Is it possible to find a lost iPhone? Find iPhone from computer: iPhone search, remote lock

Almost everyone who is interested in technology and mobile gadgets knows that Apple has a service called “ Find iPhone".

The feature appeared back in 2010 along with iOS 4. Since then, the company’s specialists have added activation lock, binding to Apple ID and two-factor authentication, which together made it possible to create a good set of protective measures.

When used correctly, a lost or stolen iPhone turns into a collection of parts, some of which can only be sold at a flea market.

Not everyone knows that other manufacturers of mobile equipment offer similar protection with useful and necessary features.

How it works for Apple

If you have a second iOS device, you will need the Find iPhone application, but if you don’t have a second device, you will have to log into your iCloud account through the web interface.

And here we can expect the first problem. If you don't specify a second trusted device for your Apple ID in advance, you won't be able to access your account with two-factor authentication enabled.

ADVICE: if you have only one iPhone or iPad and no other Apple devices, log in to the iCloud service through your computer right now and make the browser trusted when you log in. This way, in the future, you will be able to log in to your account from your computer without confirmation on your iPhone.

After that, in the Find iPhone section we will see the current location of the smartphone if it is connected to the network or its last position that the gadget marked before disconnecting.

From the menu you can:

• turn on the voice signal (useful when you lose your iPhone among the household trash);
• activate lost mode (the device will be locked, and the specified text and phone number will be displayed on the screen);
• Erase your device so that no sensitive data or personal information remains on it.

In most cases, this may be enough, but I would like a couple more useful options.

What features does Samsung have?

The South Korean company has long been ahead of Apple in some indicators, and where they have not yet achieved a clear advantage, they are already stepping on the heels of the Cupertino team.

The remote search function for a smartphone is in many ways superior to Apple's solution.

1. The device search service is not associated with other branded services; you can log in to it without additional two-factor authentication, which is useful if you have only one device.

2. While browsing, you can switch between two map services ( HERE WeGo And OpenStreetMap). Useful for searching in a less popular region, where one service may not provide all the location information.

3. There is a built-in hint. For those who use the smartphone search service for the first time, there is a short manual with answers to frequently asked questions and a small guide to the sections. All data is presented in Russian.

Agree, in a situation where you have lost your smartphone and are looking for it through the site for the first time, it is better to have such data at hand instead of scouring the web in search of suitable instructions.

4. In addition to the usual set of capabilities (signal, blocking and erasing data), the developers have provided the ability to create an up-to-date backup. If your smartphone is connected to the network, you can make the most recent backup of your data.

5. It is possible to receive a log of calls and messages. Sometimes the operator requires you to provide similar information to block a number or restore a SIM card.

With just one click you can get data on calls and messages for the last month.

6. Chapter Adding Trustees allows you to give access to another user to view the device's location. The user will be able to monitor the device and send a sound signal to it if necessary.

7. I consider one of the most useful features to be the remote activation of the energy saving mode. If you set it up initially, you’ll be able to squeeze out up to 10 hours of operation on 10% charge batteries.

If the battery is charged even more, the device can remain turned on for several days in a row. This is very convenient if the smartphone is lost and is waiting for its owner in a snowdrift.

8. In addition to all of the above, you can block the shutdown and reboot of the device.

What else is missing?

The last point only blocks software shutdown and reboot. It would be nice to disable the so-called Hard Reset option, so that pressing the keys does not also lead to a power outage.

When this is implemented, the final touch in the picture of smartphone security will be widespread adoption eSIM(). The Cupertino team presented their creation back in 2014, but since then the feature has not become widespread.

Samsung has been testing eSIM in smartwatches for a year now.

The essence of the innovation is that the device is equipped with a non-removable SIM card, which at the software level turns into a card of any operator. This allows you to quickly change operators even without removing and replacing the chip.

Hi all! Unfortunately, no one is immune from the risk of losing or stealing their beloved iPhone. This situation can happen to absolutely anyone - there is no way to protect yourself from it. The situation becomes especially sad if you look at the statistics on the detection of cases of theft of mobile phones - the numbers are not the most reassuring. Why are there some disappointing things... they are very frightening!

But! There is no need to immediately despair, become despondent and sprinkle ashes on your head. Why? Because sometimes the situation can still be resolved in your favor - after all, the possibility of searching for a lost iPhone still remains. Yes, the chances are not maximum... but they are there! This is exactly what will be discussed in today’s publication.

Are you ready? Let's go!

Features and tools for finding a turned off iPhone

About Find My iPhone

Let us immediately dispel the illusions of many users: at the moment it is impossible to miraculously find a turned off iPhone without the appropriate preliminary configuration of it. But every user of an iPhone running iOS version 7 and newer can protect themselves from the irretrievable loss of their favorite smartphone - starting with the mentioned edition of the operating system, Apple offers its users a very useful function called “Find iPhone”. This is the main tool for finding a lost phone.

There are a few comments.

Firstly, this function must first be activated. In general, it may be enabled initially, but it doesn’t hurt to check () and be on the safe side.

Secondly, the “Find iPhone” function allows you to track the movements of a turned off gadget in real time. It also either provides data about the last location of the device before it was turned off, or makes it possible to determine where the iPhone is after turning it on.

To activate the mentioned function, find the iCloud section in Settings, click on Find iPhone, and activate the option if it is disabled by moving the slider accordingly.

To find a lost iPhone with the mentioned function activated, you need to go to the iCloud.com service website and go to the appropriate section. Information about the last location of the device before it was turned off, or about its current location if the gadget turned on, will be shown on the interactive map.

Special Applications

Another effective preparatory tool that can help you find a lost or stolen iPhone in the future is the Find My Phone application, available for download in the official App Store.

In addition to the main device, you will need another iPhone or iPad. You also need to install the mentioned application on it.

If you lose your iPhone, you can log into the program from another Apple gadget, go through the authorization process and find out where the lost smartphone was before it was disconnected. If the device turns on, the corresponding changes will be displayed on the interactive map.

Although at its core, the Find My iPhone application is the same “Find iPhone” service that was written about earlier, only displayed in a separate program.

Lost mode

A standard iOS feature is Lost Mode. It is not intended for searching for a lost smartphone, but rather, it is designed for the honesty and integrity of the one who finds the loss. If the mentioned function is activated, the first time you connect the iPhone to charge, it will display a notification with a predefined text, for example, an offer to call a specific number and return the smartphone for a reward.

More details about Lost Mode (how to enable, disable and many other different points) -.

Law Enforcement Assistance

For personal peace of mind that you have taken all available steps to find your iPhone, you can file a report of its loss/theft with the police. Take your passport with you, as well as the iPhone box and related documents.

The tools available to the police, in some cases, allow you to find smartphones by IMEI (individual device identification number -), but, unfortunately, no one can provide you with a 100% guarantee of a successful outcome of the search operation.

The most interesting thing is that before searching by serial number, police officers ask you to turn off the lost mode. And this is where the dilemma arises.

• On the one hand, active lost mode is the only chance that no one will be able to use your device without knowing your Apple ID. And disabling it means giving the attacker complete control over the gadget.
• On the other hand, recently the tools that law enforcement agencies use for such operations have improved quite a lot. And there is still a chance of finding a lost and turned off iPhone with the participation of the police.

The main thing is that you don’t have to worry about being looked at as if you’re crazy when you apply. Nowadays, searching for a phone by IMEI is a completely normal practice.

Apple's latest patented developments

Apple has received a patent for an innovative development that radically changes the idea of ​​finding lost smartphones. We are talking about a significant improvement in the gadget’s security system – the so-called. Zombie mode, when activated, the iPhone pretends to be turned off, but in reality remains tracked.

Presumably the implementation will be as follows: when a person finds or steals an iPhone, he will see a notification asking him to enter a password when he connects it to the charger. If the input is incorrect, the mentioned mode is activated. Next, the iPhone will be able to send a photo of the intruder to the specified email address, send a message with a given text to specified coordinates, pretend to be turned off, transmitting data about its location, etc. – the exact list of available features will become known only after the official release of the function.

Now you know about the available and developing methods for detecting a turned off iPhone. Take into account the recommendations of this note and protect yourself in advance from the irretrievable loss of your favorite smartphone in the event of its loss/theft.

P.S. In addition to all the tips, a little luck can also come in handy during your search. Where can I get it? Just like and click on the social media buttons. And that's it, success is guaranteed! Let's try!)

Nowadays, a smartphone is an indispensable thing for almost any person. Having lost the phone, the user automatically loses all kinds of notes, recordings, personal photos, contacts, the ability to listen to music and access to the Internet at any time. Agree, it’s hard to imagine the life of a modern person without all this. In this article, we will take a closer look at how to find an iPhone if it is turned off, lost or stolen. Let's figure it out. Let's go!

First of all, if you can't find your iPhone, call it from another number, and if that doesn't help, contact law enforcement. Having taken all the necessary measures, you can begin searching for the device yourself.

Very often owners lose their phones

Even if your phone is turned off, you can still find it. The first way to do this is the iCloud service. This service is designed for cloud storage of files from your iPhone. Please note that in order to find your iPhone using iCloud, you need to activate the corresponding function.

If you lost your iPhone while not at home, the first thing you need to do is protect its contents. This can be done remotely. There in iCloud you can set a password or even delete all content (then you can restore it from a backup).

A very important iCloud app

The iPhone also has a so-called “lost mode”, which can be easily activated in iCloud. After enabling this function, a message with the phone number you specify will appear on the smartphone screen. This way, anyone who finds your smartphone can call you and report their find. This function works even on a locked iPhone. In this case, you can make and receive calls from your phone, but no more.

The next way to find even a turned off iPhone is to track the IMEI number. This is a unique code for a smartphone that is assigned to it by the manufacturer. The IMEI number can be found in several ways:

1. Enter the code *#06# on your phone. This is done in the same way as dialing a mobile number.
2. View the warranty card.
3. Disassemble the device and check for the number under the battery.
4. Look on the box (as a rule, IMEI is indicated on the back).

An operator can track a phone by IMEI upon a special request from you or law enforcement agencies.

Find My Phone for iPhone

In addition, you can use a special application called “Find iPhone”. It allows you to view the exact location of the device on a map, send a message to it, set a password, or delete all data. However, please note that this feature must first be enabled on the iPhone itself. This is done as follows. Go to the Settings menu and select iCloud. In the next window you will see the “Find iPhone” option. Move the slider to the active position. After this, activate the “SendLastLocation” item. Thus, before turning off, the smartphone will send you information about its location. By logging into iCloud, you can get all the necessary information. If the phone is somewhere nearby, you will hear a loud sound, which will appear even if the device is in silent mode.

You cannot start using the Find My iPhone app after it has been lost. Therefore, take appropriate measures in advance so that you can easily use this program when the opportunity arises.

You can also activate Find My iPhone from your computer. To do this, go to icloud.com and enter the appropriate login information. Then select your smartphone in the "My Devices" section. After this, the scan will start. Once completed, a map will appear on the screen detailing the location of your iPhone. Depending on where the device is located, take the appropriate steps. For example, lock the device, delete all content, turn on the sound, or send a message.

The main thing is to activate this function in advance, if possible. This will save you a lot of time and effort if you lose your device.

As you can see, finding a disabled, lost or stolen iPhone is quite possible. The developers have provided a special application designed just for such situations. The downside is that it needs to be activated in advance. So be sure to do this immediately after purchasing an iPhone to make your life easier in the future.

Since the launch of Apple's Find iPhone service, the number of thefts of Apple mobile devices has decreased significantly. The thing is that it has become very easy to find a stolen iPhone, iPad or Mac, and the device itself, locked by the owner, became in the hands of criminals just a set of spare parts and nothing more.

What is “Find iPhone” and how can you use this function to protect your iOS device from theft?

In case of theft or loss of an iPhone or iPad, thanks to the “Find iPhone” function, it is possible to:

• determine the device’s geoposition on the map;
• play a sound signal to help you find a smartphone or tablet if it is somewhere nearby;
• activate lost mode, blocking iPhone, iPad;
• remotely erase all information from a stolen device.

How to enable Find My iPhone

“Find iPhone” is activated in the settings of the iOS device. Open settings, go to iCloud > Find My iPhone(or “Find iPad”) and drag the slider to the “on” position. In the same subsection, you can enable/disable automatic sending of the last geoposition of your device to Apple whenever the battery charge is critically low.

Simultaneously with the activation of the Find My iPhone function, activation blocking begins to protect the mobile device from intruders.

iPhone Activation Lock

• disabling the Find My iPhone feature on your device;
• deleting data from the device;
• reactivation and use of the device.

How to disable Find My iPhone

• in the iPhone or iPad settings;
• remotely, via the iCloud service;
• by deleting the iCloud account from the device in the settings or erasing the content and settings of the iPhone, iPad.

How to find iPhone from computer via iCloud

Find My iPhone app

After installation, simply launch the application and sign in using your Apple ID and password. Once authenticated, you can always track the location of your iPhone, iPad or Mac on a map, provided that the same iCloud account is activated on all listed devices.

How to Find a Lost or Stolen iPhone

Activating this mode will block your smartphone, tablet or computer and require you to enter

If the device was previously protected, then when the lost mode is activated, a combination of numbers already familiar to the owner will be used as a password. Otherwise, you will need to come up with a new password.

If you haven’t found an answer to your question or something didn’t work out for you, and there is no suitable solution in the comments below, ask a question through ours. It's fast, simple, convenient and doesn't require registration. You will find answers to your and other questions in the section.

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Apple mobile devices with iOS versions above 5.0 are equipped with an excellent security mechanism - the Find My iPhone function. The function allows you to remotely block a lost/stolen gadget and find out its location. Thanks to Find iPhone, the number of reported thefts of Apple devices around the world has decreased significantly - in London, for example, by as much as 50%.

Russian users, alas, have not yet “tried” Apple’s “anti-theft” function - many of them do not believe in its effectiveness; Some even suggest that this is America’s way of keeping tabs on the Russians. In fact, the search mechanism proposed by Apple is effective. It makes sense to abandon paranoid prejudices in order not to shed tears after the theft of an expensive device.

The Find My iPhone service allows the user to:

• Find out the geographical location of the lost gadget. You can only find out where the device is if it is connected to the Internet.
• Remotely delete all contents of your smartphone.
• Activate “Lost Mode” on the device. It is impossible to use such a gadget - you can only sell it for spare parts and then for next to nothing.
• Remotely trigger a loud beep on your smartphone to make searching easier.

The function can be used only if it is activated on the mobile device itself and if the owner of the gadget remembers the password for his iCloud account.

After losing an Apple smartphone, the user can go to www.icloud.com using the data of the account that is activated on the device, select the “Find iPhone” section and see a city map on which the location of the gadget is marked with a green dot.

The owner of the lost “mobile phone” can only turn on “Lost Mode” and go out in search. It’s better to bring a friend with you who also has an Apple device – but only with the Find My iPhone app installed. Through the application, you can play a signal on a lost device.

More detailed instructions on using Apple's anti-theft technology are available in our article on how to find a lost iPhone.

How to enable the Find My iPhone feature?

To set up the Find iPhone function on your mobile device, do the following:

Step 1. Go to the section " iCloud" V " Settings» iPhone.

Step 2. Enter your Apple ID and password if you haven't done so before.

Then click " Login».

Step 3. Agree to merge the data stored in iCloud and on your iPhone - or refuse if you want to separate the “flies from the cutlets”. Also allow iCloud to use your iPhone's location.

These two requests will appear on the screen sequentially, one after the other.

Step 4. Scroll down the screen and find the " Find iPhone».

Move it to the active position.

Step 5. A notification will appear on your screen indicating that Find My iPhone will be activated. Click " OK».

Step 6. It remains to check whether the “Find iPhone” function is enabled in “ Location services" Go to " Settings" and follow the path " Privacy» — « Location Services».

In the section " Location Services" there is a subsection " Find iPhone» - visit him.

Make sure that the toggle switch of the same name is activated.

It is very important to carry out this check. If Find My iPhone doesn't use geolocation, you won't be able to see your lost device on the map.

What is Activation Lock?

A useful add-on for Find My iPhone called " Activation Lock" (or " Activation Lock") first appeared on iOS 7. The addition allows you to “tightly” block a mobile device linked to an Apple ID account - that is, actually turn the smartphone into a “brick”. Neither flashing nor restoring in DFU mode will help to revive the gadget.

“Activation Lock” is, in fact, the “Lost Mode” that was mentioned earlier and which can be enabled on the iCloud website.

With the current " Activation lock»You will have to enter your Apple ID every time you need to do the following:

• Deactivate Find My iPhone.
• Delete information from the gadget.
• Re-activate the smartphone.

That is, an attacker who stole a gadget will find that he has a device in his hands with which he cannot do anything. The smartest thing for a thief to do would be to contact the owner and, pretending to have found the gadget, offer to return the device for a symbolic reward.

The user needs to be careful and activate “Lost Mode” only after the Apple ID password has been written down in all kinds of notepads and computer programs. If he loses the password or forgets it, he himself will not be able to return the device to functionality. Under such circumstances, service centers, Apple support, and even computer hackers will be powerless.

Conclusion

A person who has activated the Find My iPhone function on his mobile phone will have to take the confidentiality of his Apple ID credentials very seriously. If the data ends up in the hands of attackers, they will be able to block the gadget and, by changing the iCloud password, blackmail the owner of the mobile device. This method of fraud is not “out of science fiction”; Recently, more and more users are suffering from such illegal actions.