Are you prone to losing your iPhone? Well, if you’ve learned anything, it’s that you need to come up with a gameplan before it happens again. You don’t want to lose your new iPhone for the umpteenth time. But, where do you start? You can start by taking preventative measures and knowing what to do to find your lost iPhone.
Preventative Measures To Take Before Your iPhone Is Lost
Get A Unique iPhone Case
To make your iPhone standout, get a unique phone case for it. A case that has bold colors or a unique design, like a picture of Pikachu. Your case should be easily spottable whether your iPhone is lost or stolen. Having a case that doesn’t blend in with the crowd may also deter criminals from stealing it.
Know Where Your iPhone Is At All Times
When you are out and about, have a place where you always put your iPhone. It can be in the front pocket of your bag or purse, your pants pocket, or your jacket. Just make sure it is somewhere you will remember and never forget.
Set-Up The Find My iPhone App
The Find My iPhone app is the built-in way to locate your lost iOS device if you’ve misplaced it.
How To Set-Up Find My iPhone
- Go to Settings → [your name] → iCloud
- Scroll down and open the Find My iPhone setting.
- Turn on Find My iPhone.
- Enter your Apple ID and password if prompted to do so.
How To Use Find My iPhone
- Go to icloud.com/find on another device and sign into your account.
- Choose Find iPhone and select your lost device.
- View your iPhone’s location on a map.
- You have the option to play a sound if it’s nearby, mark it as lost which will lock the screen, or erase the data on your device.
If you want to turn off Find My iPhone, here are some instructions you can follow.
Get An iPhone Tracking App
Besides using Find My iPhone, you could also download an iPhone tracking app. There are many companies who offer mobile GPS tracking apps online and in the App store, so do your research. Usually, all you have to do is download the app and set it up, or just enter your Apple ID and password online. Then, you can simply view your iPhone’s location on the app.
Family Sharing
If you utilize Family Sharing, you can use it to find your iPhone in the future.
How To Set-Up Family Sharing
- Go to your Settings → [your name] → Set Up Family Sharing.
- Tap Set Up Family Sharing → Get Started.
- Follow the on-screen prompts until the setup process is complete
How To Use Family Sharing To Find Your iPhone
- Have someone in your family sign into their iCloud account.
- Go to the list of devices on your account and find the one that’s lost.
- Click on the device to view it’s last pinged location.
iPhone’s Security Settings
To protect your iPhone from intruders, you need to use all of the security settings you can. This includes Face ID, Two-Factor Authentication, and Passcode. It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your iPhone’s safety.
Backup Your iPhone Data
When someone loses their iPhone, the first thing they worry about is there data. By backing up your iPhone on a regular basis, that worry will disappear.
How To Back-Up Your iPhone Data
- Navigate to your Settings → [your name] → iCloud → iCloud Backup
- Then, turn on iCloud Backup.
- While on, your iPhone will backup daily when using Wi-Fi, plugged in, and/or locked.
What To If Your iPhone Is Lost or Stolen
Use Find My iPhone, An iPhone Tracking App, or Family Sharing
The first thing you should do when looking for your lost iPhone is to use Find My iPhone, your iPhone Tracking App, or Family Sharing. Follow the directions mentioned previously or by the app company to locate your iPhone.
Revisit Where You Could Have Lost Your iPhone
When in doubt, retrace your steps. Go to the places you went that day where you may have lost your iPhone. Likely, you just forget your iPhone on a table or in the bathroom.
Wipe Your iPhone Data
If your iPhone was stolen or you’ve lost it forever, it’s recommended to remotely erase your iPhone’s data. This will help prevent any unwanted people from viewing your personal information.
How To Erase Your iPhone Data:
- Sign into your Find My iPhone account by going to icloud.com/find.
- View all the devices and choose your iPhone.
- Click on Erase iPhone.
- Follow any verifications necessary whether it’s logging in again or entering a code.
Contact The Authorities and/or Your Cell Phone Provider
If your iPhone was stolen, you can always report it to the authorities and your cell phone provider. You want to do all you can to find the person who stole it so it doesn’t happen to anyone else. If the police find the culprit, it may lead to them finding your iPhone as well.
By taking all of the necessary precautions before losing your iPhone, you shouldn’t have to worry about your iPhone getting permanently lost. And your streak of constantly losing your iPhone will come to an end.
