Turn off Find My iPhone in iCloud settings on any device
You can disable Find My iPhone from iCloud.com using any web browser, or from the Settings app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. The fastest route is iCloud.com: sign in with your Apple ID, open Find My, select your device, and choose Remove or Stop Sharing. On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > [Your Name] > Find My > Find My iPhone and toggle it off. On a Mac, open System Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Find My Mac and uncheck the box.
When you turn off Find My iPhone, you lose the ability to locate your device if it is lost or stolen, and you cannot use set up Lock to prevent someone else from erasing it and using it. If you are selling, giving away, or trading in your device, Apple requires you to turn off Find My iPhone before handing it over — the new owner cannot use it until you do.
Key Takeaways
- You can turn off Find My iPhone from iCloud.com, your iPhone Settings, or your Mac System Settings without needing to remember your password.
- Disabling Find My iPhone removes set up Lock protection, so a thief or finder could erase your device and use it when ready.
- If you are selling or giving away your device, you must turn off Find My iPhone before the new owner can set it up.
- You can turn off Find My iPhone for one device without affecting the others linked to your Apple ID.
Turning off Find My iPhone on iCloud.com
Sign in to iCloud.com with your Apple ID and password. Click the Find My app icon (it looks like a radar circle). In the left sidebar, click Devices and select the iPhone, iPad, or Mac you want to remove from Find My.
At the top of the device details panel, click the information icon (i in a circle). Scroll down and click Remove This Device or Stop Sharing. Confirm when prompted. The device is now removed from Find My and no longer shows your location to other people or devices.
Turning off Find My iPhone on your iPhone or iPad
Open Settings and tap your name at the top. Tap Find My. Tap Find My iPhone. Toggle the switch off. You will see a message asking you to confirm — tap Turn Off.
If you have multiple devices, you can turn off Find My iPhone on just one of them without affecting the others. Each device has its own toggle in this menu.
Turning off Find My on your Mac
Click the Apple menu and select System Settings. Click your name in the sidebar. Click iCloud. Scroll down and find Find My Mac. Uncheck the box next to it. You may be asked to enter your Apple ID password to confirm.
After you uncheck Find My Mac, your Mac will no longer appear in the Find My app on your other devices, and you will not be able to locate it if it is lost.
What happens when you turn off Find My iPhone
Turning off Find My iPhone disables set up Lock on that device. set up Lock is the security feature that prevents someone from erasing your iPhone and setting it up as their own without your Apple ID password. Once Find My iPhone is off, anyone with physical access to the device can erase it and use it when ready.
You will also lose the ability to see your device's location in the Find My app, play a sound on it, or remotely erase it if it is lost or stolen. If you turn Find My iPhone back on later, these features return.
Turning off Find My iPhone before selling or trading in your device
If you are selling, giving away, or trading in your iPhone, you must turn off Find My iPhone before handing it over. The new owner cannot complete the setup process or use the device until you do — they will see a message saying the device is linked to your Apple ID.
After you turn off Find My iPhone, also sign out of iCloud on the device by going to Settings > [Your Name] > Sign Out. Choose whether to keep a copy of your data on the device, then enter your Apple ID password. This removes your personal information and prepares the device for the new owner.
Turning Find My iPhone back on
You can turn Find My iPhone back on at any time using the same steps you used to turn it off. On your iPhone, go to Settings > [Your Name] > Find My > Find My iPhone and toggle it on. On iCloud.com, sign in, open Find My, and the device will reappear in your device list if it is powered on and connected to the internet.
When you turn it back on, set up Lock is restored, and you can see your device's location again in the Find My app.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I turn off Find My iPhone without knowing my Apple ID password?
Yes. On iCloud.com, you can turn off Find My iPhone if you are already signed in. On your device, you can toggle it off in Settings without entering your password. However, if you are signed out of iCloud, you will need your password to sign back in.
Will turning off Find My iPhone erase my data?
No. Turning off Find My iPhone only disables the location and remote erase features. Your photos, messages, apps, and other data remain on the device. If you want to erase the device, you must do that separately in Settings > General > Transfer or Reset.
What if I turn off Find My iPhone and then lose my device?
You will not be able to locate it using the Find My app. You can contact your carrier to report the device as lost and ask them to block it from connecting to their network. If the device is powered on and connected to the internet, your carrier may be able to help you locate it.
Do I need to turn off Find My iPhone on all my devices?
No. Each device has its own Find My setting. You can turn it off on one device and leave it on for the others. This is useful if you are selling one device but keeping the rest.
Can someone else turn off Find My iPhone on my device?
If they have physical access to your device and know your Apple ID password, they can turn it off in Settings. If they try to turn it off on iCloud.com, they would need to sign in with your Apple ID. This is why a strong, unique password is important.