Turn off Find My iPhone directly from your device
The fastest way to turn off Find My iPhone is through the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad itself. Open Settings, tap your name at the top, then select Find My. Tap Find My iPhone, and toggle the switch to off. Your device will ask you to enter your Apple ID password to confirm — this is a security step Apple requires, so you cannot skip it.
Once you turn it off, Find My iPhone stops sending your location to iCloud and stops allowing remote lock or erase commands. If you later want to locate your device, you will need to turn this feature back on. The setting takes effect when ready after you authenticate.
Key Takeaways
- Find My iPhone turns off in Settings under your Apple ID name, then Find My, then Find My iPhone — you must enter your Apple ID password to confirm the change.
- Turning off Find My iPhone means you lose the ability to locate, lock, or erase your device remotely if it is lost or stolen.
- You can also turn off Find My iPhone from iCloud.com by signing in, selecting Find My iPhone, choosing your device, and clicking Remove.
- If you forget your Apple ID password, you will need to reset it through Apple's account recovery process before you can turn off the feature.
- Turning off Find My iPhone does not affect other iCloud services like backup, photos, or mail.
Turn off Find My iPhone from iCloud.com if you cannot access your device
If your iPhone is lost, broken, or you do not have it with you, you can turn off Find My iPhone from any web browser. Go to iCloud.com, sign in with your Apple ID and password, and click Find My iPhone. Select your device from the list, then click Remove. This removes the device from your Find My network and turns off the feature for that device.
Removing a device this way does not erase it or change any other settings — it only disconnects it from Find My. You can add the device back to Find My later by going to Settings on the device itself and turning the feature back on.
Understand what you lose when you turn off Find My iPhone
Before you turn off Find My iPhone, know what stops working. You will no longer be able to locate your device on a map, play a sound on it to find it nearby, lock it remotely, or erase it remotely. If your phone is stolen, you lose the ability to prevent someone from accessing your data through these remote tools.
Find My iPhone also powers the ability to see your device's location in the Find My app on other Apple devices you own. If you rely on that feature to keep track of a family member's phone or to find a shared iPad, turning it off will break that connection.
What happens if you turn off Find My iPhone but keep iCloud on
Turning off Find My iPhone does not turn off iCloud itself. Your photos, mail, calendar, contacts, and backups will continue to sync to iCloud normally. The only thing that stops is location tracking and remote device management through Find My.
You can also turn off individual iCloud services without touching Find My iPhone. For example, you might turn off iCloud Photos but keep Find My iPhone on, or vice versa. Each service is independent in the Settings menu under your Apple ID.
Turn Find My iPhone back on if you change your mind
If you turn off Find My iPhone and later want to turn it back on, the process is the same. Go to Settings, tap your name, select Find My, tap Find My iPhone, and toggle the switch back on. You will need to enter your Apple ID password again. The feature reactivates when ready and your device begins sending location data to iCloud.
There is no waiting period or additional setup required. As soon as you authenticate, Find My iPhone is active again and you can use it to locate your device through the Find My app or iCloud.com.
What to do if you forgot your Apple ID password
If you want to turn off Find My iPhone but cannot remember your Apple ID password, you will need to reset it before you can proceed. Go to iforgot.apple.com, enter your Apple ID email address, and follow the recovery steps. Apple will send a verification code to a trusted phone number or email address associated with your account.
Once you reset your password, return to Settings and complete the steps to turn off Find My iPhone. Keep your new password in a safe place so you do not have to reset it again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone else turn off Find My iPhone on my device?
No. Turning off Find My iPhone requires your Apple ID password, so only you or someone who knows your password can do it. This is a security feature to prevent theft or unauthorized access to your location data.
If I turn off Find My iPhone, can I still use Find My for AirTags or other devices?
Yes. Find My iPhone and Find My for AirTags or other Apple devices are separate features. Turning off Find My iPhone does not affect your ability to locate AirTags, Apple Watches, or other devices through the Find My app.
Does turning off Find My iPhone erase my device?
No. Turning off Find My iPhone only disables location tracking and remote management. Your data, apps, photos, and settings remain on your device. If you want to erase your device, you must do that separately through Settings under General.
Will my carrier know if I turn off Find My iPhone?
Your carrier will not be notified. Turning off Find My iPhone is a setting between you and Apple. Your carrier cannot see whether the feature is on or off.
Can I turn off Find My iPhone for just one device if I own multiple Apple devices?
Yes. Each device has its own Find My iPhone setting. You can turn it off on your iPhone but keep it on for your iPad, or any other combination. Go to Settings on each device individually to control the feature per device.