Last Updated on December 1, 2023 by Daniel Osakwe
How to find lost iPhone.
13 million iPhones are lost or stolen each year. That’s about 37,500 phones every day. Most of these phones will never be reunited with their owners. However, there are ways that you can try and find your iPhone.
Here are 7 ways you can find a lost or stolen iPhone.
Table of Contents
Look for your lost iphone on a map
You can find your device by signing into iCloud.com/find. If you own another Apple device, use Find My on that device.
If you didn’t turn on Find My for your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, the device won’t appear on the list of devices. Regardless of whether Find My was turned on or not, your account was still protected.
Mark as Lost
If you mark your device as lost, you can remotely lock it with a passcode, keeping your information safe. Furthermore, the missing device is no longer able to use Apple Pay. On the missing device, you can display a customized message with your contact information.
Report your missing device to the police or local law enforcement
The serial number of your device may be requested by law enforcement.
File a Theft and Loss claim
You can file a claim for an iPhone replacement if your missing iPhone is covered by AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss.
Remotely erase your device
Once you have erased a device, you aren’t able to track its location, so make sure it isn’t needed anymore. AppleCare+ with Theft & Loss owners should wait to erase iPhones until their claims have been approved.
Contact your network carrier
Report your missing device to your network provider if it is an iPhone or iPad with cellular capabilities. The carrier should disable your account to prevent calls, texts, and data usage. If your network carrier plan covers your device, you should file a claim.
Remove your stolen device from your account
You are not allowed to remove your lost iPhone from your AppleCare+ account until you receive approval of your claim.
To remove the missing device from your list of trusted devices, go to appleid.apple.com.
How to Locate a Stolen iPhone Using iCloud.com/Find
For most people, the first port of call will be the computer to search for a lost and possibly dead iPhone. When you log onto iCloud.com using your PC or Mac, the app is still called Find My iPhone, despite the renaming on the iPad and iPhone.
If you have a Mac, the app will be called Find My and you will use it the same way you would on an iPhone or iPad. From a laptop or desktop web browser, you can use iCloud.com’s Find My iPhone app to track your iPhone:
- Open icloud.com on your computer or launch the Find My app from your computer.
- Log in to your iCloud.com account with your Apple ID and password.
- Locate the app icon for Find iPhone.
- You can find your missing iPhone by selecting All Devices at the top.
- You will be able to see the location of your lost iPhone on the map. Find it!
Frequently asked questions
Can I Find My iPhone if it is off?
Even when your iPhone is not online, it will still track its location using nearby Apple devices if it is still alive. Turning off your iPhone will show it as an iPhone with a blank screen on the map and in the sidebar. When you turn on your iPhone, a (colorful) home screen appears.
Can Apple track a stolen iPhone with an IMEI number?
Through the IMEI or the serial number of a lost or stolen iPhone, it is not possible for you to track it down. The only way to track or locate a lost or stolen iPhone is to enable Find My iPhone before it is lost or stolen. Otherwise, you have no way to track it down.
What do thieves do with stolen iPhones?
Thieves who realize they are unable to use the stolen iPhone will break it up into several pieces and sell them to shady shops. Hence, thieves who steal iPhones are aware of this and sell parts of them to earn some money.
