Apple’s free Find My iPhone app can help you find your iPhone. It helps you locate any other iOS device from another or the web. It can also give you remote control of the missing phone, that way you can protect your information by locking it, or you can even choose to delete its data. Despite the iPhone name, this free mobile app is also compatible with the iPad and iPod Touch. The mobile application is available in the Apple iTunes store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/find-my-iphone/id376101648?mt=8
Instructions:
1) Launch the Settings app>> go to the iCloud section
2) Switch on the “Find my iPhone” setting
3) Go to the Privacy settings>> select Location Services
4) Switch on the “Location Services” and switch on the “Find My iPhone” setting
To locate your phone, you must log onto the iCloud account that you originally enabled the “Find My iPhone” services with. Once logged on, the list of devices being tracked will display an update with its precise location on the map. It doesn’t get easier than this; the Find my iPhone app is very accurate. It’s extremely user friendly and many people suggest activating it immediately.
Once you’ve located your iPhone, you have 5 options to choose from.
Notify Me When Found: If the device is not able to locate itself, or connect to the internet, you will not be able to find it. Rather than constantly monitor the screen until it shows up, you can have a message sent to you when it does come online and has an updated location to report. Simply check “Notify Me When Found” for the device you are trying to locate.
Play Sound: If it is lost and nearby, you can use the iCloud service to have your device play a loud sound until you find it. The sound will be audible even if you have muted your speakers or turned down the volume. This will work if the device is online, even if the location of the device cannot be determined.
Lost Mode (iOS only): This is a new feature. For your iOS devices, you can send a message to the device. If someone reads the message, they will give you a call back and let you know your phone is safe. This will also lock down the device using the passcode you have already established on the device, or let you lock the device remotely with a new passcode for security purposes.
Lock (OS X only): For Macs, you can still lock down the device, but you cannot send a telephone number accompanied by a message. This makes sense since the lock screen on OS X does not have the ability to display a message like the lock screen on iOS devices. So this option is really more handy if you leave work in a hurry, and didn’t log off before you left. Be sure you can retrieve the device once you do decide to lock it remotely. After that, your Mac cannot be erased until it is unlocked. And the only way to unlock is by having the device in your hands.
Erase: There are those unfortunate circumstances where your device has either been stolen, or is in a location that you do not trust. In such cases, you can choose to erase the device entirely. Once erased, all the files and configurations on the device cannot be restored except from a backup of the device.
As an iPhone user, I really appreciate this feature apple offers. It’s good to know we can track our phone even when it’s lost. If you’re looking to upgrade your iPhone and buy Apple’s latest iPhone 5, check out our iPhone 5 – Store Buying Guide.
