends into one powerful app. It offers enhanced features designed to make tracking your iPhone easier, even if it’s out of battery or offline. This app is essential for tracking your iPhone and all Apple devices.
What Can You Track with Find My iPhone?
Let’s look at the features of Find My that are useful when you misplace your iPhone or need to locate other Apple devices. To use these features, your device must be running iOS 15 or newer.
How to Use Find My to Track Your iPhone and Apple Devices
In the Find My app, tap on the Devices tab at the bottom. You'll see a list of all your Apple devices linked to your iCloud account, each represented by a small icon on a map. You can zoom in to view their location. Tap on a device, and you'll have four options to track it:
- Direction: Tap this to get directions to your lost device.
- Play Sound: Tap this to play a sound on the device to help you find it nearby.
- Notification: Tap this to receive a notification when the device is located, even if it’s powered off or out of battery.
- Mark as lost: Tap this to lock the device, disable Apple Pay, erase your data, or remotely wipe it to protect your information.
How to Track Other Apple Devices or Devices with AirTags Using Find My
Apple introduced Separation Alerts in iOS 15. This feature notifies you if you forget your iPhone, another Apple device, or a device with an AirTag attached. You can also attach it to keys, so you’ll get a reminder if you leave your house without them.
How to Track Other People’s Apple Devices with Find My
The Find My app also lets you track Apple devices belonging to friends or family, as long as they've shared their location with you.
To locate a friend’s or family member’s iPhone, go to the People tab in the app. Select the device you want to track from the list, and you'll see the location and directions to help you find it, just like you would for your own lost device.
How to Track Devices Without a Signal
If your iPhone is turned off or has no battery, it can still be located. If another Apple device is nearby, it will use Bluetooth to send the location back to Find My. Just ensure that your lost phone’s Bluetooth is still on.
How Does Find My Work?
Find My uses Apple’s cloud network, connecting millions of Apple devices via Bluetooth. When a device is in range, it detects the signal and sends the location back to you in an encrypted format. This ensures your data remains private and secure.
Setting Up and Using Find My
To use Find My, follow these steps to track your Apple devices:
- Open Settings and tap on your name
- Tap Find My, then choose Find My iPhone
- Enable all features: Find My iPhone, Find My Network, and Send Last Location
Enabling Find My on a Mac
- Go to the Apple Menu and select System Preferences
- Click on Security & Privacy, then select Privacy
- Choose Find My, and click the padlock to enter your admin password to enable it
What has been mentioned is how to use the Find My app, which Apple developed to help you track your Apple devices. It also helps solve the problem of forgetting devices in public places, as well as when your iPhone is lost or stolen. In addition to locating the device, you can also press a button to erase important data on the device. It is another way to protect against modern-day thieves.