Start with Find My iPhone right now
If your iPhone was stolen, Find My iPhone is your fastest tool to locate it, lock it remotely, or erase it to protect your data. You can use Find My iPhone from any device — another iPhone, iPad, Mac, or a web browser — without needing the stolen phone itself. The sooner you start, the better your chances of finding it before the thief disables location services or turns off the phone.
Find My iPhone works only if you turned it on before the phone was stolen. If you never set it up, you will need to use other methods. But if it is active, you can see your iPhone's location on a map in real time, play a sound to help locate it if it is nearby, or remotely lock and erase it.
Key Takeaways
- Find My iPhone shows your phone's location on a map if it is turned on and connected to the internet, and works from any device you own.
- You can lock your iPhone remotely, change the lock screen message, or erase all data without touching the stolen phone.
- If Find My iPhone is off or the phone is powered down, contact your carrier and local police to report the theft and request a block on the device's SIM card.
- Thieves can disable Find My iPhone by signing out of your Apple ID, so act within the first few hours if possible.
- Even if you cannot locate the phone, remotely erasing it prevents the thief from accessing your photos, messages, banking apps, and other sensitive data.
How to access Find My iPhone from another device
On an iPhone, iPad, or Mac you own, open the Find My app (on iPhone and iPad) or open Finder and click Find My in the sidebar (on Mac). Sign in with your Apple ID — the same one linked to the stolen phone. Your stolen iPhone should appear in the list of devices.
If you do not have another Apple device nearby, go to iCloud.com in any web browser on a computer. Sign in with your Apple ID, then click Find My iPhone. You will see a map showing the location of all devices linked to your account. Click the stolen iPhone's name to see options.
The map will show a blue dot where your iPhone last reported its location. If the phone is moving, the dot will update as it moves. If the phone is stationary or powered off, the location may be several minutes old. Keep in mind that location accuracy depends on whether the phone has a clear signal — indoors or in dense urban areas, the location may be off by a few hundred feet.
What to do if you see your iPhone on the map
If Find My iPhone shows your phone at a specific address, do not go there alone. Contact local police and give them the address and the phone's location. Police can retrieve the phone safely and investigate the theft. Provide them with the phone's serial number (visible in Settings > General > About on any iPhone, or on your original receipt) and a photo of the phone if you have one.
While you wait for police, you can play a sound on the phone to help locate it if it is nearby — click the phone's name on the map and select Play Sound. The phone will play a loud alert for two minutes, which may help if the thief is still close by or if the phone is hidden in a nearby location.
Do not attempt to retrieve the phone yourself, especially if the location is in an unfamiliar or unsafe area. A stolen phone is not worth the risk to your safety.
Lock or erase your iPhone remotely
If you cannot retrieve the phone or do not want to wait, you can lock it remotely to prevent the thief from accessing your data. Click the phone's name on the map and select Lost Mode. Enter a new passcode (different from your Apple ID password) and a phone number where you can be reached. You can also add a message that will appear on the lock screen — for example, "This phone was stolen. Please call [your number]."
Lost Mode locks the phone and disables Apple Pay, so the thief cannot make purchases. The phone will still show your message and the callback number on the lock screen. If the thief turns the phone off or disables location services, Lost Mode remains active and the phone will still be locked when it comes back online.
If you want to erase all data on the phone instead, select Erase This Device. This permanently deletes everything on the iPhone — photos, messages, banking apps, passwords, and all other data. Once erased, the phone cannot be tracked and the thief cannot access your information. You cannot undo this action, so use it only if you are certain you want to destroy all data on the phone.
If Find My iPhone is off or the phone is unreachable
If Find My iPhone does not show your phone's location, it means either Find My iPhone was not turned on before the theft, the phone is powered off, or the thief has already signed out of your Apple ID. In this case, you cannot track or remotely control the phone, but you still have steps to take.
Contact your carrier (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, or whoever provides your service) and report the phone stolen. Ask them to block the device's IMEI number — a unique identifier for every phone — so the thief cannot use it on any network. You can find your phone's IMEI in Settings > General > About, or on your original receipt or bill. Once blocked, the phone becomes useless for calls, texts, and data on any carrier.
Also contact your bank, credit card companies, and any apps that store payment information. Change the passwords on your Apple ID, email, and social media accounts from a secure device. If the thief has access to your email, they may be able to reset passwords on other accounts.
Report the theft to police and your insurance company
File a police report with your local police department, either online or in person. Provide the phone's serial number, IMEI, the date and location of the theft, and any details about how it was stolen. Keep a copy of the police report — you will need it if you file an insurance claim or want to prove the phone was stolen if someone tries to use it.
If your iPhone is covered by insurance (through your carrier, Apple Care+, or a third-party policy), contact your insurance company and file a claim. Most policies require a police report and proof of purchase. Insurance typically covers theft, though you may have a deductible of $50 to $200 depending on your plan.
Even if you do not recover the phone, filing a police report creates an official record of the theft. If the phone is found later or recovered during a police investigation, the report helps prove it belongs to you.
Prevent theft in the future
Turn on Find My iPhone before you need it. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Find My > Find My iPhone and toggle it on. Also enable Send Last Location, which automatically sends your phone's final location to Apple when the battery is critically low — this helps locate the phone even if it powers off.
Use a strong passcode and enable Face ID or Touch ID so the thief cannot access your data even if they have the phone. Enable two-factor authentication on your Apple ID so the thief cannot sign out of your account and disable Find My iPhone. Store your phone's serial number and IMEI in a safe place — take a photo of the back of the box or your receipt and save it to your computer or cloud storage.
Consider using AirTag or another tracking device in your phone case or bag. AirTag uses Bluetooth to help you locate your phone if it is nearby, and it works even if Find My iPhone is off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I track my iPhone if the thief turns it off?
No, a powered-off phone cannot send location data. However, if you enabled Send Last Location in your Find My settings, Apple will send you the phone's final location when the battery dies. If the thief turns the phone back on later, Find My iPhone will resume tracking if it is still active on your account.
What if the thief signs out of my Apple ID?
If the thief signs out of your Apple ID, Find My iPhone stops working and you cannot track the phone. However, if you enabled Lost Mode before they signed out, Lost Mode remains active and the phone stays locked. Contact your carrier to block the phone's IMEI so it cannot be used on any network.
Will erasing my iPhone delete photos stored in iCloud?
No. Erasing the phone deletes only the data stored on the device itself. Photos, documents, and other data backed up to iCloud remain in your iCloud account and you can access them from another device. You can restore them to a new iPhone later.
Can I track my iPhone if it is in airplane mode?
No. Airplane mode disables all wireless connections, so the phone cannot send location data. If the thief enables airplane mode, Find My iPhone will show the last known location before it was turned on, but will not update.
What should I do if I find my iPhone after I erased it?
If you recover the phone after erasing it, you can restore your data from an iCloud backup or a computer backup. Set up the phone as new, sign in with your Apple ID, and choose to restore from backup during setup. Your photos, messages, apps, and settings will return to the phone.