How to turn off Find My on your device
The steps to deactivate Find My Phone depend on which device and operating system you use. On an iPhone, you go to Settings, tap your name at the top, select Find My, then turn off Find My iPhone. On Android, the process varies by manufacturer — Samsung phones use Find Mobile, Google Pixel phones use Find My Mobile through your Google account, and other brands may use their own tracking system. Each method requires you to sign in with your account credentials before you can disable the feature.
Before you turn off Find My Phone, understand what you're losing: the ability to locate your device if it's lost or stolen, remotely lock it, or erase it. Some people disable it temporarily for privacy reasons or because they're selling the device. Others turn it off when troubleshooting connection problems. Whatever your reason, the process takes less than five minutes on any device.
Key Takeaways
- iPhone users disable Find My by opening Settings, tapping their Apple ID name, selecting Find My, and toggling off Find My iPhone.
- Android users should check their phone's manufacturer — Samsung uses Find Mobile, Google Pixel uses Google's Find My Mobile, and others may have different apps.
- Turning off Find My Phone means you lose the ability to locate, lock, or remotely erase your device if it goes missing.
- If you're selling your device, you must disable Find My before the new owner can use it, or they'll be locked out.
- You can turn Find My back on at any time using the same settings menu.
Deactivating Find My on iPhone
On iPhone, Find My is built into the operating system and managed through your Apple ID. Open the Settings app, tap your name at the very top of the screen, then select Find My. You'll see two options: Find My iPhone and Find My Friends. Tap Find My iPhone to open its settings.
Toggle off the switch next to "Find My iPhone." Your phone will ask you to confirm by entering your Apple ID password — this is a security measure to prevent someone else from disabling it without permission. After you enter your password, Find My iPhone is off. If you have multiple Apple devices linked to the same account, each one has its own toggle, so you can disable Find My on just one device if you want.
If you forget your Apple ID password, you can reset it through the Apple ID website before attempting to disable Find My. Without the password, you cannot turn off the feature, which is intentional — it prevents thieves from disabling tracking on stolen phones.
Deactivating Find My on Samsung and Android devices
Samsung phones use a service called Find Mobile, which is separate from Google's Find My Mobile. To disable it on a Samsung device, open Settings, scroll down to Accounts and backup, then select Accounts. Tap your Samsung account, then select Find Mobile. Toggle off the switch to disable the service. You may need to enter your Samsung account password to confirm.
Google Pixel phones and other Android devices that use Google's tracking system work differently. Open Settings, go to Security and privacy, then select Find My Mobile. Sign in with your Google account if prompted, then toggle off the feature. Some Android manufacturers include their own tracking apps — check your phone's app drawer or Settings menu for anything labeled "Find My," "Device Manager," or "Mobile Tracker" specific to your brand.
If you're not sure which tracking system your Android phone uses, look at the Settings app under Security, Privacy, or Accounts. The name of the service will tell you whether it's Google's system, Samsung's, or another manufacturer's. Each one requires you to sign in with the account associated with that service before you can disable it.
Why you might want to disable Find My Phone
The most common reason to disable Find My Phone is that you're selling or giving away your device. If Find My is still active under your account, the new owner won't be able to set up the phone — they'll see a message saying the device is linked to another Apple ID or Google account. Disabling it before you hand over the device solves this problem immediately.
Some people disable Find My temporarily when they're troubleshooting connection issues or battery drain. Find My uses location services in the background, which can affect battery life on older devices or in areas with poor signal. Others disable it for privacy reasons — if you don't want your device's location tracked, even by your own account, turning it off removes that possibility.
A smaller group disables Find My because they're concerned about account security. If someone gains access to your Apple ID or Google account, they could theoretically locate your device. Turning off Find My eliminates that specific risk, though it also means you lose the ability to find your phone if you misplace it.
What happens after you disable Find My Phone
Once Find My is off, you can no longer use your device's built-in tracking feature to locate it on a map. You also lose the ability to remotely lock your device or erase it through Find My. If your phone is stolen, you'll need to contact your carrier or file a police report instead of using the manufacturer's tracking system.
Disabling Find My does not affect other security features on your device. Your passcode, biometric lock, and remote wipe options through your carrier remain active. You can still use third-party apps like Google Maps or Life360 to share your location with family members if you want that functionality.
If you change your mind later, you can turn Find My back on by going to the same settings menu and toggling the feature back on. You'll need to sign in with your account credentials again. There's no waiting period or penalty for turning it off and back on — you can do this as many times as you want.
Disabling Find My before selling your device
If you're selling your iPhone, you must disable Find My iPhone before the buyer can use it. The process is the same as described above: Settings > your name > Find My > toggle off Find My iPhone. After you do this, you should also sign out of your Apple ID completely. Go to Settings > your name > scroll to the bottom and tap Sign Out. You'll be asked whether to keep or delete data on the device — choose based on whether you want to wipe it clean for the new owner.
For Android devices, the process is similar. Disable Find Mobile or Find My Mobile through the settings, then sign out of your Google account or Samsung account. Go to Settings > Accounts, select the account you want to remove, and choose to remove it from the device. This ensures the new owner can set up their own account without conflicts.
After you've disabled Find My and signed out of your accounts, the device is ready to sell. The new owner will be able to set it up as if it were brand new. If you skip this step, they'll encounter activation lock — a security feature that prevents the phone from being used until the previous owner's account is removed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone else disable Find My Phone on my device?
No. Both Apple and Google require you to enter your account password before you can disable Find My. This prevents thieves from turning off tracking on a stolen phone. If someone has physical access to your device and knows your password, they could disable it, but they cannot do so without that password.
Does disabling Find My affect my phone's other features?
No. Turning off Find My does not affect calls, texts, apps, or any other functionality. It only removes the ability to track your device's location remotely. Location services themselves remain on unless you disable them separately in your privacy settings.
What if I disabled Find My and now I can't find my phone?
You can contact your mobile carrier — they can sometimes locate your phone using cell tower data, though this is less precise than Find My. You can also file a police report. If you remember where you last had it, retrace your steps or call the location to ask if anyone turned it in. Third-party tracking apps won't help if the phone is off or out of battery.
Do I need to disable Find My if I'm just upgrading to a new phone?
No. When you set up a new iPhone or Android device, you sign in with your account and can transfer your data. Your old device remains linked to your account, but you can disable Find My on it separately if you want to. Most people leave it on for security, but it's your choice.
Can I disable Find My for just one device if I have multiple phones?
Yes. Each device linked to your Apple ID or Google account has its own Find My toggle in the settings. You can disable it on one phone while keeping it on for another. This is useful if you're selling one device but keeping others.