Log into find my iphone without phone

You can use Find My iPhone to locate your iOS device if it has been lost or stolen. The free service provided by Apple uses the iPhone's built-in GPS so that you can track the location of your phone. Even better, it lets you do things like locking the phone over the internet so the person who has it can't use it or remotely deleting all the data on the phone. 

If your iPhone has been stolen and you didn't install the Find My iPhone app on it, don't panic. You don't actually need to the Find My iPhone app at all.

Download Find My iPhone for iOS

Find My iPhone: The Service and App Are Different

If your phone was stolen and you didn't have the Find My iPhone app installed, I've got good news: It doesn't matter! The Find My iPhone app isn't required for tracking your iPhone. To understand why this is the case, you need to understand that the Find My iPhone service and app are different things.

The Find My iPhone service is based in the cloud. That means the service lives on the internet, not on your phone or in the app, and can be used over the internet. This is an important point. The app is not what makes Find My iPhone work.

In fact, because it's a cloud-based service, you don't need an app at all. You can use Find My iPhone in virtually any modern web browser. Just go to iCloud.com and log in using the Apple ID you used to set up your iPhone (which is probably the same as you use for iCloud. If not, use the Apple ID you use with iCloud). Once you're logged in, click the Find My iPhone icon and you'll be using the tool.

Why Is Find My iPhone Not Working?

What Is the Find My iPhone App For?

If the Find My iPhone app isn't required to use the service, then what is the app for? The app is actually just another way to track your lost or stolen iPhone.

Using the Find My iPhone app is basically the same thing as logging into iCloud to use the service as described in the last section. The idea isn't that you install the app on your phone to find your phone when it's lost. Instead, you install the app on someone else's phone to use while you're trying to find your missing phone.

You can use the Find My iPhone service on a computer to track a lost phone. But if you're trying to hunt down your device while you're on the move, doing it from a friend or family member's phone using the app is easier than lugging a laptop around the house or in a car.

The Find My iPhone Catch and The Good News

Now you know that you don't need the app to use Find My iPhone, but there's one other major requirement: You need to have turned on Find My iPhone before your phone was stolen. 

This isn't something that can be turned on after you lose the phone, whether you've got the app or not. Find My iPhone has to be enabled on your phone before it's lost if you want to find the phone.

Here's some good news: In iOS 9 and up, Find My iPhone is automatically turned on during the iPhone set-up process if you enable iCloud. So, if you have had iCloud running, it's a pretty good bet that you're running Find My iPhone, too. If not, make sure to turn on Find My iPhone right away.

What You Should Do If Your Phone Has Been Stolen or Lost

If your iPhone has been stolen, the first thing to do is protect your personal data. Use Find My iPhone to change the passcode or erase all data. Make sure you also remove your credit card information from Apple Pay through iCloud.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I Find My iPhone from another phone or computer without access to my iPhone? Yes, the Find My iPhone app can be used on other phones as well as in an internet browser. This is distinct from the service you enable on your actual phone to be able to track it using the app.
• Can I turn on iPhone tracking from another computer or phone? No, you need to have the service Find My iPhone enabled on your actual phone before you can track it elsewhere on other phones or computers.
• How do you turn off Find My iPhone? Find My iPhone, when enabled, is toggled on in your iPhone's settings and can be toggled off just as easily. You will need access to the account your device is tied to disable Find My iPhone when it's enabled.

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Are you trying to recover your lost phone via Find My iPhone? This feature was introduced to help iPhone owners keep track of their lost phones, and it's easier than ever with iCloud on a computer. This wikiHow article teaches you how to access Find My iPhone from a computer.

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   Log in with your Apple ID and password. Because Find My iPhone doesn't require two-step authentication to sign in, you won't have to worry about entering a verification code from your trusted device.[1]

   • If you're asked to enter the code that was sent to another trusted device but don't have that device, select Find iPhone under the "Or get quick access to" header.[2]

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   Select the iPhone you want to track. If you only have one device, wait a few moments for its location to appear on the map. If you have several devices, click All Devices centered at the top of your screen, and then click the device you want to locate.

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   Make your iPhone ring. "Play Sound" can be used when you have placed your iPhone somewhere nearby, but you don’t remember where. Clicking on "Play Sound" will make your device ring at its highest volume so that you can find it by following the sound.

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   Have your device go into Lost Mode. "Lost Mode" is helpful when you think you have lost your iPhone. When this is enabled, it will lock your device. You will be asked to input a new passcode for your iPhone, so enter a 4-digit PIN in the provided field. Re-enter the PIN to confirm it.

   • After setting the passcode, you will be asked to enter the contact number that the person who has or finds your phone can call you with. Enter this into the "Number" field. When you’re done, click "Next."
   • You will then be shown the message that will be displayed on your lost iPhone. You can edit the message if you want, and click "Done" to save. Your iPhone will then be locked and will display your message, along with your contact number, on the screen.
   • Your device will be inaccessible without the new passcode, but it can be used to call the contact number you provide.

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   Erase your device data. "Erase iPhone" can be used as the last option. When you think you have lost your iPhone and won’t get it back, you can use this function as a safety measure. "Erase iPhone" will erase all the data, including your applications, messages, multimedia, contacts, settings, etc., stored in your iPhone so that no one can access or misuse your personal data.[3]

   • You can only track your iPhone if it's on and charged. If it's off or lost the charge, you'll see that it's offline. You can then opt to receive a notification when it turns on or gets a charge and then you can track it.

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Add New Question

• Question

  Logging into Icloud requires that I input the 6 digit code that is sent to my lost iphone. Fail. now what?

  

  This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Answer

  If you're asked to enter the code that was sent to another trusted device, but don't have that device, you can select '''Find iPhone''' under the "Or get quick access to" header. Failing that, you need to contact customer support for more help and set up multiple devices for your 2FA.

• Question

  If I " Erase the device" and log into my icloud from another device, will everything I previously had show up on my new device?

  

  This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Answer

  If you select to "Erase the device," the phone will be erased and connecting it to an iCloud account will not restore that data. However, data from your iCloud account will show up on your iPhone when you connect it (like your Apple ID)

• Question

  can i find my iphone if its turned off or if the battery is dead

  

  This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

  

  wikiHow Staff Editor

  Staff Answer

  If your phone is off or dead, you'll see a message that your phone cannot be located. You can, however, opt to get a notification if it turns on or charges, and then you can track it.

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About This Article

Article SummaryX

1. Go to https://www.icloud.com/find and log in.
2. Select the iPhone you want to track.
3. Make your iPhone ring.
4. Have your device go into Lost Mode.
5. Erase your device data.
6. Adjust the quality, size, and animation of your GIF.
7. Click Save.

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