Apple’s Find My app is a very useful (and reassuring) feature, allowing you to locate a misplaced (or stolen) phone so you can get it back (or contact the authorities if it’s safer). It has become even more useful with the expansion of Find My to various other objects, particularly through Apple’s AirTags.
And now that iOS 15 brings with it the ability to locate your phone even if the battery is dead or turned off – if you have the right phone – the usefulness of Find My is even greater.
You will be able to locate a locked phone if you have:
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro / iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 12 / iPhone 12 Mini
- iPhone 12 Pro / iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 / iPhone 13 Mini
- iPhone 13 Pro / iPhone 13 Pro Max
When you turn off your phone, you’ll know that this feature is enabled if you see “Find iPhone After Turning Off” below the power button.
Activate the Find My app
If you’re new to iPhone or haven’t installed the Find My app yet, here’s how to get started:
- Go to your settings, tap on your name and then “Find”.
- Tap on “Find My iPhone”.
- Turn on “Find My iPhone”. If you’ve upgraded to iOS 15, you can also enable the “Find My Network” feature, which lets you find your phone even when it’s offline. “Send Last Location” sends your iPhone’s location to your Apple account when the battery is nearly dead.
And that’s it! After that, if you can’t find your iPhone, you can track it using the Find app on a Mac (or another iPhone if available) or by going to any browser at: iCloud.com/find and sign in using your Apple ID.
If you’re using the web version, you’ll see a green dot that locates your iPhone. Select the dot, then the circled “i” (for information) and you’ll be given the chance to choose whether your phone plays a sound, deletes it, or puts it in “Lost Mode”. In “Lost Mode”, you can enter a phone number where you can be reached and a message (“Please return this phone as soon as possible!”). After that, the phone will be locked until you re-enter the passcode.
If you use the Find My app, you get basically the same features (except in a more aesthetically pleasing format) with map directions on how to get to your phone.
And yes—if you’re running iOS 15 on your iPhone, you’ll be able to locate it even if it’s out of battery or turned off.
(Note: You can also use the Find My app to help with your own safety — to share your location with individuals and send recurring notifications about when you leave and arrive. You can find instructions for setting this up in our article “How to use iPhone location tracking.”)
Update September 29, 2021, 3:30 PM ET: Updated to add information about which iPhones can be found after power off.
