How to locate a dead iPhone using Apple’s Find My Network

A dead phone battery is usually an inconvenience. When it’s your lost phone, it starts to feel like a real disaster because the phone needs to be running the apps you usually use to find it. Apple anticipated this problem, and the solution built into Find My is more capable than most people realize. iPhones running iOS 15 or later can remain discoverable for hours through Find My Network, even after the battery hits zero, broadcasting a low-energy Bluetooth signal that nearby Apple devices can pick up and relay without anyone knowing.

It even changes to Find My Works. It sends your phone’s location to iCloud, even when the device is off. For added security, stolen device protection protects sensitive data such as credit cards and passwords.

If you have an iPhone 11 or newer model (2020 and 2022 iPhone SE, iPhone 16E and iPhone 17E), you have an ultra-wideband chip for offline detection. As long as Find My is turned on and you’re signed in to your Apple ID, you can find your iPhone even if the battery is dead. Before you panic, follow these steps to restore your phone.

Apple Find My and Find My Network are not the same thing

Apple Find My and Find My Network are different, which can be confusing. Although Find My is the name of the app, Find My Network lets you locate your device when it’s offline, offline, or on low power. And how about that Airtags Automatically update their locations, even if buried below Baggage on an airplane.

You can use the Find My Network feature in Apple’s Find My app or sign in to your Apple ID on iCloud.com to find your misplaced iPhone. Additionally, the app lets you add other Apple products and items you want to track to your Find My network.

How to enable Find My and Find My Network

Make sure Find My and Find My Network are set to allow you to locate a switched off iPhone. open systems And follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app and tap your name (Your Apple Account) at the top of the screen.
2. Go on My find > Find My iPhone And make sure the switch is turned on.
3. Under Find My iPhone, you’ll see Find My Network And Send last location changes. Run them too.

You can check if your iPhone can be detected even if it’s switched off by going to the Power menu: swipe down from the top-right corner to see Control Center, then press and hold the Power button in that corner, or hold the Side and Volume Down buttons. Under the “Slide to Power Off” slider, check “Discoverable after iPhone is powered off.” Even if a thief turns it off, your iPhone is now ready to be found.

However, there are some exceptions. If your iPhone hasn’t sent its location to Apple through Find My in the past seven days, you’ll see “Not Located” next to your device. It can happen if there is a problem with your device’s location services.

How to locate a lost iPhone with Find My app on another Apple device

Now comes the hard part: What happens after you lose your iPhone? Assuming you have completed the above steps, you can rest easy. If you have another Apple device, for example Apple Watch, iPad Or MacBookFollow the steps below to locate your misplaced or stolen iPhone. This will also work on the device of a friend or family member who has shared your location.

1. Open the Find My app and find your iPhone in the list below devices Tab. You should see it in this list as long as you have previously turned on the Find My iPhone, Find My Network, and Send Lost Location options (even if they aren’t).
2. Tap or click the name of your iPhone. This will take you to a menu with several options for locating or marking your phone as lost.
3. If you’ve misplaced your iPhone, tap or click to make sure it’s nearby Turn on the sound Or directions To play the device sound or to get directions to the last recorded location of the device respectively.
4. If your iPhone is confirmed to be stolen, tap Activate under Mark as lost option. It instantly locks the device with your passcode, suspends Apple Pay, and displays a custom message with your contact information to whoever finds it. You can use it too Send last location Find the last known location of your device.

How to Find a Lost iPhone If You Don’t Have Another Apple Device

If you don’t have another Apple device, you can log into your iCloud account in a web browser to find your lost iPhone (this option may be problematic if you don’t have another Apple device due to two-factor authentication). To use a web browser to locate your lost iPhone, follow these steps:

1. Go to icloud.com/find and sign in with your Apple ID.
2. Go on devices list.
3. From here, use the same options to turn on sound, mark your device as lost, or erase a device in use.

To prevent a thief from disabling data or enabling Airplane Mode, you can disable Control Center access on the lock screen when traveling abroad. To do this, do the following:

1. Go on Settings > Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode) and enter your password.
2. under Allow access if locked Section, Substitution Control Center option.

This option may add some inconvenience to everyday use, but I recommend turning off Control Center while traveling.

These settings give you a better chance of finding your iPhone if it’s stolen and disabled. For more iPhone tips and advice, check out our guide Camera control And how Block distracting websites.