Losing your iPhone is always a nightmare, considering it also leads to losing other important pieces of information like contacts, photos, and data stored on the device. While the “Find My iPhone” feature is a great way to locate a misplaced or stolen iPhone, what happens if you never enable it? The good news is that there are still a few options available for locating a misplaced iPhone. This article will go over how to find a lost iPhone without using the Find My iPhone app.
How To Find a Lost iPhone Without Find My iPhone: Overview
There are numerous ways to find a lost iPhone without the Find My iPhone feature. Using Google’s timeline features or GPS tracking apps certainly makes the search a lot easier. Or, you can rely on the Apple network if your iPhone and Apple Watch are connected.
In addition to these methods, you can also try calling your phone or using the IMEI number to locate your lost device. If “Find my iPhone” is not enabled, these are some obvious methods for locating your iPhone.
But let’s delve into the details of each method. By the end of this article, you will have a precise understanding of how to approach each solution.
Ways to Find Your iPhone Without Using Find My iPhone
It’s evident by now that having Find My iPhone turned on is the simplest way to locate your lost iPhone. However, if you don’t have the option enabled or it isn’t working, there are other options to consider. Let’s go over them in depth.
#1. Use Google Timeline
The Google timeline method is the first method you should always use. Because Google uses device GPS to track devices in real-time, the Google Timeline can display the location of your device. As a result, you have a better chance of finding your misplaced device this way.
Because the timeline is usually private, you can only access the data. So, if you lose your iPhone, you can go to Google’s timeline to see where it was last seen.
If your phone’s location settings are active at the time, you may find your current location. Here’s a quick tutorial on how to access your Google timeline:
- To begin, go to the Google timeline URL. The timeline will appear immediately if your Google account is logged in on your device. Otherwise, you must log in with your account.
- You can see your iPhone’s previous locations in the Google timeline.
- You’ll see all the places your iPhone has been in the past.
- You can filter your iPhone’s location by time in the upper tab. You can see your iPhone’s most recent location by selecting “today.”
- When you click that, the tab will display the detailed location. To see the details, scroll down.
- You can look at the entire timeline to see where your phone has been and whether it has moved at all.
This method should allow you to easily find the approximate location of your lost iPhone. If you don’t have a Google account linked to your iPhone or your location services are disabled, try the other methods listed below.
#2. Use Apple Watch
Finding your iPhone can be much easier for any Apple Watch user. A feature on your Apple Watch allows you to locate your iPhone without much difficulty.
If your iPhone and Apple Watch share the same Apple ID, proceed as follows:
- First, ensure your iPhone and Apple Watch are connected to the same network. Whether you connect to the same Wi-Fi network or via Bluetooth makes no difference.
- Swipe up on your Apple Watch to access the menu options.
- The menu window contains several options, including the ping phone option.
- To ping your phone, press the ping button. Even when the phone is in silent mode, it will make a noise and vibrate.
- Tap and hold the pinging option to make it flash along with the pinging noise. It’s very useful in the dark.
The problem with this method is that it is only appropriate if you have lost your iPhone somewhere nearby.
This method is useless if you have lost it somewhere far away. Still, you can hope the phone is connected to a known Wi-Fi network where someone will pick up the vibration and contact you later.
#3. Make Use of GPS Tracking Apps
GPS tracking apps can help you find your lost iPhone by utilizing the GPS technology built into your phone. There are two kinds of GPS tracking applications available.
First, tracking apps use a registered account to track your iPhone. You must have such an app downloaded on your phone. Then, you can go to the tracking app’s website and use their services to locate your phone.
The following are some popular tracking apps:
- FamiSafe by Wondershare
- Find my Phone – Family Locator
- Glympse Location Sharing & Tracking App
#4. Call Your Phone Number
This is a fairly obvious way to locate a phone. You simply dial your phone number and see if it rings.
You will most likely hear it if it is nearby. However, someone will eventually answer the phone if the distance is enormous.
If no one answers the phone, it is either lost in an inaccessible location or stolen. In that case, you’ll have to experiment with other methods.
#5. Make Use of the IMEI Number
The IMEI is a 15-digit number unique to each authorized smartphone and can be used to track down lost or stolen devices. There are two ways to use your iPhone’s IMEI number to locate it.
You can use various tracking apps or websites that require your IMEI number to locate your phone. Alternatively, if you go to a local police station, you must provide the IMEI number.
Lostphone.org is one of the most popular online directories you can use with your IMEI number. It’s an extensive database full of IMEI numbers where you can find your device and its location. You can also use trackimei.net to locate your lost phone.
Going to the police station will require your IMEI number to track the phone. Because the police will have access to more powerful tracking systems, they can easily locate your iPhone using the IMEI number.
Your IMEI number can be found in the manual or on the back of your phone box. You can also enter the *#06# code into your dialing pad to find it.
What Should You Do If You Misplace Your iPhone?
The first thing you should do after losing your phone is to calm down. Recollect your thoughts and try to examine the situation objectively. If you lose your phone, it’s not the end of the world; you can still find it.
Here are some steps to take if you lose your iPhone.
- First, locate your device using your iPhone’s “Find My” app or feature. You can do so by going to iCloud.
- Next, when you have a lost phone, your priority should always be to protect your data. Especially if you suspect the phone has been stolen.
- Inform your carrier about the disappearance of your iPhone. To avoid further complications, they will deactivate your account.
- You can mark your iPhone as lost using the Lost Mode, which remotely locks the phone with a passcode.
- If you are sure that your iPhone was stolen, you must report it to the local police station or any other law enforcement agency.
- Aside from that, if your iPhone is registered with AppleCare+, you can request an iPhone replacement. It’s a theft and a lost Apple claim. However, the AppleCare+ service is only available in a few countries.
Is the Find My iPhone feature still functional when the SIM card is removed?
Yes, even if your phone has no SIM card, the Find My iPhone feature still works. It is not necessary to have an active cellular network for the feature to work because it uses GPS tracking and Wi-Fi signals to locate your phone.
Is it possible to locate a misplaced iPhone using a different iPhone?
Yes, you can use another iPhone to find a lost iPhone. Every iPhone comes standard with a tracker built in. An app called “Find My Friend” also allows you to locate iPhones with Apple IDs using your iPhone.
Can you track down a lost or stolen iPhone without a cellular network or Wi-Fi?
No, the chances of finding a lost iPhone without a cellular or Wi-Fi connection are slim. Because most of the iPhone’s tracking features rely on the cellular network or Wi-Fi, you may be aware of your phone’s previous location but not its current location.
Does my iPhone work when it’s dead?
Yes, if you enable the option on your iPhone, it should work even if the phone is turned off. It may not give you the current location, but it will provide you with the phone’s last known location when it was turned on.
What Is Find My iPhone and How Does It Function?
Find My iPhone is an iPhone feature that allows users to locate their misplaced device using their iCloud and Apple ID credentials. You can enable the feature in the iPhone Settings menu or by installing the App Store app. If you have the latest iOS version on your iPhone, it will usually come pre-installed.
The app keeps track of all Apple devices signed in with the same Apple ID. However, the Find My iPhone feature must be enabled; otherwise, the device will not appear in the list.
The Find My iPhone feature is used to find all connected Apple devices in a variety of ways, including:
- Using Apple Maps to find the device
- Making a sound to help locate the location
- Enable lost mode with a personalized message using your contact information.
- To protect your data, remotely erase it.
These features are compatible with almost any Apple device as long as the option is enabled on your device and your Apple ID is active.
Does Find My iPhone work when the phone is turned off?
Yes. You can see the last known location but not the current location if your lost iPhone is dead. You can still see the last known location as long as you have Find My iPhone Last Location enabled (this feature is enabled by default, so you would have had to turn it off manually). If you do not enable this feature, the location of your iPhone will not be displayed in the Find My iPhone app when the battery dies.
Last Words
You now completely understand how to find a lost iPhone without turning on your phone. There are a few things to keep in mind when using those methods.
A great tip I’ll leave you with is to always install a GPS tracking app on your phone. Even if they discover that my phone is not working or has been turned off, such apps can be lifesaving. These apps make it simple to track your phone.
Still, enabling the Find My iPhone feature is the best and most straightforward way to recover your lost phone. If you can’t have that on, you can try the methods we discussed separately.
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