How to turn off Find My Phone on your device
Find My Phone is a built-in tracking feature that lets you locate your device remotely if it goes missing. Turning it off means your phone will no longer send its location to Apple, Google, or Microsoft servers, and you won't be able to find it using their apps or websites if it's lost or stolen. The steps differ depending on whether you use an iPhone, Android phone, or Windows computer.
You might want to turn this off if you're concerned about location data being stored, if you're selling or giving away your device, or if you straightforward don't want the feature running in the background. Disabling it is straightforward and takes less than a minute on any platform.
Key Takeaways
- On iPhone, Find My is controlled through Settings > [Your Name] > Find My, where you can turn off Find My iPhone or remove the device from your account entirely.
- On Android, Find My Device lives in Settings > Google > Manage Your Google Account > Security, and you can disable it or sign out of your Google account.
- On Windows, Find My Device is in Settings > Privacy & Security > Find My Device, and you can turn it off with a single toggle.
- Turning off Find My Phone does not delete your location history — you may need to clear that separately depending on your device and account settings.
- If you're selling your phone, you should turn off Find My Phone and sign out of your account to prevent the new owner from being locked out.
Disable Find My on an iPhone
On iPhone, Find My is tied to your Apple ID. To turn it off, open Settings and tap your name at the top of the screen. Then tap Find My, and you'll see two options: Find My iPhone and Find My Friends. Tap Find My iPhone first.
You'll see a toggle switch next to "Find My iPhone" — tap it to turn it off. Your phone will ask you to confirm by entering your Apple ID password. Once you do, Find My iPhone is disabled and Apple will no longer track your device's location.
If you want to remove the device from your Apple ID account entirely (which is necessary before selling or giving away the phone), go back to the Find My screen and tap "Remove This Device" at the bottom. This is different from just turning off the feature — it completely disconnects the phone from your account.
Disable Find My Device on Android
On Android, Find My Device is part of your Google account settings. Open Settings and scroll down to find Google (the exact location varies by phone maker). Tap Google, then tap Manage Your Google Account. Swipe to the Security tab.
Scroll down until you see Find My Device and tap it. You'll see a toggle at the top of the screen — tap it to turn off Find My Device. Google will ask you to confirm. Once you do, your Android phone will no longer send location data to Google's servers.
If you want to remove the device from your Google account completely, you can also sign out of your Google account on the phone itself. Go to Settings > Accounts > Google, tap your email address, and select Remove Account. This will disconnect the phone from all Google services, including Find My Device.
Disable Find My Device on Windows
On Windows, Find My Device is a built-in feature tied to your Microsoft account. Open Settings by pressing the Windows key and typing "Settings," then click the app. Go to Privacy & Security in the left sidebar.
Scroll down to Find My Device and click it. You'll see a toggle switch at the top — click it to turn off Find My Device. Windows will ask you to confirm. Once you do, your computer will no longer send its location to Microsoft.
If you're selling or giving away your Windows computer, you should also sign out of your Microsoft account. Go to Settings > Accounts > Your Info and click Sign Out. This removes all your personal data and settings from the device.
What happens to your location history when you turn off Find My Phone
Turning off Find My Phone stops your device from sending new location data going forward, but it does not automatically delete the location history that's already been stored. On iPhone, Apple stores location history in iCloud; on Android, Google stores it in your Google account; on Windows, Microsoft stores it in your account.
If you want to delete past location history, you'll need to do that separately. On iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and scroll to the bottom to find System Services — tap it and look for Significant Locations. Tap Clear History to delete the record. On Android, go to myactivity.google.com, click Delete Activity By, and select Location. On Windows, go to account.microsoft.com, click Privacy, and look for Location Activity.
Why you might want to turn off Find My Phone
The most common reason to disable Find My Phone is privacy. Even though the feature is designed to help you find a lost device, it also means your location is being recorded and stored by a tech company. If you don't want that data collected, turning it off stops the process.
Another reason is if you're selling, trading in, or giving away your phone. If you don't remove the device from your account, the new owner may not be able to use it — the phone will still be linked to your Apple ID, Google account, or Microsoft account, and they won't have access. Turning off Find My Phone and signing out of your account prevents this problem.
Some people also turn it off temporarily if they're troubleshooting other problems with their device or account, or if they're traveling and want to minimize the data their phone sends to company servers.
How to turn Find My Phone back on if you change your mind
If you decide later that you want Find My Phone back on, the process is just as straightforward as turning it off. On iPhone, go back to Settings > [Your Name] > Find My > Find My iPhone and tap the toggle to turn it back on. On Android, go to Settings > Google > Manage Your Google Account > Security > Find My Device and tap the toggle. On Windows, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Find My Device and click the toggle.
If you removed your device from your account entirely, you'll need to sign back in with your Apple ID, Google account, or Microsoft account before Find My Phone will work again. The phone will walk you through this process the first time you turn the feature back on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will turning off Find My Phone affect other features on my device?
No. Turning off Find My Phone only disables the remote tracking feature. Your phone will still work normally, and other location-based features like Maps, weather apps, and location services will continue to work as long as you haven't turned off location services entirely.
Can someone else turn off Find My Phone on my device?
On iPhone, they would need your Apple ID password. On Android, they would need access to your Google account. On Windows, they would need your Microsoft account password. So if your device is password-protected, no one else can turn it off without your permission.
If I turn off Find My Phone, can I still find my device if it's lost?
No. Once Find My Phone is off, you won't be able to locate your device remotely using Apple's Find My app, Google's Find My Mobile app, or Microsoft's Find My Device feature. You would need to contact your phone carrier or local police if your device is stolen.
Does turning off Find My Phone delete my backup data?
No. Your iCloud backup (iPhone), Google Drive backup (Android), or OneDrive backup (Windows) will remain intact. Turning off Find My Phone only affects the location tracking feature, not your backups or other account data.
What should I do before selling my phone?
Turn off Find My Phone, sign out of your account, and perform a factory reset. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. On Android, go to Settings > System > Reset Options > Erase All Data. On Windows, go to Settings > System > Recovery > Reset This PC. This ensures the new owner gets a clean device and you remove all your personal data.