Find My

You can use the Find My app to remove a device from your Devices list or turn off Activation Lock on a device you already sold or gave away. When you remove Activation Lock, someone else can activate the device and connect it to their Apple Account.

If you still have the device, it’s simpler. You can turn off Activation Lock and remove the device from your account by turning off the Find My [device] setting on the device itself.

Remove a device from your Devices list

Not planning on using a device? Remove it from your Devices list, though it may need to be offline first. When it comes online again, it reappears in your Devices list if it’s an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or Apple Watch that still has Activation Lock turned on, or AirPods or Beats headphones still paired with your iOS or iPadOS device.

1. Do one of the following:
   • For an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or Apple Watch: Turn off the device.
   • For AirPods: Put AirPods in their case and close the lid or turn the AirPods off.
   • For Beats headphones: Turn off the headphones.
2. Start the Find My app on your iPhone.
3. Tap Devices and tap the name of the offline device. Then tap the More button.
4. Tap Remove.

Remove an iPhone Wallet with MagSafe

If you don’t want an iPhone Wallet with MagSafe and Find My support to appear in the Find My app, you can remove it from your Devices list. Once it’s removed from Find My, someone else can connect it to their Apple Account.

1. Start the Find My app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Devices, tap the name of your iPhone Wallet with MagSafe, and tap the More button.
3. Tap Remove and then follow the onscreen instructions.

Turn off Activation Lock on a device you have

Remove Activation Lock before you sell, give away, or trade in a device, so it’s no longer associated with your Apple Account.

Turn off Activation Lock on a device you no longer have

Forgot to turn off Find My [device] after you sold or gave away your Mac, Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch? You can still remove Activation Lock using the Find My app.

1. Start the Find My app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Devices, tap the name of the device you want to remove, and then tap the More button.
3. Erase the device. Because the device isn’t lost, don’t enter a phone number or message.

   If the device is offline, the remote erase begins the next time it connects to a Wi-Fi or cellular network. You receive an email when the device is erased.

4. When the device is erased, tap Remove This Device and then tap Remove.

Your content is all erased and Activation Lock turns off, so someone else can now activate the device.

You can remove a device online using iCloud.com, too.

Use the Find My app to erase an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple Watch, or Mac. In order to remotely erase a device, you must turn on Find My [device] before it’s lost.

Erasing doesn’t leave the device up for grabs. Activation Lock remains on to protect it, and your Apple Account password is required to reactivate it. If the device had iOS 15, iPadOS 15, or later, you can still locate it or play a sound on it afterward.

Here’s how to erase a device in Find My on iPhone.

What happens when you erase a device in Find My?

• A confirmation email is sent to your Apple Account email address.
• When you erase a device remotely using Find My, Activation Lock remains on to protect it. Your Apple Account password is required to reactivate it.
• If you erase a device that had iOS 15, iPadOS 15, or later installed, you can use Find My to locate or play a sound on the device. Otherwise, you won’t be able to locate or play a sound on it. You may still be able to locate your Mac or Apple Watch if it’s near a previously used Wi-Fi network.

Erase a device

1. Open the Find My app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Devices, tap the name of the device you want to erase, and then tap the More button.
3. Tap Erase and tap Continue.
4. If the device is a Mac, enter a passcode to lock it (you need to use the passcode to unlock it).

   If the device is lost and you’re asked to enter a phone number or message, you may want to indicate that the device is lost or how to contact you. The number and message appear on the device’s Lock Screen.

5. Tap Erase.
6. Enter your Apple Account password, then tap Erase again.

Is your device offline? You’ll see Erase Pending, and the remote erase starts as soon as it next connects to a Wi-Fi or cellular network.

Cancel an erase

If you find an offline device you’ve erased before it comes online again, you can cancel the erase request.

1. Open the Find My app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Devices, tap the name of the device whose erase you want to cancel, and then tap the More button.
3. Tap Cancel Erase, then enter your Apple Account password.

Lost your iPhone? Find Devices on iCloud.com can erase it.

On supported models, the Find My app can share your location via satellite when you’re outside cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. Most Find My features need a cellular or Wi-Fi network, though, so there’s some preparation before you leave coverage, and it requires an active SIM.

Note: Sharing your location via satellite isn’t available in all countries or regions and requires an active SIM.

Before you disconnect from cellular and Wi-Fi coverage

Without a cellular or Wi-Fi network, most Find My features aren’t available. If you want to send your location via satellite to friends, do the following before you head outside cellular or Wi-Fi coverage:

• Set the iPhone you’re bringing with you as the iPhone that shares your location. On your iPhone 14 or later open the Find My app, tap Me , then make sure Share My Location is turned on. If your iPhone isn’t currently sharing your location, tap Use This iPhone as My Location.
• Add the contacts you want to share your location with.

Send your location via satellite

If you’re not connected to a cellular or Wi-Fi network, you can still use the Find My app to share your location via satellite. To share your location with a friend via satellite, though, you’ll need to be sharing your location with that friend in Find My first.

1. Start the Find My app on your iPhone.
2. Make sure that you’re outside with a clear view of the sky and the horizon. If you’re under heavy foliage or surrounded by other obstructions, you might not be able to connect to a satellite.
3. Tap Me.
4. Tap Send My Location (below My Location via Satellite) and then follow the onscreen instructions.

Your iPhone provides guidance if connecting to a satellite means turning left or right. Just follow the onscreen instructions.

Note: Expect it to take a few minutes to send your location via satellite, and keep following the onscreen instructions until the message is sent.

There’s a limit, though: you can send your location once every 15 minutes. And when you send your location via satellite, you won’t see your friend’s location in the Find My app.

See a friend’s location sent via satellite

To see a friend’s location sent via satellite, your iPhone needs iOS 16.1 or later installed. An iPhone 14 or later isn’t required. A satellite icon appears next to a contact’s picture when they send you their location via satellite, and Satellite Location shows up in the text in the Find My app. For up to 7 days, you can view their most recent location.

You can use certain third-party products with the Find My app. You can pair these products with your Apple Account using your iPhone, and then use Find My to locate them if they’re lost or misplaced. You can also get notified if you leave your item behind.

If an item won’t add, the manufacturer can tell you whether it supports Find My. And if it’s an AirTag you’re adding, see how to add an AirTag to Find My instead.

Add a third-party item

1. Start the Find My app on your iPhone.
2. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to make the item discoverable.
3. Tap the Add button, then choose Add Other Item.
4. Tap Connect, type a name and select an emoji and tap Continue.
5. Tap Continue to register the item to your Apple Account. Then tap Finish.

Having trouble adding an item? Contact the manufacturer to find out if Find My is supported.

If someone else’s Apple Account has the item registered, they need to remove it before you can add it.

Change an item’s name or emoji

1. Start the Find My app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Items, tap the item whose name or emoji you want to change, and then tap the More button.
3. Tap Change Name and Emoji.
4. Choose a name from the list or choose Custom Name to type a name and select an emoji.
5. Tap the Done button.

Keep your item up to date

To use all the features in Find My, keep your item up to date.

1. Start the Find My app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Items and tap the item you want to update. Tap the More button.
3. Tap Update Available and then follow the onscreen instructions.

Note: Your item is up to date if you don’t see Update Available.

If the item is updating, you can’t use Find My features yet.

View details about an item

Find My shows more details about any item you register to your Apple Account, such as the serial number or model. It also shows whether the manufacturer has a third-party app available.

1. Start the Find My app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Items and tap the item you want more details about. Then tap the More button.
3. Do either of the following:
   • View details: Tap Show Details.
   • Get or open third-party app: If an app is available, you see the app icon. Tap Get or the Download button to download the app. If you’ve already downloaded it, tap Open to open it on your iPhone.

In the Find My app, after you share your location with a friend, you can ask to see their location on a map. Once they receive and accept your request, you can see their location. You can also remove a friend, and when you do, that person is removed from your People list.

Ask to see a friend’s location

1. Start the Find My app on your iPhone.
2. Tap People and then tap the name of the person whose location you want to see.

   If you don’t see a person in the list, make sure you’re sharing your location with them.

3. Tap Ask To Follow Location.

You can see their location as soon as your friend receives and accepts your request.

Note: If your friend is in the People list but you can’t see their location on the map, ask them to check that they’re sharing their location. Location Services also needs to be turned on in Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > Find My.

Remove a friend

When you remove a friend, you’re also removed from their People list, and that person is removed from yours.

1. Start the Find My app on your iPhone.
2. Tap People, tap the name of the person you want to remove, and tap the More button.
3. Tap Remove.

You can change the map view or distance units that appear in the Find My app. A button at the right of the map shows whether the current map is for exploring or viewing from a satellite, and you can choose another map type, or change the view to 2D or 3D in some locations.

Change the map view

The button at the right of the map tells you if the current map is for exploring or for viewing from a satellite.

1. Start the Find My app on your iPhone.
2. To choose a different map, tap the button at the right and then choose another map type.
3. Tap the Close button.

You can also tap 2D or 3D at the right to change the view (not available in all locations).

Quick tip: Zoom in if you don’t see 2D or 3D. Or, to see the 3D view, swipe up with two fingers.

Change distance units

To change the default distance units, use Settings.

You can turn off Find My on your iPhone if you no longer want to share your location or view the location of your friends, devices, and items. It’s in your Apple Account settings, and you’ll need your Apple Account password to finish.

1. Open Settings, tap [your name], and then tap Find My.
2. Tap Find My iPhone, then tap to turn it off.
3. Enter your Apple Account password, then tap Turn Off.

Before you can use the Find My app to locate a lost iPhone, you need to connect the device to your Apple Account. When you add your iPhone to Find My, you can also get notified if you leave it behind.

Find My can locate your iPhone even when it’s offline, using the Find My network, for up to 24 hours after it’s turned off on a supported iPhone. Activation Lock also stops anyone else from using your device, even if it’s completely erased.

Add your iPhone

1. On your iPhone, open Settings, tap [your name], and then tap Find My.

   If you’re asked to sign in, enter your Apple Account information. If you don’t have an Apple Account, tap “Don’t have an Apple Account or forgot it?” then follow the instructions.

2. Tap Find My iPhone and turn on Find My iPhone.
3. You can also turn on or off either of the following:
   • Find My network: If your device is offline (not connected to Wi-Fi or cellular), Find My can locate it using the Find My network.

     On a supported iPhone, turning on the Find My network allows you to locate your iPhone for up to 24 hours after it’s turned off, or up to 5 hours when it’s in power reserve mode.

   • Send Last Location: If your device’s battery charge level becomes critically low, its location is sent to Apple automatically.

Your iPhone also includes Activation Lock, a feature that prevents anyone else from activating and using your device. It works even if the device is completely erased.

Add a family member’s device

If you set up Family Sharing first, you can see your family members’ devices in Find My. They appear below yours in the Devices list.

You can’t add friends’ devices to Find My. Friends who lose a device can go to Find Devices on iCloud.com and sign in to their Apple Account.

Use the Find My app on iPhone models that support Precision Finding to meet up with a friend. When you get close enough, an arrow points toward your friend, along with an estimate of the distance, and the screen turns green when you’re walking in the right direction.

Note: Precision Finding isn’t available in all countries or regions, and both you and the friend you’re looking for must have a supported iPhone model.

1. Start the Find My app on your iPhone.
2. Tap People and tap the name of the friend you want to meet.

   If you aren’t following each other, you may have to share your location or ask for their location.

3. Do one of the following:
   • See your friend in Maps: If you aren’t nearby, tap Directions to get closer to their location.
   • Find your friend nearby: If you’re near one another, tap Find to notify your friend that you’re trying to locate them and then follow the onscreen instructions to get directions to them.

   When you get close enough to each other, an arrow points in their direction with an estimate of how far away they are.

4. When you locate the person you’re looking for, tap the Close button.

If you receive a notification that a friend is trying to find you, you can tap Share so they can find their way to you more easily. If you’ve already shared your location with them, they see where you are relative to their location. You can stop sharing your location at any time.