Despite significant advancements in smartphone tracking systems, losing your phone remains a frustrating and worrying experience, especially when it contains photos, data, personal accounts, and work files. While Apple offers Find My as the official solution for locating lost iPhones, iOS hides another, less well-known but clever and fast method that can be a lifesaver in some situations. It's a simple shortcut within the Shortcuts app that allows you to take a picture and instantly send your device's location via text message to another phone you have, without needing the Find My app. This trick relies on creating an automatic shortcut, making it ideal as a quick backup option for recovering your device. In this article, we'll walk you through setting it up step-by-step.
What is the anti-theft shortcut trick on the iPhone?
The Shortcuts app in iOS is a powerful, often overlooked tool capable of easily creating complex tasks. This particular trick acts as an "anti-theft shortcut," triggered when a text message containing a specific keyword is received. When this keyword is sent from another phone, the iPhone takes a picture with either the front or rear camera, precisely locates the phone, and then sends this information to the other phone, which you specified when setting up the shortcut, as will be explained later.
What's amazing is that it works even when the iPhone is locked, and it complements, rather than replaces, the Find My app. For example, if you misplace your phone at home or in a public place, you can send a message and receive a precise location within seconds. In the event of theft, it might even capture the thief's face.
In addition, the feature can be customized to include extra actions such as enabling Low Power Mode to save battery, or playing a loud sound to locate the device audibly. This feature is available on iPhones or iPads running the latest iOS or iPadOS, and requires no additional tools beyond the pre-installed Shortcuts app.
What is remarkable about this trick is that everything happens in complete silence, without turning on the iPhone screen or showing any notification.
I remember that at the height of the spread of jailbreaking and Cydia store, there was a famous tool that did that very professionally. It happened to me that I forgot my iPhone at one of my friends’ houses, and every time he tried to unlock the iPhone, it would take many pictures of him and send them directly to the email. I knew that the iPhone was with him, and when he found out about it and saw his pictures, he laughed a lot and was very impressed by the trick.
Unlike Find My, which requires logging into an Apple account from another device, this trick provides instant access to phone information simply by sending a text message. This means the user doesn't need a browser, an additional device, or even to remember their account password; all they need is another phone to send the agreed-upon password.
The shortcut not only shows the location on the map, but also gives the user a live image from the phone's camera, an element that Find My does not provide directly.
How to create an "anti-theft" shortcut on iPhone
First, all you need is an iPhone or iPad running the latest version of iOS or iPadOS, with the Shortcuts app installed on the device. No additional apps are required.
First: Create a new personal procedure
We start by creating a personal procedure, also known as a shortcut, and then we specify how it will be run.
◉ Open the Shortcuts app on your device, then go to the Automation tab, and press the (+) sign to create a new action.
◉ On the “When” screen, select Message. This means that the iPhone will automatically activate the shortcut once a specific text message is received.
◉ Next, specify the sender. You can choose any sender, or specify a trusted contact such as your partner or family member.
◉ Choosing “Any Sender” or “Specific Contact” allows you to run the shortcut from any phone, while choosing “Specific Contact” restricts it to only one person.
Second: Determining the activation word
Now it's time to specify the activation word or phrase, which makes the iPhone automatically activate the shortcut when a message containing it arrives.
◉ On the “When” screen, select “Message Contains,” then enter a word or phrase of your choice. It’s important to choose an uncommon activation word and only share it with trusted people to prevent the shortcut from being triggered accidentally or as a joke.
◉ You can use any word you like, but it's best to choose something uncommon. If you select "Any Sender," avoid generic words like "lost" or "missing," as you might use them frequently without meaning to trigger the shortcut by mistake.
◉ Next, on the same screen, choose “Run Immediately” instead of “Run After Confirmation”.
If the phone is lost or stolen, it would not make sense to wait for manual confirmation; the shortcut should work immediately.
◉ Click Next to continue.
Third: Adding key commands or procedures
Here's the fun part: adding the actions the shortcut performs. The order is important, so follow the steps carefully.
◉ On the “When I get a message…” screen, select “Create New Shortcut”.
◉ You can also search for “Set Low Power Mode”, activate it to save battery in case of loss. This is optional.
◉ Search for “Take Photo”, specify the number of photos (e.g., 1), choose the camera “front or rear”, and turn off camera preview so that it works silently.
◉ Search for “Send Message”, and the image will be added automatically. Select the trusted recipient who will see the image.
◉ Search for “Get Current Location”, and select the accuracy of “Nearest ten meters” to get an accurate location.
◉ Add “Send Message” again to send the location to the same recipient.
◉ You can add “Play Music” to play music with a loud, annoying sound, or “Set Volume” to 100% to audibly locate the position.
◉ Once finished, press to save. You can edit the shortcut at any time from the Automation control screen.
When setting up the camera command within the shortcut, you can select the front camera to take a picture of the face of the person who might have taken the phone if it were stolen. However, if the primary purpose of the shortcut is to find a lost phone, it's common for the device to be placed face down, in which case the rear camera becomes a more effective option. In all cases, it's advisable to disable the camera preview so that the picture can be taken quietly and discreetly.
Regarding geolocation, higher accuracy generally means better results. After testing all available accuracy options, the "nearest ten meters" option proved to provide the most accurate and reliable location.
Test the abbreviation
To test the shortcut and ensure it works as expected, from the Command Order screen or the "Do" screen, you can press the Run button at the bottom of the screen to try the shortcut directly.
If you've already returned to the Automation screen, simply select the shortcut, then go to the Execution section and press the Start button. You can also test the shortcut practically by sending the activation code from another phone or from a previously specified contact.
Within seconds, you should receive a set of results, including a photo taken with the camera and a message containing the phone's current location with a direct link to maps. If you have enabled additional options, the phone will also automatically switch to power-saving mode, increase the volume, and play a loud ringtone.
If you do not want the person who helped you with the test to be able to run the shortcut whenever they want, you can simply change the activation word after the experiment is over, or just test it yourself using the Do button inside the execution screen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this shortcut work if the iPhone is locked?
Yes, the automatic action works even when the iPhone screen is locked. However, the user can revoke this permission at any time. This is done by opening the Shortcuts app, then going to the Automation section, selecting the shortcut, then going to the Do section, tapping the information button, and finally going to Privacy settings and turning off the "Allow to Run While Locked" option.
However, it should be noted that disabling this option makes the shortcut useless if the activation message arrives and the phone is locked.
Does the iPhone need an internet connection for the shortcut to work?
Yes, the shortcut requires an internet connection, either via mobile data or Wi-Fi, in order to send text messages and share geographic location.
Does the shortcut work if the phone is completely off?
While this method is clever, it's not a magic bullet for every situation. It won't work if the phone is completely powered off or the battery is dead, and it relies on an internet connection to send the location and image. Furthermore, it's not recommended to rely on it alone; it should be used in conjunction with Find My as an extra layer of security.
Can this abbreviation be considered an alternative to Find My?
It can be considered an additional option or a partial replacement, but it doesn't replace Find My. The shortcut provides a quick way to get a recent photo and precise location of the phone without needing to sign in to your Apple account from another device, but Find My remains an essential and important tool that should be kept enabled.
Can the shortcut be further customized?
Yes, and with great flexibility. Additional commands can be added, such as increasing the volume, playing a ringtone or annoying song, or even locking the screen. A completely separate shortcut can also be created with the same concept, but with a different activation word, such as "ping".
The customization possibilities within the Shortcuts app are very extensive, almost limitless, allowing each user to tailor the shortcut to their specific needs.
When is this solution actually useful?
The power of this trick is evident in quick-fire situations, such as forgetting your phone at a friend's house or at work, or suspecting you left it in a taxi or café. In these cases, within seconds, you can pinpoint the phone's exact location, perhaps even hearing a loud ring or seeing an image that reveals its position or the person holding it.
It also represents a smart backup solution in case Find My cannot be used for any reason, whether due to account problems or the unavailability of another device to log in.
This trick reveals an important aspect of iOS's power, highlighting that many advanced features remain untapped by a large segment of users. Using a built-in application that requires no additional download, an ordinary text message can be transformed into a fast and effective tracking tool.
Although Find My will remain the primary option for tracking Apple devices, this smart shortcut offers a quick and complementary alternative that could make all the difference in moments when you need an immediate solution without complication.
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