Adding a device to Find My takes three steps: sign in with the same Apple ID on the new device, turn on location services, and confirm the device appears in the Find My app

Find My works only when all your devices use the same Apple ID and have location services turned on. When you set up a new iPhone, iPad, or Mac, the setup process usually handles this automatically — but if you skipped those steps or added a device later, you can add it manually in a few minutes.

The device you want to track must be powered on, connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data, and signed into iCloud. Find My then uses that connection to show the device's location in the Find My app on your other devices. If a device is offline, Find My shows its last known location until it comes back online.

Key Takeaways

  • Every device must be signed into the same Apple ID — if you have a family account, each family member's device uses their own Apple ID.
  • Location services must be turned on for Find My to work, which you can do during setup or later in Settings.
  • The device appears in Find My automatically once it is signed in and location services are on — you do not need to manually add it.
  • If a device does not appear after 15 minutes, restart it and check that it has an active internet connection.

Sign in with your Apple ID on the new device

When you first turn on a new iPhone or iPad, the setup screens ask you to sign in with your Apple ID. Use the same Apple ID you use on your other devices. If you skip this step during setup, you can sign in later through Settings.

On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, tap your name at the top, then tap iCloud. Enter your Apple ID and password. On Mac, go to System Settings, click your name in the sidebar, then sign in with your Apple ID. Once you are signed in, the device is ready for Find My to see it.

Turn on location services for Find My

Location services must be on for Find My to track the device. During setup, you will see a screen asking "Turn On Location Services?" — tap Allow. If you already finished setup, you can turn it on in Settings.

On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, tap Privacy & Security, then tap Location Services and turn it on. Scroll down to Find My and make sure it is set to "While Using" or "Always." On Mac, go to System Settings, click Privacy & Security in the sidebar, click Location Services, and turn it on. Then find Find My in the list and make sure it is checked.

Wait for the device to appear in Find My

Once the device is signed in and location services are on, it should appear in the Find My app within a few minutes. Open Find My on any of your devices, tap the Devices tab at the bottom, and look for the new device in the list. If you do not see it right away, wait 15 minutes and refresh the app by closing it and opening it again.

If the device still does not appear, restart it and make sure it has an active Wi-Fi or cellular connection. Then check Settings again to confirm location services are on and Find My is allowed to use your location. Devices that are offline or in airplane mode will not show up until they reconnect.

Adding devices on a family account

If you use Family Sharing, each family member's device appears under their own name in Find My, not under yours. Each person must sign in with their own Apple ID and turn on location services on their device. You can only see the location of devices that belong to your account — you cannot see other family members' devices unless they share their location with you separately through the Find My People feature.

To set up location sharing with family members, open Find My, tap the People tab, tap "Add," and choose the family member you want to share with. They will receive a request to allow sharing. Once they accept, you can see their device location in the People tab.

Troubleshooting when a device does not appear

If a device is signed in and location services are on but still does not show up in Find My, check these things in order: First, make sure the device has an internet connection by opening Safari or another app that needs the internet. Second, sign out of iCloud and sign back in — go to Settings, tap your name, scroll down, tap Sign Out, then sign back in. Third, restart the device completely by powering it off and back on.

If the device is a Mac, also check that Find My is not disabled in System Settings. Go to System Settings, click Privacy & Security, click Location Services, and confirm Find My is checked. On iPhone and iPad, go to Settings, tap Privacy & Security, tap Location Services, scroll to Find My, and make sure it is not set to "Never."

What Find My shows and does not show

Find My shows the current location of your device on a map, the device name, and the battery level. It does not show your location history or track where you have been — it only shows where the device is right now. If a device is offline, Find My shows its last known location, which may be hours or days old depending on when it last connected to the internet.

Find My also lets you play a sound on a device, lock it remotely, or erase it if it is lost or stolen. These features work even if the device is offline, because Apple's servers can deliver the command the next time the device comes online. The device must be signed into iCloud for these features to work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add someone else's device to my Find My account?

No. Each device must be signed into its own Apple ID. You can only see devices that are signed into your Apple ID. If you want to track a family member's device, they must set up their own Apple ID on that device, and you can then see their location through Family Sharing if they allow it.

What if the device is turned off or has no internet?

Find My will show the device's last known location until it comes back online. If the device has been off for a long time, that location may be old. Once the device turns on and connects to the internet, Find My will update to show its current location within a few minutes.

Do I need to do anything after the device appears in Find My?

No. Once the device appears in Find My, it will stay there as long as it is signed into your Apple ID and location services remain on. You do not need to refresh it or take any other action. If you turn off location services or sign out of iCloud, the device will disappear from Find My.

Can I add a device that is not an Apple product?

Find My only works with iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, and AirTags. It does not work with Android phones, Windows computers, or other brands. If you want to track a non-Apple device, you will need to use a different tracking service made by that device's manufacturer.

Why does Find My show a different location than where I actually am?

Find My uses Wi-Fi networks and cell towers to determine location, which is less precise than GPS. If your device is indoors or in an area with weak signals, the location may be off by several blocks. The accuracy improves when the device has a clear view of the sky or is connected to a known Wi-Fi network.