Enable Find My iPhone in Settings

Find My iPhone is built into every iPhone and lets you locate, lock, or erase your device from another Apple device or a web browser. To turn it on, open Settings on your iPhone and tap your name at the top of the screen.

Scroll down and tap iCloud. You will see a list of apps and services that sync with your Apple account. Scroll down until you find Find My and tap it. Toggle the switch to the right so it turns green. If you see a prompt asking to use your location, tap Allow.

Your iPhone will now send its location to Apple's servers whenever it is connected to the internet. This happens in the background and does not drain your battery noticeably. The feature works even if your phone is locked, as long as location services remain on for Find My.

Key Takeaways

  • Find My iPhone is turned on through Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Find My, and the toggle must be green to work.
  • Your iPhone must have location services enabled for the entire system, not just for Find My, or the feature will not send location data.
  • Once enabled, you can locate your iPhone from another Apple device using the Find My app, or from any computer using iCloud.com.
  • Find My iPhone works even when your phone is powered off, as long as it was turned on before it died and has been connected to the internet recently.

Make Sure Location Services Is On for the Whole System

Find My iPhone cannot work if location services is turned off at the system level. Go to Settings and tap Privacy & Security, then tap Location Services at the top. Make sure the toggle next to Location Services is green.

If the toggle is off, tap it to turn it on. Your iPhone will ask for permission to use your location. Tap Allow. Without this step, Find My will not know where your phone is, even if you turned on Find My in iCloud settings.

Verify Your Apple ID Is Signed In

Find My iPhone only works if you are signed into iCloud with your Apple ID. Go back to Settings and tap your name at the top. If you see your name and email address, you are already signed in. If you see Sign in to your iPhone instead, tap it and enter your Apple ID and password.

Your Apple ID is the email address you use for iCloud, the App Store, or other Apple services. If you do not have one, you can create it for free on Apple's website before signing in on your phone.

Locate Your iPhone Using Find My

Once Find My iPhone is on, you can locate your device from another iPhone, iPad, or Mac using the Find My app. Open Find My and tap the Devices tab at the bottom. You will see a list of all Apple devices signed into your Apple ID.

Tap the name of the iPhone you want to find. The app will show its location on a map. If your phone is nearby, you can tap Play Sound to make it ring at full volume, even if it is on silent. If your phone is lost or stolen, you can tap Mark as Lost to lock it and display a message on the screen.

Use iCloud.com if You Do Not Have Another Apple Device

If you do not have another iPhone, iPad, or Mac nearby, you can find your device from any computer using iCloud.com. Go to iCloud.com in a web browser and sign in with your Apple ID. Click Find My iPhone (or just Find My on newer versions).

A map will appear showing the location of all your devices. Click the device you want to find and you will see the same options: play a sound, mark it as lost, or erase it. This works on Windows computers and Mac computers equally well.

What to Do if Find My Is Not Showing Your Location

If you turned on Find My iPhone but the location is not updating or shows as offline, first check that your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data. Find My cannot send location data without an internet connection. Wait a few minutes and refresh the Find My app or iCloud.com page.

If your phone is still offline, check that location services is on for the whole system (Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services). Also go back to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Find My and make sure the toggle is still green. Sometimes the setting resets after an iOS update. If you have done all these steps and it still does not work, restart your iPhone by holding down the power button and sliding to power off, then turning it back on.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone else find my iPhone if they know my Apple ID?

No. Find My iPhone only works when you are signed into your own Apple ID on the device you are using to search. If someone else tries to use Find My with your Apple ID, they would need your password. This is why you should never share your Apple ID password with anyone.

Does Find My iPhone work if my phone is turned off?

Yes, but only for a short time. If your iPhone is powered off but was recently on and connected to the internet, other Apple devices nearby can still detect it using Bluetooth and report its location to you. This feature is called Find My network. Once your battery is completely dead, location stops updating.

Will Find My drain my battery?

Find My uses location services in the background, which does use some battery power. However, the drain is minimal because your iPhone only sends location data when it connects to the internet, not constantly. You will not notice a significant difference in battery life.

What happens if I turn off Find My iPhone?

If you turn off Find My, you will not be able to locate your device from another phone or computer. You also will not be able to lock or erase it remotely if it is lost or stolen. You can turn it back on at any time by going to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Find My and toggling it green again.