Use Find My iPhone to locate your device on a map
Find My iPhone is Apple's free service that shows your iPhone's location on a map in real time. It works whether your phone is lost, stolen, or just misplaced in your house. To use it, you need an Apple ID and password, and your iPhone must have location services turned on (which you learned about in the previous guide).
Go to iCloud.com on any computer or another Apple device, sign in with your Apple ID, and click Find My. You'll see a map with your iPhone's location marked. If your phone is nearby but you can't find it, you can play a sound to help locate it — the phone will ring at full volume even if it's on silent.
If your iPhone is offline or the battery is dead, Find My will show you its last known location before it went offline. This is useful if your phone was lost hours ago and you want to know where to start looking.
Key Takeaways
- Find My iPhone shows your device's location on a map through iCloud.com or another Apple device, and works only if location services are enabled.
- You can make your iPhone ring at full volume from Find My to help locate it nearby, even if the phone is set to silent.
- If your phone is offline or dead, Find My displays its last known location before it lost connection.
- You can remotely lock your iPhone, erase it, or display a message on the screen through Find My if you believe it's been stolen.
- Setting up Find My before you lose your phone requires only an Apple ID and turning on location services in Settings.
Set up Find My before you need it
The best time to set up Find My is now, before your phone goes missing. On your iPhone, open Settings, tap your name at the top, then tap Find My. Turn on Find My iPhone and Find My Network. Both should show a green toggle.
Find My Network uses other nearby Apple devices to help locate your phone even if it's not connected to Wi-Fi or cellular service. This is especially useful if your phone's battery dies — other people's devices can still relay its location to you.
Make sure location services are on for Find My. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services, scroll down to Find My, and confirm it's set to Always. If location services are off, Find My cannot pinpoint your phone's location.
Access Find My from iCloud.com on any computer
You don't need another Apple device to find your iPhone. Any computer with a web browser can access iCloud.com. Open a browser, go to iCloud.com, and sign in with the same Apple ID you use on your iPhone.
Once you're signed in, click the grid icon (nine dots) in the top left corner, then select Find My. A map will load showing all your Apple devices. Click your iPhone in the list on the left to see its exact location on the map.
From this screen, you can also play a sound, lock your device remotely, or erase it if you believe it's been stolen. These options appear below the map once you select your iPhone.
Use Find My on another Apple device
If you have an iPad, Mac, or another iPhone, you can use the Find My app to locate your missing device. Open the Find My app, tap the Devices tab at the bottom, and you'll see a list of all your Apple devices and their locations.
Tap your missing iPhone to see it on the map. You can then play a sound, lock it, or erase it from this screen. The Find My app works the same way as iCloud.com but is faster if you already have another Apple device nearby.
What to do if your iPhone doesn't appear in Find My
If your iPhone isn't showing up in Find My, the most common reason is that location services are turned off. When location services are disabled, Find My cannot determine where your phone is, even if it's powered on and connected to the internet.
Another reason your phone might not appear is that Find My iPhone was never turned on in Settings. If you set up your iPhone and skipped this step, the service won't work. You can only turn it on from the iPhone itself — you cannot enable it remotely.
If your phone is completely powered off or the battery is dead, Find My will show its last known location. This location updates only when the phone is on and connected to a network. If your phone has been off for days, the last known location may not be current.
Protect your iPhone if it's been stolen
If you believe your iPhone has been stolen rather than lost, Find My gives you options beyond just locating it. You can remotely lock your device so the thief cannot access your photos, messages, or payment information. You can also display a message on the screen with your phone number, asking whoever has it to contact you.
If you're certain you won't recover the phone, you can erase it remotely. This removes all your data from the device, though it also means you won't be able to locate it afterward. Before erasing, make sure your important data is backed up to iCloud.
After you've taken these steps in Find My, contact your local police department and file a report. Provide them with the phone's serial number (visible in Settings > General > About) and any location information Find My has given you. Some police departments will work with Apple to pursue stolen devices, though this varies by location.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I find my iPhone if location services are off?
No. Find My requires location services to be on to pinpoint your phone's current location. If location services are off, Find My will only show the last place your phone was before you disabled them. You can turn location services back on only from the iPhone itself.
What if my iPhone is in airplane mode?
Airplane mode turns off all wireless connections, so Find My cannot locate your phone while it's in airplane mode. Find My will show the last known location before airplane mode was turned on. Once airplane mode is turned off, the location will update.
Does Find My work if my iPhone is stolen and the thief turns it off?
Find My will show the last known location before the phone was powered off. If the thief keeps the phone off, you won't be able to track it further. However, if they turn it back on and it connects to a network, Find My will update the location automatically.
Can someone else find my iPhone if they have my Apple ID?
Yes. Anyone who knows your Apple ID and password can access Find My and see your device locations. This is why it's important to use a strong, unique password for your Apple ID and enable two-factor authentication in Settings > [Your Name] > Password & Security.
Does Find My work internationally?
Yes. Find My works anywhere in the world as long as your iPhone has an internet connection through Wi-Fi or cellular service. The map will display your phone's location regardless of what country it's in.