There is no doubt that the ‘Find My iPhone’ feature (which can also track your iPad, iPod Touch and Apple computers) is a handy tool.
But exactly how do you set this feature up and use it to track down your missing iPhone?
Apple has made ‘Find My iPhone’ really easy to setup. You just need to toggle this feature on from the settings page on your iPhone. Just make sure you are logged in to iCloud on your iPhone before you try to switch it on otherwise it won’t work.
Using it is simple too. You login to your iCloud account via a computer and pick Find My iPhone. The current location of your device is shown on a map.
‘Find my iPhone’ comes in handy as it helps you keep track of where your expensive computer equipment is. It is a tracking system that allows you to see where your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch or Mac computer is located via a web browser or a special App. Best of all, it is really easy to set up.
So if you do misplace your expensive new phone, you now have a way of tracking it down from any computer.
Not convinced that ‘Find My iPhone’ is useful? Well there are stories in the press about people locating their lost and stolen devices using this tool – such as ex-England rugby captain Will Carling.
Table of Contents
Requirements
You will need:
- Apple ID – this is the username and password you use to download stuff from iTunes
- An iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with latest version of the operating system installed on it (or at least iOS 5)
- iCloud setup on your device
How to set up Find My iPhone
Before you setup Find My iPhone you need to set up iCloud on your device first.
Not sure what iCloud is or why you need it? Check out this article on what iCloud is all about.
Once you have iCloud working you will be able to use Find My iPhone to find your device.
Instructions on your options when you lose your iPhone can be found later in the article.
Video instructions
Now that you have set it up read onto find out how to use Find My iPhone.
Written instructions
1. Tap the Settings icon
2.Tap your name at the top of the screen
3. Tap on iCloud.
4. Scroll down the page and tap ‘Find My iPhone’
5. Tap the ‘Find My iPhone’ toggle button to turn it on. It will turn green to show it is enabled and a message will pop up on the screen saying it has been setup.
6. A new option will appear under Find My iPhone which says ‘Send Last Location’. If you switch this on then your device will inform iCloud of the device’s location before the battery runs out.
7. You are done – it’s that simple!
How to use Find My iPhone
Video instructions
Written instructions
I also advise you install the “Find My iPhone app”.
The Find My iPhone application is a free download on the App Store, and lets you locate the iOS devices on a map, send messages and pings to the devices.
It also allows you to remotely delete the data from your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch and enable the iCloud activation lock to prevent you device being used by anyone else.
These features are also available online via your iCloud account. All you need to do is:
1. Go to: https://www.icloud.com/
2. Sign in with your iCloud details
3. Click the Find My iPhone icon
4. You may be asked for your iCloud password again
5. The last known location of your device will be shown on a map.
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