Unfortunately, you have lost your iPhone, or someone stole it. How to find a lost iPhone? How to find an iPhone if stolen? These questions will undoubtedly pop into your mind. Your first reaction will be you will panic, and it is entirely understandable.
However, I suggest you keep calm and go through these tips and tricks, which explain how to find a lost iPhone if stolen and protect your data from being misused.
In this article, I will walk you through the different ways that you can use to find your stolen or lost iPhone. So, without wasting much time, let’s get started.
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Why Don’t You Ask Your Coworkers, Family Members, And Friends Once?
It is the first step you should take whenever your iPhone is lost or stolen. It would be best to ask your colleagues, friends, and family about your iPhone. There might be a high chance that they saw the iPhone anywhere. If it is, then you will find your phone easily. If not, you should go for other options.
Call Your Number
You can call yourself using another phone when your iPhone is lost or stolen. If you don’t have another phone, ask your friends or family members to place a call on your number. Therefore, if your iPhone is nearby, you can easily hear the ringtone or feel the vibration.
Use Find My iPhone
For your iOS device, you can make use of the Find My app to find your iPhone. If you don’t have another Apple device but have access to the computer, use iCloud to discover your iPhone.
You should follow the below steps to find your lost/stolen iPhone using Find My iPhone.
- First, launch the Find My iPhone app on another device.
- After that, enter the Apple ID details that you have used on your iPhone.
- Now, select your iPhone from the list of available devices.
- It will show the location of your iPhone on the map.
- Click on Actions.
- Now, click on Play Sound. If your lost iPhone is nearby, it will play a sound that will help you find its location.
- You can even click Lost Mode if your iPhone is stolen.
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Track Your iPhone Using Your Apple Watch
You can use the Apple Watch to find your iPhone if you don’t have another smartphone. You need to follow the steps below to do it.
- Swipe up on your Apple Watch and open the control centre.
- Search for the Ping iPhone button.
- Click on the Ping iPhone button, and it will make your iPhone play sound and flash.
Find Your iPhone Using iCloud
Don’t you have any other Apple device? Don’t worry. You can use iCloud on a computer and use its Find iPhone feature.
- Visit iCloud.com.
- Now, use your Apple ID details to log in.
- Tap on Find iPhone.
This feature will take some time but will help you find your iPhone’s last location.
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Google Location History
If you want to find your lost iPhone, Google can help you with its Google Map app. You need to go to the Google Timeline page. It will show you the places you have been to.
However, keep in mind that you need to enable this feature. Follow the below steps to enable it.
- Launch the browser and visit the Google Activity Controls.
- Now, scroll down. You will see the option – Location History. Turn on this feature.
- You need to click on Turn On once more to approve your decision.
Now, you can see your iPhone’s location.
Contact Local Law Enforcement
If you have lost your iPhone, there might be a chance that someone kind person has handed it to the police authorities. Therefore, you can visit the nearby police station and ask about your iPhone. You can even report your lost/stolen iPhone if you don’t find the iPhone.
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What To Do If Your iPhone Is Not Found?
If you cannot find your iPhone, the first and most important thing you need to do is erase the data. Therefore, you can prevent your personal information from going into the wrong hands.
Here are two ways in which you can erase the data.
Using The Find My iPhone App
Find My iPhone app not only helps track your lost iPhone but also helps you erase the data. To do so, you need to follow the steps below.
- Launch the Find My App on the other iOS device. However, you need to ensure that the device has your Apple ID logged in.
- Click on the Device tab.
- Now, choose your iPhone -> Erase This Device.
- After that, click on continue.
- Click on Erase. Enter your Apple ID login details.
- After that, choose Erase. And it’s done.
However, your iPhone needs to have an active internet connection. You won’t be able to format your iPhone if it does not have an active connection. The data removal process will start once your iPhone is connected to the iPhone.
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Through iCloud.com
Let’s check out the steps that you need to follow to erase the data from the iPhone using iCloud.
- Launch the browser.
- Go to iCloud.com.
- After that, log in with your Apple ID details.
- Choose the Find iPhone -> select your iPhone’s name.
- After that, click on Erase iPhone.
Make sure the iPhone is connected to the internet. If it is not, you won’t be able to erase data.
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FAQs
Q. Can I find my stolen/lost iPhone if it is switched off?
A. Yes. You can easily find your stolen or lost iPhone using Apple’s Find My Network. This facility is available on iPhone 11 and above. Using this service, you can easily find your misplaced iPhone using other iOS devices like iPads, MacBooks, iPhones, etc.
Q. Is my iPhone’s IMEI number can help me find my lost iPhone?
A. No. You cannot track your lost iPhone using its IMEI number, but the IMEI number can act as a vital element in blocking your iPhone remotely. After that, you can register complaints on the CEIR portal.
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Summing Up
Here we come to the end of this article. We hope you will never have to use these tips and tricks. Hopefully, this article has helped you understand how to find a lost iPhone. The main thing is that you need to protect your personal data. Therefore, following the steps discussed above can minimise the risk and damage caused by your lost/stolen iPhone.
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Nishva Gandhi
Content Copy Writer with over 6 years of professional writing experience and hold a Master’s Degree in IT. I help businesses grow organically with captivating content & strategic social media tactics.