Disabling Find My Phone removes the ability to locate your device remotely, but it also removes a layer of protection if your phone is lost or stolen
Find My Phone (called Find My on Apple devices, Find My Mobile on Samsung, and similar names on other brands) is a remote-location service built into most smartphones. When you turn it off, your phone stops sending its location to your account, and you lose the ability to track it from another device or a web browser. You also lose the option to remotely lock or erase it if someone else gains access.
The reason to disable it is usually privacy: you don't want your phone company, your device manufacturer, or anyone with access to your account to know where you are. The reason to keep it on is security: if your phone is lost or stolen, you have a way to find it or prevent someone from using it. This is a real trade-off, and the right choice depends on your own risk tolerance and how much you trust the company that runs the service.
Key Takeaways
- Turning off Find My Phone stops your device from reporting its location to Apple, Google, Samsung, or another manufacturer, but you lose the ability to track it remotely if it is lost or stolen.
- On iPhones, Find My is controlled in Settings under your Apple ID; on Android phones, it is usually in Settings under Google or Samsung account options, depending on your phone brand.
- Disabling Find My does not delete your account or affect other services like email or cloud storage — it only stops location tracking.
- If you turn it off and later change your mind, you can turn it back on using the same settings menu, though you will need access to your phone or another device on your account.
How to disable Find My on an iPhone
On an iPhone, Find My is tied to your Apple ID. Open Settings, tap your name at the top, then tap Find My. You will see Find My iPhone listed. Tap it, then toggle off Find My iPhone. Apple will ask you to enter your Apple ID password to confirm — this is a security step to prevent someone else from turning it off without your knowledge.
Once you confirm, Find My iPhone is off. Your phone will no longer send its location to Apple's servers. If you use iCloud for other things (email, photos, backups), those services stay on — turning off Find My does not affect them.
How to disable Find My on an Android phone
On Android, the process depends on whether your phone is made by Google (Pixel), Samsung, or another manufacturer. On a Google Pixel, open Settings, tap Security and emergency, then tap Find My Device. Toggle it off. Google will ask for your password to confirm.
On a Samsung phone, open Settings, tap Accounts and backup, then tap Accounts. Select your Samsung account, tap Find My Mobile, and toggle it off. You may need to enter your Samsung password. If you use a different brand of Android phone, look in Settings under Security, Privacy, or your account name — the exact location varies, but it is usually in one of those sections.
What happens when you turn Find My Phone off
When you disable Find My Phone, your device stops reporting its location to the manufacturer's servers. If your phone is lost or stolen, you will not be able to track it on a map, lock it remotely, or erase it remotely. You also will not receive notifications if someone tries to use your account from a new device.
The manufacturer also stops collecting location data about you. This means Apple, Google, Samsung, or whoever runs the service no longer has a record of where you have been. If you are concerned about location privacy, this is the main benefit of turning it off.
Turning Find My Phone back on if you change your mind
If you decide later that you want the protection of Find My Phone, you can turn it back on. On an iPhone, go back to Settings, your name, Find My, Find My iPhone, and toggle it on. On Android, follow the same path you used to turn it off and toggle it back on. You will need your Apple ID password, Google password, or Samsung password to confirm.
If you have lost access to your phone and cannot turn it back on yourself, you can use another device on your account. On iPhone, go to iCloud.com, sign in, and click Find My. On Android, go to google.com/android/find or samsung.com/findmymobile, sign in, and look for the option to enable Find My on your device. The exact steps vary by manufacturer.
The privacy and security trade-off
Turning off Find My Phone is a privacy choice, but it comes with a security cost. If your phone is stolen, the thief can use it without you being able to stop them remotely. They can also access your email, banking apps, photos, and anything else stored on the device. If you turn Find My off, you are betting that you will not lose your phone, or that if you do, you are willing to accept that risk.
Some people turn Find My off only when they are at home or in a place they trust, then turn it back on when they travel or go out. Others turn it off permanently because they do not want any company tracking their location. There is no single right answer — it depends on how much you value location privacy versus the ability to recover your phone if it is lost.
What to do if your phone is lost and Find My is off
If your phone is lost and you have Find My disabled, you have fewer options, but not zero. You can call your phone to see if someone answers. You can contact your phone company (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, or whoever provides your service) and ask them to disable the SIM card, which will prevent anyone from using your phone on their network. You can also change your passwords for email, banking, and other important accounts from another device to lock the thief out.
If your phone is found and returned to you, you can turn Find My back on and restore your settings from a backup. Most phones back up to the cloud automatically, so your data may still be there even if the phone was lost for a while.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does turning off Find My Phone delete my account?
No. Turning off Find My Phone only stops location tracking. Your Apple ID, Google account, or Samsung account stays active, and you can still use email, cloud storage, and other services. You can turn Find My back on anytime without losing anything.
Can someone else turn off Find My Phone on my device?
Not without your password. Both Apple and Google require you to enter your account password before you can disable Find My. This is a security feature to prevent a thief from turning it off when ready after stealing your phone.
If I turn off Find My Phone, can the manufacturer still see my location?
No. When you disable Find My Phone, your device stops sending location data to Apple, Google, Samsung, or the manufacturer. They will not know where you are unless you turn the service back on.
What is the difference between Find My Phone and location services?
Location services is a phone setting that lets apps know your location (maps, weather, social media). Find My Phone is a specific service that lets the manufacturer track your device. You can turn off location services without affecting Find My, or turn off Find My without affecting location services.
If I turn off Find My, can I still use maps or GPS?
Yes. Maps, GPS, and other location-based apps use your phone's GPS chip and location services setting, not Find My Phone. Turning off Find My does not affect them.