The most common reasons Find My stops working
Find My stops working most often because Location Services is turned off, your device doesn't have a network connection, or you're signed out of iCloud. Less commonly, a bug in the app itself or an outdated iOS version causes the problem. The fastest way to narrow it down is to check these three things in order: whether Location Services is on, whether you're connected to Wi-Fi or cellular, and whether you're signed into iCloud with the same account on both devices.
If Find My worked yesterday and stopped today, the issue is usually temporary — a lost connection, a service outage, or the app crashing. If it has never worked or stopped working after an iOS update, the cause is usually a setting you need to change or a permission you need to grant.
Key Takeaways
- Find My requires Location Services to be on, both devices to be signed into the same iCloud account, and at least one device to have an active internet connection.
- If Find My shows a device offline, it means that device has no network connection right now — not that Find My is broken.
- Turning Location Services off and back on, or signing out of iCloud and signing back in, fixes most problems that aren't caused by a network outage.
- If Find My still does not work after checking these settings, restart both devices and update iOS to the latest version.
Check that Location Services is on for Find My
Find My cannot work if Location Services is turned off on either device. Open Settings, tap Privacy & Security, then tap Location Services. The toggle at the top must be on (green). If it is off, turn it on.
Next, scroll down the same screen and find Find My in the list of apps. Tap it and make sure Allow Location Access is set to Always, not While Using or Never. If it is set to Never, tap it and change it to Always. Do this on both the device you are trying to find and the device you are searching from.
After you change this setting, close the Settings app completely and open Find My again. It may take a few seconds to reconnect.
Verify both devices are signed into the same iCloud account
Find My only works between devices that are signed into the same iCloud account. Open Settings and tap your name at the top. Check which account you are signed into. Then do the same on the other device. If the accounts are different, you will need to sign into the same account on both devices.
If you do not remember your iCloud password, you can reset it through the iCloud website or by using another trusted device. If you are trying to find a device that belongs to someone else, they must sign into their own iCloud account on that device — you cannot find a device you do not have an account on.
Make sure both devices have an internet connection
Find My needs at least one device to have Wi-Fi or cellular service. If the device you are trying to find shows as Offline in the Find My app, it means that device has no internet connection right now. This is not a problem with Find My — it is just that the device cannot be located until it connects to the internet again.
Check the device you are searching from: open Settings, go to Wi-Fi or Cellular, and confirm you are connected. If you are not connected, connect to a Wi-Fi network or make sure cellular data is on. Then open Find My again.
Sign out of iCloud and sign back in
If Location Services is on, both devices are on the same account, and both have internet, but Find My still does not work, try signing out of iCloud and signing back in. Open Settings, tap your name, scroll to the bottom, and tap Sign Out. You will be asked for your password — enter it. Then tap your name again and sign back in with the same account.
Do this on the device you are trying to find first, then on the device you are searching from. After you sign back in on both devices, wait a minute and open Find My again. The devices should now appear.
Restart both devices and update iOS
If Find My still does not work, restart both devices. Press and hold the power button until Slide to Power Off appears, then slide to turn off the device. Wait 10 seconds, then press and hold the power button again until the Apple logo appears.
After both devices have restarted, check that you are running the latest version of iOS. Open Settings, go to General, and tap Software Update. If an update is available, tap Download and Install. Do this on both devices if updates are available on both. Then open Find My again.
What to do if a device shows offline
A device that shows Offline in Find My simply has no internet connection at the moment. This is normal and does not mean Find My is broken. The device will reappear as soon as it connects to Wi-Fi or cellular again.
If a device has been offline for days and you cannot reach it, it may be turned off, in airplane mode, or in a location with no service. You can still see its last known location in Find My — tap the device name and look for Last Location. If the device is lost or stolen, you can use Find My to play a sound, lock the device, or erase it remotely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Find My show my device offline when I know it is turned on?
The device has no Wi-Fi or cellular connection right now. Check that Wi-Fi is on and connected, or that cellular data is enabled. If the device is in airplane mode, turn airplane mode off. Find My will show the device as online again as soon as it connects to the internet.
Can I find a device if I am not signed into iCloud?
No. Both devices must be signed into the same iCloud account. If you are not signed in, open Settings, tap your name, and sign in. If you do not have an iCloud account, you will need to create one before Find My can work.
Does Find My work if the other person does not want me to find them?
Find My only shows devices you own or that are signed into your iCloud account. You cannot find someone else's device without their permission and their account. If someone shares their location with you through Find My, they can stop sharing at any time.
What if I turned off Location Services by accident and now I cannot find my device?
If the device is offline or you cannot reach it, you can still see its last known location in Find My. If the device is lost or stolen, you can use iCloud.com to lock it or erase it remotely, even if Location Services is off.
Will Find My work if my device has no SIM card?
Yes, as long as the device is connected to Wi-Fi. Find My does not need cellular service — it only needs an internet connection. If the device is on Wi-Fi, it will show up in Find My even without a SIM card or cellular plan.