Where to Find and Turn On Find My iPhone

Find My iPhone lives in Settings on your device, not in a separate app

Find My iPhone is a tracking feature built into iOS that lets you locate a lost or stolen iPhone, iPad, or Mac from another Apple device or a web browser. The setting itself is in the Settings app under your Apple ID name, not in a standalone application. You turn it on once, and it stays active in the background — you only need to open it again if you actually need to find a device.

The confusion usually comes from the fact that you use Find My iPhone through a separate app called Find My (which also tracks AirTags and other devices), but you turn on Find My iPhone through Settings. This guide walks you through both: how to enable the feature on the device you want to protect, and how to use it when you need to search.

Key Takeaways

Find My iPhone is turned on in Settings under your Apple ID name, in a section called iCloud, then Find My.
You need to be signed into your Apple ID on the device you want to protect, and location services must be on.
Once enabled, you search for your device using the Find My app on another Apple device or iCloud.com on any computer.
If Find My iPhone is off when your device goes missing, you cannot turn it on remotely — you have to have set it up beforehand.
Turning on Find My iPhone does not drain your battery noticeably because it only sends location data when you search for the device.

How to turn on Find My iPhone in Settings

Open Settings on the iPhone, iPad, or Mac you want to protect. Tap or click your name at the top of the screen — this is your Apple ID profile. Scroll down and tap or click iCloud. Look for Find My and tap or click it. You will see two toggles: Find My iPhone (or Find My Mac, or Find My iPad) and Find My network. Turn on the first one. The second toggle is optional — it helps locate your device even if it is offline, but it uses a bit more battery.

If you do not see Find My in your iCloud settings, make sure you are signed into your Apple ID. Go back to the top of Settings, tap your name, and check that you are logged in. If you are not, sign in with your Apple ID email and password. Then return to iCloud and look for Find My again.

You will also need Location Services turned on for Find My iPhone to work. Go to Settings, tap Privacy (or Privacy & Security on newer iPhones), then Location Services, and make sure the toggle at the top is on. You do not need to change individual app settings — Location Services just needs to be enabled globally.

What to do if you cannot find the setting

If you have an older device running iOS 12 or earlier, Find My iPhone is in a different place. Open Settings, tap iCloud (not your Apple ID name), scroll down, and look for Find My iPhone directly in that list. Turn it on. The feature works the same way; Apple just reorganized where it lives in newer versions of iOS.

If you are using a Mac, the process is similar but slightly different. Click the Apple menu in the top left, go to System Settings (or System Preferences on older Macs), click your Apple ID name in the sidebar, then click iCloud. Look for Find My Mac and check the box next to it. On very old Macs, you may need to open iCloud preferences directly from System Preferences instead.

How to search for your device once Find My iPhone is on

When you need to find your device, open the Find My app on another iPhone, iPad, or Mac that is signed into the same Apple ID. Tap or click the Devices tab at the bottom. You will see a list of all your devices. Tap or click the one you are looking for, and the app will show its location on a map. If the device is nearby, you can tap Play Sound to make it beep loudly so you can find it in your house or car.

If you do not have another Apple device with you, go to iCloud.com on any computer or phone with a web browser. Sign in with your Apple ID. Click Find My iPhone (or Find My if you are on a newer version of iCloud). Select the device you are looking for from the list. The map will show where it is. You can also play a sound, lock the device remotely, or erase it if you believe it has been stolen and you want to protect your data.

Why Find My iPhone might not work even when it is on

Find My iPhone requires an internet connection to send location data. If your device is off, out of battery, or in airplane mode, it cannot send its location to Apple's servers, and you will not be able to find it. The app will show the last known location before the device went offline, but that location may be hours or days old.

If you turned on Find My network (the second toggle in Find My settings), your device can send a location signal through other nearby Apple devices even if it is not connected to the internet. This works only if your device is on and in range of other Apple devices, but it can help in situations where your phone is lost but still powered on.

If Find My iPhone was not turned on before your device went missing, there is no way to turn it on remotely. This is why setting it up now, before you need it, matters. Once it is on, it stays on unless you manually turn it off.

Turning off Find My iPhone when you sell or give away a device

Before you sell, trade in, or give your iPhone to someone else, turn off Find My iPhone. If you do not, the new owner will not be able to use the device until you remove it from your Apple ID account. Open Settings, go to your Apple ID name, tap iCloud, tap Find My, and turn off Find My iPhone. You can also remove the device from your account by going to iCloud.com, clicking Find My, and selecting the device, then clicking Remove.

If you are selling the device, also erase it completely. Go to Settings, tap General, scroll to the bottom, tap Transfer or Reset, then tap Erase All Content and Settings. This removes all your personal data and resets the phone to factory settings. The new owner can then set it up as their own device.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Find My iPhone work if my phone is turned off?

No. Your phone must be powered on and have an internet connection (or be in range of other Apple devices if Find My network is on) to send its location. If your phone is off or the battery is dead, you will see only the last location it reported before it went offline.

Can someone else turn off Find My iPhone on my device?

They can if they know your Apple ID password or have access to your phone's Settings. This is why using a strong, unique password for your Apple ID and enabling two-factor authentication is important. Two-factor authentication makes it much harder for someone to access your account even if they have your password.

Will Find My iPhone drain my battery?

No, not noticeably. Find My iPhone only sends location data when you actively search for your device using the Find My app or iCloud.com. It does not constantly broadcast your location in the background. If you turn on Find My network, there is a very small battery impact, but most people do not notice it.

What if I forgot my Apple ID password and cannot turn on Find My iPhone?

Go to iCloud.com and click Forgot Apple ID or password. Follow the steps to reset your password using your recovery email or phone number. Once you have access to your account again, sign back into your device and turn on Find My iPhone in Settings.

Can I use Find My iPhone to track someone else's phone?

Only if they have shared their location with you through the Find My app or the Sharing feature in Maps. You cannot track someone's device without their knowledge or permission. Find My iPhone is designed to help you locate your own devices, not to monitor other people.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.