this is how the Find My feature of Apple devices works
With Find My iPhone, as the name suggests, you can quickly find your phone. But, the feature is useful for other Apple devices as well. That is how it works.
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Find my iPhone, Apple Watch and other Apple devices
Find my iPhone is without a doubt one of the best-known iPhone apps. Or rather: wash. Technically, the separate app no longer exists. Since iOS 13, the iPhone software version that came out in 2019, the program has a new name: Find My.
Find my iPhone has become part of the wider Find My app, as it were. This app is the starting point for everything related to locations. For example, you can find lost devices, but also let friends and family know exactly where you are.
To use all this, you need to set up Find my iPhone. You have probably already done this when you started using your device. During the registration process, Apple asks if you want to enable the feature. If you haven’t already done this, you can still do this manually:
- Grab your iPhone and open the Settings app;
- Tap your name and choose ‘Find My’;
- Go to “Find My iPhone” and slide the switch;
You have now enabled Find My iPhone. The device broadcasts a location so you can always find it. In this same menu you can also check ‘Find my network’ and ‘Send last location’.
With Find My Network, you can always see the location of your iPhone, even when it’s offline. You can also see where your accessories are hanging, such as AirTags. If you check ‘Send last location’, your iPhone will send out an emergency signal.
As you can see, setting up Find My iPhone is a snap. If you want to test whether it really works, log in to iCloud.com (and log in with your Apple ID if necessary) and go to ‘Find iPhone’. You should now see the last location of your device on the map.
The Find My app works with the following devices:
Lost iPhone? That’s how you find it!
All right, your iPhone is now sending out a signal that we can trace. But, what do you do when the man is in need?
On the card, simply tap on the lost device and press the ‘i’ icon. You will then be presented with three options, including play sound. This is the easiest way to find a lost iPhone indoors.
Is your Apple smartphone not lying behind the couch, but is it wandering around somewhere in the outside world? Then you need the ‘Lost Mode’. This conjures up a phone number on the screen of your lost iPhone so that the honest person can reach you.
When your iPhone is stolen, choose the third option: ‘Erase iPhone’. As the name suggests, this function ensures that all data is removed from your device. This is really an emergency measure, because you will not get the device back with it. Instead, you make sure that malicious parties don’t get away with your personal information.
In addition to finding stuff, you can also use the Find My network to share your location. This is useful, for example, to check where your friends hang out on holiday. It works like this:
- Open the Find My app on your iPhone;
- Go to the People tab at the bottom left;
- Press the blue button ‘Start sharing location’;
- Now choose the people you want to share your location with and you’re done.
Turn off Find my iPhone
Do you want to turn off Find My iPhone? It’s as easy as turning it on. Grab your iPhone, tap your name at the top and choose Find My. Then tap Find My iPhone and slide the switch so that the box turns gray.
More tips for iPhone beginners
Do you have an iPhone for the first time? Congratulations! A world of possibilities opens up to you now. Take a look at our iPhone beginner’s guide for all kinds of useful tips to get the most out of your smartphone.
