Misplacing your iPhone is a stomach-drop moment, but if you turned on Find My when you set up the phone (most people did, and it is on by default), you have a good chance of getting it back. Find My can show you where your iPhone is on a map, make it play a sound so you can hear it in the couch cushions, lock it so no one can use it, and even wipe it clean if it is truly gone.
You do not need your lost phone in hand to do any of this. You can use a family member's iPhone or iPad, your own iPad or Mac, or simply sign in to iCloud.com/find from any web browser. This guide walks you through every option in plain English, including what to do if your phone is turned off or out of battery. Take a breath, grab another device, and let's find it.
Grab another device and open Find My or iCloud.com/find
On another iPhone, iPad, or Mac that is signed in to your Apple Account, open the Find My app. If you do not have another Apple device handy, open any web browser (on a computer, a friend's phone, anything) and go to iCloud.com/find, then sign in with the Apple Account email and password you use on your lost iPhone.
Find My app
💡 Borrowing a friend's iPhone? You do not have to sign them out. In Find My, tap the Me tab, scroll down, and tap Help a Friend to open Find Devices in a browser, then sign in with your own Apple Account.
Select your lost iPhone from the list
In the Find My app, tap the Devices tab at the bottom, then tap the name of your lost iPhone. On iCloud.com/find, choose your iPhone from the list of devices (select All Devices first if a different device is already showing).
Find My appDevices(your iPhone's name)
💡 If you have several Apple devices, look for the exact name of the missing one, such as "Sarah's iPhone."
See where it is on the map
Tap the Devices tab, then tap your iPhone's name to see its current or last known location on the map. If it can be located, it appears as a dot you can use to guide you to the right room, building, or neighborhood. The location is approximate, so do not expect a pin-perfect spot. To get turn-by-turn directions, tap the dot to open it in Maps.
Find My appDevices(your iPhone's name)
💡 If the map shows it somewhere you have been recently, like a restaurant or a friend's house, that is often the quickest lead to chase first.
Play a sound to find it nearby
If you think the phone is close (under the bed, in the car, between the cushions), tap Play Sound. After a short delay the iPhone plays a tone that gradually increases in volume and continues for about two minutes, even if it was on silent. Follow your ears.
Find My appDevices(your iPhone's name)Play Sound
💡 On iCloud.com/find, the same option is also called Play Sound after you select the device.
Lock it with Lost Mode (Mark As Lost)
If you cannot grab it right away, lock it down. With your iPhone selected, scroll to the Mark As Lost section and tap Lost Mode, then tap Continue and follow the onscreen steps. You can add a phone number and a short message ("This phone is lost, please call me") that show on the Lock Screen, then tap Activate. On iCloud.com/find, the button is labeled Mark As Lost.
Find My appDevices(your iPhone's name)Lost ModeContinueActivate
💡 Lost Mode locks the phone with a passcode, keeps showing your contact message, and lets you keep tracking it while leaving the door open for an honest finder to call you. Once it is on, you will see "Activated" below the Mark As Lost section (or "Pending" if the phone is offline).
Turn on Notify When Found if it is offline
If the phone is off or out of battery, the map shows its last known location (kept for up to seven days in the Find My app). When the device cannot be located, you will see "No location found" under its name. Below Notifications, turn on Notify When Found so Apple alerts you the moment the iPhone comes back online and reports a location.
Find My appDevices(your iPhone's name)Notify When Found
💡 An offline iPhone can still be located if it is near other Apple devices, thanks to the Find My network of over a billion devices worldwide, so leave Lost Mode and notifications on and check back.
Erase it remotely only as a last resort
If your iPhone is truly gone or stolen and you cannot get it back, you can wipe it so your data is protected. With your iPhone selected, tap Erase This Device, then tap Continue and follow the prompts, tap Erase, enter your Apple Account password, and tap Erase again. On iCloud.com/find, choose Erase iPhone. If the phone is offline, the erase happens the next time it connects to the internet.
Find My appDevices(your iPhone's name)Erase This DeviceContinueErase
💡 If you change your mind before an offline phone erases, select your iPhone again and tap Cancel Erase, then enter your Apple Account password (on iCloud.com/find the option is Stop Erase Request).
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I find my iPhone if it is turned off or the battery is dead?
Sometimes, yes. Find My shows the phone's last known location for up to seven days in the Find My app, and many newer iPhones can still be located for a while after they power off, or when they pass near other Apple devices on the Find My network. Turn on Notify When Found so you get an alert the moment it reconnects, and leave Lost Mode active in the meantime.
Do I need another Apple device to use Find My?
No. The quickest way is the Find My app on another iPhone, iPad, or Mac, but you can do everything from any web browser by going to iCloud.com/find and signing in with your Apple Account. That means a friend's phone, a library computer, or a work laptop all work fine.
What is the difference between Lost Mode and erasing my iPhone?
Lost Mode (Mark As Lost) locks the phone, shows a contact message on the Lock Screen, suspends Apple Pay, and still lets you track it, so it is the right first move while you are trying to recover the phone. Erasing wipes all your data and should be a last resort, used only when you are sure the phone is gone for good.
My iPhone was stolen. What should I do first?
Mark it as lost right away so it locks and shows your contact info, and note its location on the map. Do not go to retrieve a stolen phone yourself; instead report the theft to local police with the device's serial number, then contact your carrier. Only erase it once you have given up on recovery, and never remove it from your Apple Account, since that disables Activation Lock.
Why can't I see my iPhone's location at all?
This usually means Find My was not turned on before the phone went missing, the phone is off and its last location has expired (over seven days), or you are signed in with the wrong Apple Account. Double-check you are using the same Apple Account that was on the lost iPhone. Going forward, keep Find My and the Find My network turned on in Settings so your phone stays locatable.