iPhone

What do you get when you combine Find My iPhone with Find My Friends? According to Apple, you get a handy feature with an funny title: the new Find
My app in iOS 14 features a simple UI that allows users to locate friends, family members, and Apple devices.

It divides this information into 3 tabs with options to play a sound from missing devices, load directions in the Maps app, or set up notifications
to sound when your spouse leaves work. And all of this from a single app!

How to use the Find My app for iPhones in iOS 14

Let’s get started and learn how to use the Find My app for iPhones in iOS 14.

How to Find Your Apple Devices

Tap the Devices tab located at the bottom of the Find My app to reveal a map of your compatible Apple devices. Find My puts a pin on the map at the location of any iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, or AirPod associated with your Apple ID. It also displays your family members’ devices too.

Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to bring up more devices, each with its exact location and distance from you.
If Find My can’t locate a device,
a black screen icon will be displayed instead, along with the last known location.

What It Means When Find My iPhone Is Offline and How to Find It Any. wayWhat does it mean when Find My iPhone says “offline”? How do you find an iPhone that’s
offline? Here are the answers you need.Read More
Get More Details About Each Device

Tap a particular device to view its present address and battery percentage, along with a series of controls to help you retrieve it. If you think you’re close enough, tap Play Sound to make your device ring. Otherwise, tap Directions to launch a route in the Maps app.

Get Notifications for Missing Devices

Starting with iOS 13, you can locate Apple devices even when they aren’t connected to the internet.
Apple makes this possible by creating an encrypted and anonymous Bluetooth network
that connects nearby Apple devices.

Having said that, Find My is still unable to locate your device if it doesn’t have internet connection and Bluetooth isn’t turned on, which could mean
it’s turned off. In this case, enable Notify When Found to receive a notification with its location as soon as Find My detects it.

Mark as Lost to Protect Your Data

If any of your Apple devices is lost or stolen, it’s a good idea to enable Mark As Lost to protect your data and make it easier for people to return your device to you. You
can also provide a phone number with a custom message asking whoever finds it to call you.

When you activate Mark As Lost, Find My will disable sensitive services such Apple Pay on your device and locks it with your passcode. If you haven’t used
a passcode before, you can take this opportunity to create one.

Only Erase Your Device as a Last Resort

Below the other options, there’s also a button to Erase This Device. I suggest you consider this as a last resort, if you believe you’ll never retrieve your device, because after erasing it you cannot track its location any longer.

Having said that,
an erased device is still protected by Apple’sActivation Lock,
preventing anyone who finds it from using it as their own. If you have enabled Mark As Lost, it also still displays your custom message telling people how
to contact you.

How to Find Your Friends and Family

Tap the People tab located at the bottom-left hand corner of Find My in iOS 13 to reveal a map of all the peple who follow your location or share their location with
you.

Just like in the Devices tab, you can then tap each person to get additional information about where they are located. This also provides options to view their details
in the Contacts app or get directions with Maps.

Start Sharing Your Location

In case you haven’t yet shared your location with anyone, tap the button to Start Sharing Location. Otherwise, swipe up to bring up the full list of people you’re
following and tap on Share My Location button located at the bottom.

Search for the contact you want to share your location with by typing in their name, phone number, or Apple ID email address in the search bar. When you tap
Send you can select how long you want to share your location for:

• Share for One Hour
• Share Until End of Day
• or Share Indefinitely.

Ask to Follow Someone Else’s Location

It’s not possible to follow someone else’s location using Find My unless they choose to share it with you. The best way to initiate this is by offering to share
your location first. When you do so, a notification prompts your contact to share their location back.

Alternatively, you can directly ask to follow anyone who is already following you. Tap on their name from the People tab and use the option to Ask to Follow Location.
When they accept, you’ll receive a notification from Find My letting you know they accepted your friend request.

Set Up Notifications When Someone Changes Location

You can opt to send or receive notifications in the Find My app whenever you, or any of your contacts, change location. This can come in handy if you want to
Notify a family member you’re on the way home or if you want to know when your friends arrive at the meeting point.

On the People tab in Find My, tap on the name of the person you want to set up notifications for. Tap Add under the Notifications heading and choose whether
you want to send or receive the notifications, then set the location you plan to leave or arrive at. You can set the location radius to anything from 300
feet to 150 miles.

If you choose to send notifications to someone else, you’ll see an option at the bottom of the screen which allows you to repeat the notifications. This way you can alert
your partner you’re on your way home every time you leave work, without having to do anything.

How to Change Your Find My Settings

In the bottom-right corner of the Find My app is the Me tab. This lets you choose which device you want to share your location from along with deciding whether
to allow friend requests or location updates.

On the Me tab, you can also reclaim your privacy with the Share My Location switch. Turn this off to temporarily hide your location from anyone you previously
shared it with. This is a great way to remember if you’re on your way to a surprise party or a secret vacation!

Change Your Location to a Different Device

If you have several Apple devices, you can use the Me tab to choose from where to share your location. You can only change your location from
the device you’re currently using, so be sure to launch the Find My app from that specific device, then tap Use This [Device] as My Location.

Help a Friend Find Their Device

If you look at the very bottom of the Me tab, you’ll see a small button that says, Help a Friend. Use this if a friend or family member has lost their Apple device. When you tap
it, a page on the iCloud website will load for your friend to sign in to. On this page, your friend can play sounds, mark their device as lost, or erase it remotely.

You may have heard your insurance company or law enforcement encourage you to record your IMEI. You may have even noticed it in your iPhone’s settings or
device box. What you might not be aware is what the IMEI number is actually for.

In this article, I’ll explain what an IMEI number is, and how you can find yours.
Let’s roll:

What Is an IMEI Number?

The International Mobile Equipment Identity—or IMEI—is a unique numerical identifier for every mobile device.

This number helps to distinguish each device. If you return your iPhone for repair, they will track it using the IMEI to differentiate
it from the other tons of iPhones, for example.

A standard IMEI number is a 14 digit string, with an additional 15th check digit for verifying the entire string. There is also a 16 digit variant that
Contains information about the software version of the device known as IMEISV.
Since 2004, the IMEI appears in the format AA-BBBBBB-CCCCCC-D. The sections labeled A and B are called the Type Allocation Code (TAC). The TAC portion
of the IMEI identifies the manufacturer and model of the device. For example, the Google Pixel TAC code is 35-161508, while the iPhone 6s Plus is 35-332907.

Some models have several TACs depending on revision, production locationand other factors. For instance, the iPhone 5C contained five different TAC codes.

The six C digits represent the unique serial number of your device and the handset manufacturer defines it. The D portion of the IMEI is a check digit that
ensures that the IMEI complies with the Guidelines for Allocation and Approval. The check digit is displayed on the packaging to prevent incorrect IMEI recording, but it’s not part of the documented IMEI.

While the IMEI number is absolutely important, it is not the only legal requirement for your iPhone. Manufacturers must comply with regulations
for each region in which they plan to sell their devices. The IMEI doesn’t demonstrate that the equipment meets any of those other safety and regulatory requirements.

Finding Your IMEI

There are a number of ways you can find your device’s IMEI. The most universal approach is to go to your device’s phone app. Type in *#06#
and the IMEI will be displayed on the screen.

If you own an Android or iOS device, you can also find the IMEI under Settings. On iOS, simply start the Settings app and head over to General > About and the IMEI will be displayed.
If you want to copy the IMEI, simply tap and hold on the number. Android devices may vary, but generally going to Settings > About Phone should display
the IMEI.

If you don’t have access to your device, there are other ways to find your IMEI as well. The retail packaging must have a label that shows the IMEI. If your
device has a removable battery, the IMEI is often listed under the battery. Most devices have the IMEI written on the rear. Others, like
the iPhone 6s and newer, have the IMEI engraved on the SIM tray.

However, in case you are planning to buy a new device, especially a second-hand one, you’ll want to confirm it’s status with the IMEI. To do this,
Go to
IMEI.info
and type in the iPhone’s IMEI number.

This free tool will tell you a bit about the device, and provide additional services, such as simple blacklist check. If you want to get additional
clarity, IMEI.info offers premium services such as a distinct blacklist check for each major US carrier and a SIM-lock status tool.

What Is an IMEI Number Used For?

The main purpose of IMEI’s is to equip your device with a unique ID number. In practice, therefore, the IMEI is very much like the Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN) used in the automotive industry. Although sometimes confused, the IMEI number is completely separate from your SIM number and cannot be changed.

When you connect to a cellular network, the provider records both numbers to enable their service. The
SIM number identifies your subscriber account,
while the IMEI just identifies the device.

If your iPhone is lost or stolen, you can contact your carrier who may be able to block the IMEI number from being used to connect
to the network. Your provider may also be able to contact and ask other networks to block the device. After doing so, you can then use built-in
tools to
find your iPhone’s location.

Usually, law enforcement keep records of lost and recovered phones, identified by their IMEI. Because there is no good reason to change the device’s IMEI, the
practice is considered illegal in most regions.

While it might be illegal to change the IMEI of a device, it does happen. Thieves, specifically, will try to take non-blacklisted numbers and apply
them to their stolen devices to make them usable again. As such, we suggest you never share or post your IMEI number online, otherwise you
might find your device cloned.

Have You Recorded Your IMEI?

The IMEI number is one of the most significant and distinctive ways of identifying your iPhone. If you haven’t already, you should locate it and take note of
it immediately.

Keep a record of your IMEI in a safe place, so it’s readily available in case you ever need it. If you are looking for a digital safe, then apassword manager might even
do the work.

Having said that, if you’ve found or recovered someone else’s iPhone, you may be wondering how to get it back to them. As such, you’ll want to know
what to do if you find a lost or stolen iPhone.

Found a Lost or Stolen iPhone? Here’s What to Do

Apple’s Family Sharing is a way to make your apps, movies, subscriptions, and more available to all the people in your family. You can also use it to control the screen time or content restrictions for your children’s devices. Even better, it can even let you monitor the location of all your loved ones.

Here’s a complete guide that explain everything you need to know about setting up and using Apple’s Family Sharing service.
Let’s get started.

What Is Family Sharing?

Family Sharing allows users to connect up to six different Apple ID accounts together. These accounts constitute your Family Sharing group, which you can use to save money by sharing a wide range of Apple purchases and services, such as:

• Apps, movies, TV shows, songs, and books
• Apple Music family plan subscriptions
• Apple Arcade, Apple News+, and Apple TV channel subscriptions
• iCloud storage

Because every user has their own account, you don’t need to share your password with anyone. You can also access content in your Family Sharing group from all devices you use with your Apple ID i.e. iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, as well as Windows PC.

Besides shared purchases and services, Family Sharing can automatically create a shared reminders list, shared calendar, and shared photo album for everyone in family sharing group to use. With permission, you can use Family sharing to see the location of everyone in your group, together with all their Apple devices.

Lastly, through Family Sharing, parents or guardians can even manage the Screen Time or Content & Privacy Restrictions for any child who is below 18 years in the group. With Ask to Buy feature enabled, they can also approve or deny App Store and iTunes purchases their children want to make.

You Can’t Share Everything

Unfortunately, you cannot share everything with family sharing. Before purchasing an app, scroll down to the Information section in the App Store to find out if it supports Family Sharing.

Keep in mind, you cannot share in-app purchases or subscriptions for non-Apple services.

How to Set Up Family Sharing

The person who creates the Family Sharing group becomes the Family Organizer. He/she chooses who is and isn’t allowed in the group, and also chooses which services or purchases you share with Family Sharing.

If the Family Organizer chooses to share App Store and iTunes purchases, they must also agree to pay for new purchases that anyone in the Family Sharing group makes.

Apple has made it pretty easy to set up Family Sharing from an iPhone running iOS 8 or later, or mac with OS X Yosemitey or later.

Set Up Family Sharing on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

1. Start the Settings app and tap [Your Name] at the top of the screen. If you don’t see your name, choose to Sign in to your [device] using your Apple ID account.
2. Now, tap on Set Up Family Sharing, then select Get Started and choose the first feature you want to use with Family Sharing. You may need to add a payment method to your Apple ID account if you haven’t already.
3. Follow the onscreen instructions to finish the setup and Invite Family Members through iMessage or by requesting them to sign in on your device.
4. After creating your group, the Family Sharing settings should show up next to your name. You can also tap Add Family Member to add more people to your family.

Set Up Family Sharing on a Mac

Launch the Apple menu and head over to System Preferences > Family Sharing.
Instructions to Set up Family Sharing will be available on this screen; click Next and follow the onscreen instructions to finish the setup. You may need to add a payment method to your Apple ID account if you haven’t already.
After you are done with the setup, click Add Family Member and type in the name, email address, or Game Center nickname of the first family member you want to add.
You can edit the various Family Sharing settings from the sidebar in System Preferences. Head over to Family to add more people to your Family Sharing group.

Set Up a Child’s Account in Family Sharing

Children below 13 years cannot create their own Apple ID accounts. Thankfully, with Family Sharing, the Family Organizer can create a child’s account for them. Apple limits the apps and media based on your child’s age and automatically turns on Ask to Buy. Consequently, they can’t download or purchase anything without permission, even if it’s free.

It’s easy to create a child’s account. Simply launch the Family Sharing settings on your device and follow the onscreen instructions to add a new family member. Choose the option to Create a Child Account. Then create an iCloud email address, a password, as well as security answers for your kid.

The Family Organizer i.e. parent/guardian in the Family Sharing group can remotely approve or deny App Store and iTunes purchases. Moreover, you can track your child’s Screen Time, or edit the Content & Privacy Restrictions for your child’s device.

Apple’s Family Sharing Features Explained

Once you create your Family Sharing group, various features and services you can choose to use with it will become available. At first, these options can appear a bit confusing, therefore, we’ve explained every Family Sharing feature below.

Purchase Sharing

For you to share apps, movies, TV shows, songs, and books in your Family Sharing group, you need to turn on Purchase Sharing. For this to work, the Family Organizer must agree to pay for any future purchases people in your Family Sharing group make.

Family members will continue to keep their purchases after leaving the Family Sharing group, even if the payment was made by the Family Organizer.

If you want to see another person’s purchases, simply launch the App Store or iTunes Store app and head over to the Purchases section. You should see each of your family members’ names; tap one to view or download their purchases.

Purchase Sharing allows your family to access everything you’ve ever purchased or downloaded, even if you did so before joining the Family Sharing group. You can also hide a specific purchase from your family. To do so, simply swipe on that purchase and choose to Hide it.

iCloud Storage

Apple offers everybody 5GB of free storage upon creating a newApple ID account. Individual family member can choose toupgrade their iCloud storage plan for a small monthly fee, or you can opt to share a single storage plan across your Family Sharing group.

If you want to share iCloud storage with Family Sharing, you are limited to either 200GB or 2TB plan. When a family member decides to share iCloud storage, Apple doesn’t add their free 5GB to the shared plan.

Location Sharing

If you turn on Location Sharing in Family Sharing, you can use the Find My app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to check the location of your other family members. In addition, you can use Find My to locate your family members’ missing Apple devices.
Individual family member can choose to share their location from the Family Sharing settings on their device or not.

Note: When Location Sharing is turned on, members in your Family Sharing group can easily use the Find My app to mark your devices as lost or remotely erase them. Read also: How To Track a Lost iPhone, iPad, or Mac With Find My

Screen Time

If you turn on Screen Time, you’ll be able to monitor any child in your Family Sharing group under 18 years. There are options to set App Limits, Communication Limits, Downtime, and Content & Privacy Restrictions on your children’s devices.

Family Sharing also provides you with regular usage reports so you can keep track of how much time your children spend on their devices.

Apple Music, TV Channels, Apple Arcade, and Apple News+

Apple now offers multiple subscription services. And apart fromApple Music (which requires a family plan), you can easily share any of these subscriptions with your Family Sharing group at no additional cost.

For instance, if you subscribe to Apple Arcade, all the members of your Family Sharing group can also access Apple Arcade games without having to sign up for their own subscription.

If you want to share Apple Music, you need to pay a few extra bucks to get a Family Sharing plan. Ideally, it’s far much cheaper than paying individually.

How to share Apple Music

For each person in the family to have access to the Apple Music library on a single subscription — while keeping their own private account with personal music library — family Organizer needs to do the following:

• Either sign up for Apple Music family subscription, if new to Apple Music, or
• Change their individual subscription to a family one — then each person in the family sharing group will automatically gain access to Apple Music as well

To change individual subscription to a family Apple Music subscription, simply follow these steps:

1. On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, launch the Settings app.
2. Tap your name at the top of the screen.
3. Tap Subscriptions.
4. Tap Apple Music subscription
5. Change your subscription to family.

1. On your Mac, head over to System Preferences and click Family Sharing
2. Click Apple Music
3. Change your subscription to Family.

how to use Apple’s Family Sharing service? Now you know

We trust this post has helped you to set up and use the Family Sharing feature on your Apple devices. With Family Sharing enabled, you can share Apple Books, and App Store purchases, an Apple Music family plan, and an iCloud storage plan with up to 5 family members. Your family can also locate each other’s missing devices using Find My App.
If you have any question or comment, we would love to hear in the comments section below. We also have plenty of other articles that I suggest you check right now.