← Back to search

Phones & Tablets

How do I find a lost iPhone with Find My?

Answer

Sign in to iCloud.com/find or the Find My app with the Apple ID that was on the lost iPhone, select the device, then play a sound, mark it as Lost, or erase it if recovery looks unlikely.

Before you start: stop right away if…

  • Erasing a lost iPhone removes the data on it and may limit further location updates after the wipe completes.
  • Avoid unofficial phone-tracking websites that ask for your Apple ID password.

Follow these steps

  1. Open Find My with the correct Apple ID

    On another Apple device open the Find My app, or on a computer go to Apple’s official iCloud Find My page, and sign in with the Apple ID from the lost iPhone.

    You should see: A list of devices appears, including the missing iPhone if it is still linked.

  2. Select the iPhone and play a sound

    Tap or click the lost iPhone. If it shows as online, choose Play Sound to help locate it nearby.

    You should see: The phone plays a sound, or Find My reports it is offline with a last location.

  3. Enable Lost Mode

    Choose Mark as Lost or Lost Mode, add a phone number where you can be reached, and lock the device remotely.

    You should see: The iPhone is locked with your message and tracked more securely for return.

  4. Erase only if recovery is unlikely

    If the phone cannot be found and you need to protect account data, choose Erase This Device, then change important passwords from another device.

    You should see: The erase command is pending or completed, and account access is secured.

Not sure this is the right page? Check here

0 of 5 checked

Extra tips

What to look for: The missing iPhone in Find My’s device list, online or last-seen status, and options to Play Sound, Lost Mode, or Erase

Before you change anything: Use a trusted computer or another Apple device you control. Sign in only at iCloud.com or the official Find My app. Decide whether you still hope to recover the phone before choosing Erase. Have the Apple ID password available.

Have a different problem?