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How to Use the Find My App on iPhone or iPad

Authored by:
Support.com Tech Pro Team
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Introduction

If you can't find your Find My iPhone or Find My Friends app that's because it has been changed. With the release of iOS 13, Apple has combined the Find My iPhone and Find My Friends apps into the Find My App.
Find My works like the previous Find My iPhone and Find My Friends apps, offering up your friends' locations and your device locations, but it also lets you find a missing device even if it doesn't have a WiFi or cellular connection. It does this by picking up Bluetooth signals.
We'll take you through setting up your Find My app, making sure all the settings are correct, and then show you how to find a lost device.
Before You Begin:
Upgrade iOS to the latest version
Find My App screen

1 Enable Location Services in iOS

Enable Location Services to easily locate friends and family members. Share your location with others, let them share back, and find missing devices.

  1. Open Settings on your phone or tablet.
    iOS Settings.
  2. Select Privacy.
    Settings with Privacy highlighted.
  3. Select Location Services.
    Privacy settings with Location Services highlighted.
  4. Make sure Location Services is turned On at the top. Look through the list of programs below, and make sure Cam Remote has "While Using" or "Always" selected.
    Location services with the on off switch highlighted.

2 Turn On Share My Location in Find My Settings

If you want friends and family to know where you are, turn on Share My location on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. If they share their location back, you can see where they are too.

  1. Open Settings.
    iOS Settings.
  2. Tap your Apple ID name.
    Apple ID
  3. Tap Find My.
    Find My Selection
  4. Enable Share My Location.
    Toggling share my location

3 Enable Offline Finding for Your iOS Device

The new Find My lets your lost devices be located even when not connected to WiFi or LTE by using Bluetooth and proximity to other nearby Apple devices.

  1. Tap your device.
    Find my iphone selection
  2. To see your device even when it's offline, turn on Enable Offline Finding.
    Enabling offline finding

4 Mark a Device Lost in the Find My App

Use Mark As Lost to remotely lock your missing device with a passcode, display a custom message with your phone number on the Lock screen, and keep track of your device's location.

  1. Open the Find My app.
    Find my app icon
  2. Select the Devices tab or swipe up.
    The device tab
  3. Choose your missing device.
    Selecting your device
  4. Scroll down to Mark As Lost and select Activate.
    Mark as lost selection
  5. Choose Continue.
    Choosing continue
  6. Enter your phone number if you want it to display on your missing device and select Next.
    Entering a phone number
  7. If you want, you can choose to enter a custom message asking the finder of your missing device to contact you. Tap Activate.
    Activating
  8. The missing device is now remotely locked. If you have Apple Pay set up on the device, it will be disabled. A confirmation email will be sent to the primary email address associated with your Apple ID. When you recover your device, you will need to unlock it with your passcode.

5 Remotely Erase a Lost Device in the Find My App

To prevent anyone else from accessing the data on your missing device, you can erase it remotely. When you erase your device, all of your information (including credit, debit, or prepaid cards for Apple Pay) is deleted from the device, and you won't be able to find it using Find My:

  1. Select the device you want to remotely erase.
    Selecting your macbook
  2. Scroll down and choose Erase This Device.
    Selecting erase this device
  3. Select Continue.
    Erasing your device

6 Find a Lost Device in the Find My App

See Your Lost Device on the Map

  1. Open the Find My app.
    Find my app icon
  2. Select the Devices tab or swipe up.
    The device tab
  3. Choose your missing device.
    Selecting your device
  4. Your device will be shown on the map.
    Your device on the map

Play a Sound When You Find Your Device

  1. Select Play Sound.
    Selecting play a sound

Get Directions to Your Device

  1. Select Get Directions.
    Getting directions
  2. Directions will be given to the location.
    Directions

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If you can't find your Find My iPhone or Find My Friends app that's because it has been changed. With the release of iOS 13, Apple has combined the Find My iPhone and Find My Friends apps into the Find My App.
Find My works like the previous Find My iPhone and Find My Friends apps, offering up your friends' locations and your device locations, but it also lets you find a missing device even if it doesn't have a WiFi or cellular connection. It does this by picking up Bluetooth signals.
We'll take you through setting up your Find My app, making sure all the settings are correct, and then show you how to find a lost device.
Before You Begin:
Upgrade iOS to the latest version
Find My App screen

Enable Location Services to easily locate friends and family members. Share your location with others, let them share back, and find missing devices.

  1. Open Settings on your phone or tablet.
    iOS Settings.
  2. Select Privacy.
    Settings with Privacy highlighted.
  3. Select Location Services.
    Privacy settings with Location Services highlighted.
  4. Make sure Location Services is turned On at the top. Look through the list of programs below, and make sure Cam Remote has "While Using" or "Always" selected.
    Location services with the on off switch highlighted.

If you want friends and family to know where you are, turn on Share My location on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. If they share their location back, you can see where they are too.

  1. Open Settings.
    iOS Settings.
  2. Tap your Apple ID name.
    Apple ID
  3. Tap Find My.
    Find My Selection
  4. Enable Share My Location.
    Toggling share my location

The new Find My lets your lost devices be located even when not connected to WiFi or LTE by using Bluetooth and proximity to other nearby Apple devices.

  1. Tap your device.
    Find my iphone selection
  2. To see your device even when it's offline, turn on Enable Offline Finding.
    Enabling offline finding

Use Mark As Lost to remotely lock your missing device with a passcode, display a custom message with your phone number on the Lock screen, and keep track of your device's location.

  1. Open the Find My app.
    Find my app icon
  2. Select the Devices tab or swipe up.
    The device tab
  3. Choose your missing device.
    Selecting your device
  4. Scroll down to Mark As Lost and select Activate.
    Mark as lost selection
  5. Choose Continue.
    Choosing continue
  6. Enter your phone number if you want it to display on your missing device and select Next.
    Entering a phone number
  7. If you want, you can choose to enter a custom message asking the finder of your missing device to contact you. Tap Activate.
    Activating
  8. The missing device is now remotely locked. If you have Apple Pay set up on the device, it will be disabled. A confirmation email will be sent to the primary email address associated with your Apple ID. When you recover your device, you will need to unlock it with your passcode.

To prevent anyone else from accessing the data on your missing device, you can erase it remotely. When you erase your device, all of your information (including credit, debit, or prepaid cards for Apple Pay) is deleted from the device, and you won't be able to find it using Find My:

  1. Select the device you want to remotely erase.
    Selecting your macbook
  2. Scroll down and choose Erase This Device.
    Selecting erase this device
  3. Select Continue.
    Erasing your device

See Your Lost Device on the Map

  1. Open the Find My app.
    Find my app icon
  2. Select the Devices tab or swipe up.
    The device tab
  3. Choose your missing device.
    Selecting your device
  4. Your device will be shown on the map.
    Your device on the map

Play a Sound When You Find Your Device

  1. Select Play Sound.
    Selecting play a sound

Get Directions to Your Device

  1. Select Get Directions.
    Getting directions
  2. Directions will be given to the location.
    Directions
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