Phones have become an integral part of our lives, and we can't wait to spend time without them. Why not, as they have become the link between us and almost everything: family, loved ones, friends, work, staff, various interests, and so on. When we lose our phone, for example, if it is lost or stolen, we feel unstable, because we have lost our entire virtual world. But don't despair, the chances of getting it back may be greater than you think!
Whether you put your iPhone somewhere in the house and forgot it or - God forbid - He stole from youEvery second counts. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll tell you everything you can do to recover your lost iPhone. From simple steps you can take right away, to more complex strategies.
First: Summon the iPhone with a ring from the Apple Watch
If you have an Apple Watch, it’s one of the easiest ways to find a lost iPhone in the same room or place. For this feature to work, your iPhone must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network or connected to your watch via Bluetooth, which shows you the range of the search.
Swipe up on the Apple Watch screen to open Control Center, then tap the Ring button to have your iPhone play an intermittent alert sound to guide you to it. If your iPhone's speakers are broken or you can't hear the sound, press and hold the same button for three seconds, and your iPhone's flash light will flash several times as the alert sounds.
Second: Use “Hey Siri” to try to locate the iPhone.
If you don’t have an Apple Watch, the quickest way to find an iPhone you think is in the same place is to shout out to Siri, “Hey Siri.” If the phone is nearby, you may hear a beep to indicate that Siri is listening, and Siri may continue talking to let you know that she’s waiting for your commands. Of course, this will only work if you’ve set up “Hey Siri” before.
Third: Track your phone's location via Find My
If the Apple Watch trick or calling Siri doesn't work for you, try using an online tracking tool. Find My.,You should have previously set it up with the “Send Last Location” feature enabled in case of such a situation.
You can use Find My in one of two ways:
◉ Use it on another iOS device you own or even a friend's.
◉ Or via your computer browser on icloud.com/#findIt is advisable to avoid using the web version for mobile phones as it does not work well, so use it on the desktop if you do not use the iOS app. The app will then allow you to see your phone's current or last known location on a map.
If your phone falls out of your pocket somewhere a little far away, knowing its approximate location will help you retrieve it quickly. If it’s in the same location as you, you can skip to the “Play a Sound” step (see next step). If your phone is moving, Find My will show a green dot representing the iPhone’s last known location, in which case you should skip to “Step 5.”
Fourth: Call or send a message from another phone
The next easiest step is to call your phone number from another phone. The stranger doesn't need your passcode or fingerprints to answer the call, so they might as well be a good human and pick up.
If the call doesn’t work, send a descriptive text message explaining who you are, that you’ve lost your iPhone, and what to do if someone finds it. If your text messages appear on the Lock screen, the other person may see them and return your iPhone to you. They may also respond to you to ask for more information as long as you haven’t disabled Reply by Message on the Lock screen.
If you have disabled “Show Previews” through notifications and set it to “Never,” this trick won’t work. In this case, you’ll need to use Lost Mode in the next step.
Fifth: Secure the iPhone and send a “Lost Mode” message
If you still can't find your phone, don't worry. Find My not only shows you the current location of your device, it also helps you communicate with anyone who might have your phone without giving them access to messages on the lock screen or other information like widgets.
When using Find My, either via the app or the website, select your phone, tap “Lost Mode,” tap “Turn On Lost Mode,” then enter a phone number and a message that will appear on your iPhone’s Lock screen.
On the web version, all you have to do is enter a phone number to contact you, followed by a message.
Once you tap “Done,” the message will appear on the Lock screen, your iPhone will be locked, and Apple Pay will be temporarily disabled so you don’t have to call your bank or cancel your cards online.
Even if your phone is off, this feature will be activated as soon as you turn it on, if the internet is working on it, we mean cellular, and you can charge it with credit so that the internet remains working and you can continue. When you find your device, entering the passcode will automatically turn off Lost Mode, and you can disable it manually through Find My.
You can try different wordings for the message in Lost Mode. You can mention a reward for the return of the iPhone or mention that you are tracking its location via Find My, which might prompt the person to return it.
Deter thieves with Find My Activation Lock
If you can't find your phone, it may be stolen. Since you have Find My turned on, which is a requirement if you have an AppleCare+ plan with theft and loss coverage, Activation Lock is also on.
This means that a thief would need your Apple ID password and the device passcode before they could turn off Find My, erase the device, or try to activate it with a carrier, which is not possible. This would make it difficult for thieves to use or sell it, unless they sold it for parts.
Sixth: Remotely erase the iPhone through Find My
If it seems like you can’t recover your lost iPhone, you have little choice but to remotely erase all of its contents, especially if you’re afraid a thief or hacker might be able to bypass your passcode. You can do this through Find My, either from the app or the website, and here’s how to erase everything on it:
◉ Select your lost or stolen device with Find My.
◉ Click on “Erase iPhone”.
◉ You will be asked to confirm that you want to erase, with the warning that this action will erase all content and settings, and will prevent you from tracking the phone via Find My.
◉ Click on “Erase iPhone”, and it will be erased if it is connected to the Internet, even if it is currently turned off.
Important Notice: If you remove your iPhone from your Apple ID after erasing it, Activation Lock will be turned off, which means anyone else can turn it on and use it.
If you have Erase Data enabled in your Face ID or Touch ID settings, your iPhone will automatically erase itself if someone enters your passcode incorrectly 10 times. But you can’t know if this has happened or not, because a phone not showing up in Find My could mean a lot of things.
Seventh: Call the police and file a report.
If you are certain that your phone has been stolen, call the police department and file a report. They will ask you for information about your device such as the serial number, model, and last known location of the iPhone. The iPhone box may be sufficient.
Here in Egypt, there are specialists who work in the legal profession who follow up on the case of a stolen phone and it is returned as soon as a SIM card is inserted in it. Immediately, its location is determined, tracked and returned to its owner again. This happened to me personally and the Oppo F9 phone was returned after a year of its theft, and it was stolen one week after its purchase.
If you have AppleCare+ with theft and loss protection or good insurance, it may be better to pay the deductible and get a replacement iPhone. But remember, if you didn't enable Find My in advance, you may have to pay the full price.
Eighth: Notify the telecommunications company
Since you haven’t recovered your iPhone yet, it’s important to take every possible step to prevent anyone from using it. Call your carrier or use their online services to report your iPhone stolen. While this isn’t always necessary, it’s helpful for two reasons:
◉ Assist you with insurance claim procedures if you have insurance.
◉ It puts your phone on the blacklist, preventing it from being connected to any other carrier, even if the activation lock is disabled for any reason.
Ninth: Submitting an insurance claim
If you have iPhone insurance, the next step is to contact either Apple, if you have AppleCare+, or your phone's insurance company to file a claim.
Insurance features:
◉ You may only pay a few hundred dollars for a refurbished iPhone, depending on the type of insurance and the model of your phone.
◉ Most insurance companies ship replacement phones with free express shipping, which means you could receive your iPhone within a few days.
Important Notice: Remember, you may have to pay the full price if you haven't already activated Find My.
Finally, it is important to change the password and lock code of the new iPhone account. Make sure to choose a strong code, and it is preferable to avoid using a code consisting of only 4 digits.
Important Additional Procedures
Tell your family and friends that you lost your phone so that they are not tricked by a thief who may access the contents of your phone, change the passwords for your other online accounts, and may call someone or send a message saying that you need urgent money because you are in trouble or something similar.
If you get a replacement phone through insurance and then find your lost or stolen phone, you must return one of the phones, or you may face charges of theft or fraud.
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